Celtics showing that it’s best to simply build the whole team out of top 30 players
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I need Luka to shout obscenities at Marky Mark after a 10th straight 3.
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If Luka can’t play help D, the Mavs are doomed. Still some Celtics shooting luck overall but the quality of looks is clearly way in favor of the C’s.
Like cmon look at that. Dude can’t move. Or I guess if you’re a cynic, won’t.
https://twitter.com/joeviraynba/status/1798903163875131749?s=46&t=pI3vfmsWTFNvkSEe6OFpuA
Rim protection has been the story of this game.
Celtics ability to be huge AND play five out sort of takes away that Dallas rim protection
Eh, I think Dallas could be executing their scheme a lot better than this. They’ve played plenty of 5-out lineups this playoffs and have been smart about where and how to sag. Partly the C’s are just better ofc but there’s been a lot of really meh execution/effort.
During the 22-9 run to start the third, Boston had one shot at the rim and I think went 2/10 from three during the stretch. Out of the timeout, everything was a rim attack going at Luka or one of the bigs. Big for Boston to snap out of their worst habit of settling for 3’s, but to your point the rim attacks are gonna be there if Luka is like this.
They have to figure out the defense. The eye popping stat is 75 points through the middle of the 4th when the starters played and about 6 assists during that time. But that’s a product of them just not being able to score on Boston’s half court defense and I don’t think that will change.
I’d probably ditch Lively already. Boston will be able to continue to take away the lob and that’s a lot of the value to him on one end. And defensively he’s an easy target for Tatum and Brown. Play a lot of Kleber, switch everything except with Luka. Scram him out of everything you can. Their only hope is to get their transition offense going where Kyrie is a chaos agent attacking mismatches and non set defenses. Then get to a close game where things get hairy for Boston. Plus the anxiety sets in for them so heavily in close games to where those 3’s stop falling so much.
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KP is the X factor for the Celtics. He makes them a tough cover with his shooting and his offensive skill plus his rim protection. KP last night means Boston is hard to beat.
They can’t hide Luka or Kyrie defensively against Boston.
How is Boston able to take away the lob where Minnesota couldn’t? Just bc they’re switching and not giving up the paint touch?
I thought Gafford did some nice things on the offensive glass. But I assume they don’t want to play him too much with Boston’s 5 out look.
The TWolves had to use their best defender on Luka which is McDaniels. They have no one left who is both big enough and mobile enough to tag the roll man. So it involves Rudy in the action more immediately, and requires him to make that decision of coming up or staying in drop. It’s mostly drop, and that’s just way more room on the floor to guard and more margin for error for Luka to pick apart.
Boston is so much more comfortable switching in all aspects. They were comfortable with just about anyone non-KP going onto Luka and they’re also comfortable with whoever gets switched onto the big after the screen. Boston regularly starts possessions with Jrue on bigs. They even did this with Embiid. So they can be way more aggressive in not providing space for the pick and roll to operate because they’ll concede an immediate switch and stay home.
I also think Boston has a couple guys that everyone constantly wants to attack when it’s just not that effective. Mainly it’s Hauser when he’s on the floor, and he’s actually pretty good. Other teams had way more success attacking Al. It didn’t work last night, and it’s possible the smaller quicker guys give him more problems than Luka does. I think it’s also possible they spam that matchup a lot more and it doesn’t hold up again. But regardless, Dallas tried finding matchups that Luka wanted which doesn’t always mean it’s the big who’s the screener. The screener is whoever is currently being guarded by the matchup Luka wants. 9/10 this leaves Tatum on the big in the dunker spot. Tatum erases lobs. He’s 6’10” with wingspan and can be in two places at once since he’s so mobile.
Long story short just get 5 switchable defenders who are malleable to basically any lineup and you’ll be good! And when your switch everything 5 comes off the court, replace him with a 7’4” giant.
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I will say, i was shocked Sam hauser became an nba player but I also didn’t realize how insanely good of a shooter he was in college. That shooting at that size, it’s not a surprise he’s figured out a way to be useful
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Some more Woof Luka clips from our boy shap
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Surprise me too. When I saw him at Marquette with Joey, I thought Joey looked like the better player in the couple of games I saw. That turned out to be inaccurate.
That full court pass from Luka is just incredibly lazy
Is that “Michigan Top 5” cutlist himself Jaden Hardy?!
Dallas role players just racking up idiotic out of control turnovers.
Can’t remember a top 6 like Boston’s with as few holes to attack as what they present. Makes them more immune than any team I can remember when the premiere offensive guys are off.
Dallas is the exact opposite on both ends. Bunch of guys you can play off of on one side, and always someone you’re comfortable attacking on the other.
This is when stretching the “team with the best player usually wins” mantra gets taken to its most extreme.
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