#1 Locking in from the opening tip
From the opening tip, it was clear the Boston Celtics were looking to dominate their second straight game against the Brooklyn Nets. They executed with precision. They got into their sets with pace. And they executed on the defensive end, too.
Considering this was Boston’s last game before the All-Star break, and they had defeated the Nets just 24 hours earlier, I found their performance to be impressive. They didn’t play down to the competition. There was no sign of a malaise — on either side of the floor.
Instead, Boston came into the game looking to dominate. They appeared to be having fun out there. It’s that type of approach, regardless of the opposition or the situation surrounding a game, that depicts championship mentality.
We often speak about the on-court developments we see from the Celtics. However, we saw a development in Boston’s approach on Wednesday. We saw them look to secure a win, regardless of who their opponent was. There was no question of friendship or keeping things respectable. The Celtics came in to whoop the Nets. And a whooping was what they dished out.
#2 Defensive focus
It’s true; Brooklyn isn’t an offensive juggernaut. They sit 19th in the NBA for offensive rating. However, Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas are no joke. Both can get points up in bunches. Dennis Schroder’s addition has given the Nets a genuine pick-and-roll threat as well as someone who can push the pace and create off the dribble.
So, the Celtics locked in. They stuck to their switch 1-through-4 with 5 in drop system. They pressured the ball. They limited off-ball movement. They forced shot clock violations. And, there was little opportunity to get an uncontested shot off.
I’m going to dive into why this possession (and others) were successful for the Celtics in the next takeaway. For now, though, it’s fun to see Boston setting an early tone with their defensive mindset and commitment to guarding all across the court.
Here’s another example.
Again, the play occurs in the first quarter. Boston is looking to continue asserting their dominance on the defensive end. They rotate with intent, close out with speed, and cut off secondary-cutting opportunities.
Overall, we saw a robust defensive performance from the Celtics — especially during the first half. However, there was one specific area of their defensive performance that really stood out as being highly effective, and that was their commitment to…
#3 Top locking
Top-locking is when a defensive player restricts an off-ball player from lifting toward a screen or hand-off. Utilizing this defensive principle is especially effective when playing against teams that run a lot of hand-off actions or plays that involve wide pin-downs, etc.
Generally, the top lock will see a player give up on trying to lift toward the ball and re-direct their cut, usually into a backdoor.
Top-locking is different from canceling hand-offs or screens, which is when a player gets in between the player and the action.
The best way to recognize a top-lock is to see it as a wide face-guard for an off-ball player who’s looking to cut off a pin-down.
Let’s go back to that first play from the takeaway above.
Here, we don’t get a top-locking action. Instead, we see Jayson Tatum, Sam Hauser, and Jrue Holiday look to cancel, cutting actions toward the ball-handler. On the original thru cut that Tatum defends with Hauser, Tatum is positioned to jump into the lane and top-lock the cut, but the off-ball cutter reads the action and counters on the fly.
Still, having so many mobile defenders allows the Celtics to fly around and kill any potential hand-offs or pin-downs on both sides of the floor. That pressures the ball-handler into making a quick decision that’s outside the remit of the action the team is likely to run.
In this possession, we get two top-locks taking place. The first is from Payton Pritchard, who then flows into rear-view coverage, followed by Tatum threatening a second top-lock by digging into the space between the off-ball player on the wing and the ball-handler wanting to initiate a hand-off.
Once again, Boston’s willingness to cancel and/or remove the threat of Brooklyn’s wide pin-down actions produced a stifling effect on the offense, leading to some disjointed decision-making.
When you take away a team’s primary offensive system, they’re forced to find new ways to attack a defense. Unfortunately, when locked in, the Celtics defense is one of the best in the NBA. In the above clip, you can see the Nets moving away from their wide pin-down sets and looking to break down the defense with ball movement and cutting.
It doesn’t work. The Celtics switch with pace. They expect an off-ball pin-down, so defenders angle their bodies accordingly.
I loved this commitment to taking away one of Brooklyn’s primary weapons. Especially with how well the Celtics executed the plan overall.
#4 2-1-2 zone with the stay-ready group
In yesterday’s modified takeaways, I mentioned how I expected to see some additional 2-1-2 spy defense from the Celtics on their second night of a back-to-back against the Nets. What I didn’t have on my bingo card, though, was that it would come via the “Stay Ready” group. I’m not mad at it either. I thought Eddie House, who was enjoyable on the play-by-play, had a great point: The Celtics can still learn from possessions in the film room.
The result from going to the zone wasn’t much different from what we’ve seen throughout the last few months. Everybody is still figuring it out. There’s still a lack of pressure. The pick-up points need tweaking, and the energy when in this set-up seems low. Hopefully, time, film work, and buying into why the zone is a necessary winkle of the defensive playbook will all help elevate this system into being a core part of the team’s identity on that side of the floor.
#5 Some Jordan Walsh minutes
“I think, since Christmas, he came on the West Coast trip with us,” Mazzulla said after the game. “He’s made a conscious effort to have an understanding that defense is how you make it in this league as a young player. And what you do in the G-League from a statistical standpoint is important. But, it’s more important about your daily approach, professionalism and defense. I think he’s really grown in that area. In the games I’ve watched, the feedback from Maine, and his approach here with us, his defense has drastically improved.”
