Celtics learning to thrive within the uptempo chaos they create

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25500333/celtics-learning-to-thrive-within-the-uptempo-chaos-they-create



Celtics learning to thrive within the uptempo chaos they create


By Zach Harper | NBA writer

March 1, 2016 10:29 am ET



Brad Stevens has been creating a style of play with the Boston Celtics that makes opponents uncomfortable. The Celtics play at the third-fastest pace in the NBA, while putting together the third-best defensive performance on a nightly basis. They don't have top talent on the roster, only a few exemplary role players leading a group of budding role players looking to make their next leap in development.

The exemplary role players include All-Star Isaiah Thomas, defensive mastermind Avery Bradley, and incredible glue guy Jae Crowder. On some nights, Kelly Olynyk is able to join them in being a troubling matchup for the opposition. The pace of the game they attempt to control sets them apart from other teams trying to learn how to win as a young, relatively inexperienced team. Look to their showdown with the Utah Jazz Monday night as a perfect example of this problem they force upon their opponents.

A battle of tempo was what decided the night. The Celtics pushed the ball whenever they could, almost playing an irresponsible brand of basketball against Utah because of the way the Jazz were controlling their own desired tempo. The Jazz wanted the game slow. Like the Celtics, Utah is a brilliant, young defensive team. Unlike Boston, however, the Jazz have no interest in playing at a fast pace as constructed. The Jazz want to choke away the life of your offensive flow by taking up space and cutting the floor in half.

The Celtics want to eliminate your personal space, like a crowded line at Disneyland. Switches, aggressive pick-and-roll blitzes and positioning work before the screen can get to the on-ball defender to force the offense to adjust what they want to do to pepper every possession. It's amazing how stuck to off-ball offensive players the Celtics remain while not giving up driving lanes. Everything is designed to force you into an awful shot or get a turnover that allows them to keep revving the engine.

During Monday's contest, Rodney Hood was defended a lot by Avery Bradley, while Jae Crowder attempted to make Gordon Hayward work. The Celtics could switch these assignments whenever they had that whim, but mostly Bradley was attached to the hip of Hood like he was a fanny pack. Even on this huge shot made in the fourth by Hood, Bradley took away multiple directions the Jazz wing wanted to go and made him settle for a low percentage, highly contested shot in the lane.

https://cdn.streamable.com/video/mp4-mobile/ssk1.mp4

This was one of the rare games in which the Celtics didn't force a lot of turnovers, but it showed their style and defense were adaptable. They're third in the NBA in opponent turnover rate, but only forced the Jazz into just nine turnovers. Where the Celtics adjusted was by blocking an unusual amount of shots for them (13), and turn so many missed opportunities into transition chances. This isn't an easy thing to do against the Jazz either.

Utah is the fourth-best offensive rebounding team and the sixth-best rebounding team overall. Ending possessions against them is key because they're the 10th-worst transition defense in the NBA. Part of the reason Utah isn't very good defending transition is because of two of its biggest strengths: Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors. They're not slow, lumbering big men, but they're still slow enough to get quick buckets against them off turnovers. The funny thing about the Celtics wanting to play fast is they're not even very good in transition. They're 22nd in transition offensive efficiency; they just keep trying and trying until it breaks you. Eventually, it broke Utah.

Plays like this in which they tricked the Jazz into going for the quick score instead of the best shot available turned into a Crowder block, a Celtics transitionand a mismatch in the defensive scramble that led to Shelvin Mack defending Amir Johnson inside. Johnson was fouled and the Jazz were out of their comfort zone.

https://cdn.streamable.com/video/mp4-mobile/zhji.mp4

This is the adaptation of the Celtics, adjusting their defense to offense whims on the fly. And it's what ultimately did the Jazz in. It was a close game and the Jazz weren't thrilled with a couple of key calls, but they allowed Boston to put them in position to make a flip of the coin decide their fate. It's what the Celtics do so well. They go small even when it might work against them for two reasons:

1) They don't really have the roster options to go big against a team like Utah and 2) the versatility of defenders like Marcus Smart, Bradley, Crowder and Evan Turner allows Boston to remain small while playing strong. It's the literal strength of the Celtics' backcourt that makes small ball feel big. It's why you can defend Gordon Hayward in a clutch situation with a man six inches shorter than him and feel confident you have the advantage.

https://cdn.streamable.com/video/mp4-mobile/mh0u.mp4


Danny Ainge ✔ ‎@danielrainge
I just expect Avery to get stops. He's the best perimeter defender in the league.
8:18 PM - 29 Feb 2016
 311 311 Retweets   515 515 likes

This can't last forever. The Celtics wanted to acquire Dwight Howard at the deadline for a reasonable price because having that guy back by the rim who allows you to play bigger is a luxury they'd love to be able to afford. There is a lower ceiling to the roster construction now, but the style of play maximizes their strengths and eventually turns those players into assets that can be flipped for better players.

Then you incorporate the style of play into a symbiotic relationship with the improved talent on the roster. The design is to make this 36-25 team -- winners of 17 of the past 23 games -- into a chaotic bunch fueled by Stevens' coaching and superior talent in most matchups. If you want to see true discomfort for a Celtics' opponent, check back in when they've figured that out.


bob
MY NOTE: This is where things become more difficult for Danny. We need talent upgrades, we need specific skill sets filled, but we need players that can play and thrive within Brad's "chaotic" system. That means that a lot of the older players that are superstars today are not necessarily the right fit for us since they came of age in a different NBA than the one we are moving into now.


.

Bob

Just to add, how would a star player do under Stevens?

Tough to know for sure.

Apparently a game or 2 ago Tyrone Lue wanted to sub out the king and the king waved him off and stayed in the game.
Would this be tolerated on the C's? During the first half of games our rotation is pretty well set cept for potential fouls issues, in the second half Stevens is more apt to adjust and play to his advantag4e by mixing things up a bit more and during the final stretch put the guys out there that have played pretty well or is dictated by matchups.

Getting an upgrade is important, but getting the right upgrade is far more important. As much as we can ADD by adding we can also subtract by that same addition if it doesn't work out.

At least we are in position to entertain most any move but know when to pull the trigger is gonna be tough.

And just to add.........................If there is any discord on the Celtic's you would never know it.


beat

17 of 23 as the season wears on...hmm

Last year the Celts were 11 wins, 12 losses from January 25 to March 1
...but then they closed 17-7

This year we were 17 wins, 6 losses January 25 - March 1st.

Last year we were getting reorganized and went on a roll thereafter. This year we are reorganized and as the season rolls on we improve. Methinks that our young legs and deep bench work to our benefit and wear down older teams as we get deeper into the season. However, in the playoffs where bench depth is not as important as the starting 5, especially a STARting 5, we're at a disadvantage without stars.