With Joel Embiid out, these Celtics higher pummel the 76ers on the glass
Boston Celtics
Rebounding and second-chance factors may very well be key for Boston’s offense on this sequence.
COMMENTARY
One of many greatest indicators {that a} growth program is working is the flexibility to remodel weaknesses into strengths.
Heading into this yr, rebounding was an space of great concern for the Celtics. That they had misplaced Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet.
Neemias Queta struggled to crack the playoff rotation final season. Luka Garza was waived by the Wolves. With Jayson Tatum out of the lineup, the Celtics’ finest two returning rebounders at first of the yr had been guards Derrick White and Jaylen Brown. That they had but so as to add Nikola Vucevic, who could be acquired on the commerce deadline.
Crashing the glass was a battle at first of the yr, however over the course of the season, the Celtics turned top-of-the-line rebounding groups within the NBA. They completed third within the league in rebounds per sport in the course of the common season. They had been additionally No. 5 in second-chance factors.
This has the potential to be a significant benefit in opposition to Philadelphia, which can be with out former league MVP Joel Embiid for a minimum of Recreation 1 and possibly longer as he recovers from an emergency appendectomy. Embiid averaged 7.7 rebounds this season, his lowest mark since his rookie yr. However that was nonetheless good for second-best on the group behind Andre Drummond’s 8.4.
The Celtics out-rebounded Philadelphia in all 4 video games in the course of the common season. The margin was comparatively shut with Embiid enjoying within the first two video games, however Boston grabbed a minimum of 9 extra rebounds per sport during the last two with Embiid on the bench.
Even with Embiid, the Sixers aren’t an ideal rebounding group. They had been 18th in rebounding, they usually gave up 15.8 second-chance factors per sport, which was twenty fourth.
The video games between Boston and Philadelphia had been nonetheless remarkably shut. Three of the 4 had been determined by two factors or much less. Through the sequence finale, which Boston received by 16, the Celtics grabbed 59 rebounds whereas Philadelphia had 22.
One of many main issues with the Celtics over the previous few seasons has been how exterior capturing struggles – that are sure to occur sooner or later in the course of the postseason – have an effect on the remainder of the offense. They confirmed final postseason in opposition to the Knicks that it may be a recipe for blowing large leads.
Factors have to come back from someplace, and the Celtics are within the backside 5 of the league in fast-break factors, factors off of turnovers, and factors within the paint. They completed useless final in free-throw makes an attempt per sport.
So, it is a group that doesn’t excel at outrunning groups to get straightforward buckets or attending to the road. They rely closely on making powerful appears. They’ve dropped to nineteenth within the league in factors per sport, down from eighth final season.
They get 40.4 p.c of their factors from 3-pointers, the fourth-highest mark within the league. One other 7.9 p.c of their factors come from mid-ranges, which is No. 7 within the league. So, that’s virtually half of their factors coming from 3-pointers and mid-ranges, that are often low share photographs.
Nevertheless, it is a make-or-miss league, and the Celtics stay fairly environment friendly at making the appears that they get. They had been No. 2 in offensive effectivity, No. 4 in internet ranking, and within the top-10 for 3-point and free-throw share. The quantity of 3-point makes an attempt dragged their general field-goal share all the way down to sixteenth.
Nonetheless, one of many issues about going through a group like Philadelphia, which has proven that it could grasp round late in video games, is that relying so closely on exterior capturing is a calculated gamble. More often than not, it really works for the Celtics. If it goes unsuitable at an unlucky time, it could derail all the season.
The Celtics typically make up for this as a result of they dedicated the fewest turnovers of any group within the league this season, they usually allowed the fewest factors within the paint for opponents. They handle the ball they usually defend the rim at an elite degree, and each are actually vital.
So is the flexibility to get straightforward appears in clutch conditions, and this Celtics group ought to be capable to get loads in opposition to this Philadelphia group, particularly with out Embiid roaming the paint.
They’ve turned a key weak point right into a power, and it’s an enormous a part of why they’ve been so profitable this season. Fifty-six wins and home-field benefit because of the No. 2 seed within the Japanese Convention present that their strategy usually works for them.
Including Tatum, their finest rebounder, for the stretch run of the common season in addition to the postseason makes them even higher.
However issues have the potential to go haywire, particularly within the playoffs.
The Celtics are going to take their threes and mid-ranges. It’s what they do. Nevertheless, they must be intentional about chasing down the misses. It may very well be their finest probability for getting straightforward factors in opposition to a group that likes to hold round in shut video games.
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