By the sounds of it, Jordan Walsh has earned his minutes. The rookie wing, who entered the NBA with a reputation of being a reliable defensive presence, got the chance to shine in Boston’s final game before the All-Star break.
Walsh ended up playing 18 minutes, some of which was due to Boston sitting their starters in the final quarter. However, he got an opportunity in the first quarter and started the second. Right now, his offense is still a step behind. That will come with reps, especially as the nerves begin to subside and being on an NBA court becomes a normality.
Still, Walsh does look like he will bring some defensive upside. His wingspan is an incredible physical tool that will allow him to contest shots without fully committing to closeouts. It’s also how he managed to get the below block without leaving his feet.
Already, Walsh looks capable of navigating the court against NBA-level players. He reads screeners well and knows how to position his body to remain in the play on defense. That’s why he was able to recover into position on the above possession and why he was able to provide some help defense.
He is still very raw. He’s a prospect player, there’s no denying that. Nevertheless, in one of our biggest samples of Walsh’s skillset, an NBA-level defender can still dramatically improve.
#6 Lots of Horns actions
We’ve seen the Celtics run through a bunch of different offensive systems this season. They started the basketball year leaning into empty-corner actions. Then, there were a lot of stagger sets being thrown around. Against Brooklyn, Boston heavily leaned into their Horns Series.
The great thing about running Horns is that it’s rarely complex. It’s usually one or two screens, a cut, a read, and a shot attempt. It flows well, it’s easy to execute, and for the Celtics, it’s been a high-yield offensive series all season long.
Here you have the Celtics in a Horns set. Pritchard feeds Kristaps Porzingis on the elbow. He then v-cuts (a very shallow version) off a Tatum screen and receives the ball back. As the defense reacts to Pritchard’s three-point gravity, it allows him to feed Tatum, who is posting up his defender. From there, it’s easy money for the five-time All-Star. No dribbles, one jab step, a pull-up jumper from the nail, cash.
Boston had a string of these Horns sets, each with different variations, and the majority leading to a scoring play.
#7 Luke Kornet gets back on track
Since returning from injury, Luke Kornet has looked slightly behind the eight-ball. However, with Al Horford sitting out and Porzingis only playing limited minutes, Kornet got some extended run. That allowed him to rediscover his rhythm and make an impact, especially as his size was a problem for the Nets throughout the game.
Kornet ended the game with 8 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks in 18 minutes of play. He also set good screens, made himself available in the dunker spots, and operated well as a hand-off hub around the perimeter.
Little “boomerang” actions like the one above help keep the defense in rotation, while Kornet’s size can create shooting space for his teammates, especially if he flows into a screen after getting off the ball.
With Xavier Tillman on the team, Kornet will need to provide this type of production consistently. There’s legitimate competition for the third-big-man spot on the Celtics roster now. Kornet won’t just be handed those minutes. Performances like this one are important if he wants to keep his spot in the rotation for the remainder of the season.
#8 Headband Jay
Who doesn’t love playing basketball with a headband on? I’m not one to believe that a piece of attire is going to change how you play. Maybe I’m wrong here. Maybe I’m not. Either way, it was a fun little wrinkle in what was a fun game where Boston ran up the score.
Tatum, who was coming off the back of a 40+ point night, glided through the defense at will. However, it felt like he was content being a facilitator for his teammates rather than being the scoring menace we saw from the night before. That’s the beauty of Tatum at this point in his career; he can hurt you in so many different ways, all of which are as difficult to stop as the last one.
Tatum had 20 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds in 28 minutes of play. He was composed throughout the game. He made the rights read. He was locked in on defense. And he didn’t force anything. It was a great game to have heading into the All-Star break, where Tatum will be a prevalent figure.
#9 An early night for Porzingis
Porzingis went into the locker room at halftime and didn’t go back onto the court. Instead, he sat with the team on the bench, cheering on his teammates. Considering how the Celtics were playing and the control they had over the game, it makes sense that the coaching staff took a cautious approach with him.
Porzingis was having a good game before his game ended early.
When he’s hitting shots like the one above, and everything is looking smooth (including his movement) Porzingis is an unfair addition to Boston’s rotation. His multi-faceted offensive threat makes him — and the Celtics, almost unguardable. He was stringing together a solid performance during the first half.
Nevertheless, he likely wouldn’t have played much after halftime anyway. So, sitting him early made no difference and ensured he got a slightly longer break than he would have if he returned to the rotation after half-time.
#10 Bring on the All-Star break
Whether you love the All-Star break or not, the break is always nice. Games come at you thick and fast once the NBA season is underway. Sometimes, it’s nice to take a step back, re-watch some film, and enjoy a week without new games being thrown at you.
Of course, we also get the dunk competition, the three-point contest, and the All-Star game — so there are some fun things to look forward to.
The Celtics will be back in action next Thursday. They will be in Chicago playing the Chicago Bulls. That’s a week from today. Lots of time to dive into the stats, catch some highlights, and take a little break before the NBA returns are the stretch run begins. After that, it’s the playoffs. And then, hopefully, it’s the championship parade.
For now, though, enjoy the break, enjoy the All-Star game, and the Takeaways will be back next Friday!
