#1 Tatum upped the aggression
After receiving significant backlash online, Jayson Tatum came into the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers with renewed aggression. He drove purposefully, drawing fouls at will and consistently pressuring the rim. 9 of Tatum’s 11 made buckets came inside the three-point line, either in the mid-range or around the rim.
However, Tatum’s perimeter efficiency is still a concern. He shot 2-of-8 against the Cavaliers, which has seen his playoff conversion rate sit at 26.5% despite him taking 6.1 attempts from deep per game. The Boston Celtics need more from their star player, especially if they wish to continue using his perimeter gravity to create openings for others on the floor.
Of course, when Tatum is hitting consistently in the mid-range, his gravity can always be used in different ways. I was a big fan of the Celtics going back to some screening sets to get Tatum into the post, such as the wedge screen action below.
How many times have we seen the Celtics run an action like this to get Tatum a mismatch in the post? This is a staple of how Joe Mazzulla’s team has looked to work in the mid-range. Seeing the Celtics get back to a set that has consistently created favorable matchups and scoring opportunities was both fun and encouraging.
When Tatum is playing with this level of force and aggression on the offensive end, the Celtics are a different level of threat. Once he figures out his perimeter shot, his scoring numbers should take another leap, and any questions regarding his level of play should dissipate.
#2 Cleveland’s no-switch policy
J.B. Bickerstaff was clearly in no mood to allow the Celtics to hunt mismatches on the offensive end. Wherever possible, the Cavaliers fought to stay with their man. For the most part, they played a straight-up brand of defense, avoiding switches on the perimeter.
In the above clip, the Celtics attempt to create a mismatch for Jaylen Brown by having Payton Pritchard set inverted screens. The Cavaliers do a good job of recovering and keeping their matchups, forcing Boston to attack straight up rather than having an advantage they can exploit.
Again, the Celtics look to run inverted screening actions to create a mismatch. After the Cavs hedge the PnR, Darius Garland looks to recover to Derrick White. The aim here is to keep their matchups and avoid mismatches. Garland is a beat too slow in the second clip, allowing White to get his shot off.
Nevertheless, Cleveland’s desire to avoid switching and play straight up made life a little tougher for a Celtics team that has hunted favorable matchups throughout the season. Nevertheless, the increased force of Boston’s attack helped fill the void that was created by their inability to get favorable looks.
#3 Jaylen Brown’s drives bullied Cleveland
Jaylen Brown had a strong scoring night for the Celtics. Most of his offense came via the drive — either from the slot or above the break. When Brown is bully-driving his way to the rim, he’s difficult to stop. Generally, he’s stronger, faster and more explosive than most perimeter and wing defenders, which means he can usually find an advantage after probing on a couple of drives to begin the game.
The Celtics came into their game against the Cavaliers looking to play at a higher tempo and make decisions at a quicker pace. Having players like Brown, who isn’t afraid to penetrate off the dribble, force defensive rotations, and finish at the rim, allows that style of play to thrive. It also helps counter a team that is looking to play you straight up, as once you get your defender on your hip, the entire defensive rotation is a step behind the action and looking to catch up.
Brown scored 13-of-17 on Saturday. He only took 3 attempts from deep — hitting two of them. His interior game has been exceptional all season. In a highly competitive game that at times looked to be getting quite chippy, having a forceful finisher is essential. Brown has taken that role in his stride this season. Boston will need him to continue playing with this level of aggression for the rest of the postseason.
#4 Jrue Holiday stepped up
Like Tatum, Jrue Holiday’s playoff production has been questioned over the past week. He isn’t scoring at an elite level and he isn’t playmaking like a lead guard. However, in game three of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Holiday showed up in a big way. He was pushing the pace, making smart reads, scoring at a reliable rate, and defending his tail off.
Holiday ended the game with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, oh he had a block, too.
In true Morey-ball fashion, Holiday’s shots came from two locations: three-point range and in the restricted area. He hit four around the rim and three from deep.
Drives like the one shown in the clip above are when Holiday is at his best. His strength and low center of gravity allow him to play through his defender’s chest; he can bully his way to his spots. He also has high-level footwork in the post, especially considering he’s a guard. His little up-and-under finish here was a nifty piece of skill that split his defenders and allowed for a fluid finish.
The Celtics don’t need Holiday to be this version of himself every night. But when Derrick White is struggling, having Holiday scale his offensive production would be the ideal way to continue having valuable offense from the guard position. That’s the value of the stock exchange on that side of the floor.
#5 Boston’s switch-heavy defense created on-ball pressure
Unlike the Cavaliers, the Celtics stuck with a switch-heavy defense (except for when Luke Kornet was on the court.) Mazzulla has multiple point-of-attack defenders at his disposal. It’s very rare that the Celtics are put into a situation where their defense is at a disadvantage, and the opposing team has a favorable matchup.
Nevertheless, without Kristaps Porzingis anchoring the paint, there’s some additional pressure on the rotation to lock down the perimeter and limit the success their opponents have around the rim. Al Horford did a solid job as the Celtics drop defender, and when playing as part of a switch one-through-five. I do have some questions regarding his ability to consistently eat close to 40 minutes of playing time per night, but that’s a discussion for another day.
I’ll leave you with this nice defensive sequence from Tatum and Brown. They can be a tough matchup on both sides of the floor!
Looking ahead
The Celtics will suit up for game four on Monday night. If they win, they will return to the TD Garden to try and close out the series in five games on Wednesday. Before that can happen, Mazzulla’s team must gear up for another tough game while expecting a response from Cleveland. Still, securing another win puts the Celtics in the driver’s seat. If they can close this out in five, they will get some much-needed rest before heading into the Eastern Conference Finals.
Regardless of what happens, I’ll be back here on Tuesday with some more takeaways!
