Boston Celtics Playbook Breakdown
A deep dive into the Celtics playbook and what makes them the best offense in the NBA.
The Boston Celtics currently have the best offense in NBA history, currently they have the best offense ever over the incredible 20-21 Nets by currently scoring 120 points per 100 possessions. I don’t know if we have come to a complete conclusion, but the “Bubble Years” for efficiency seem like an anomaly since 7 of the top 10 are all from 20-21 - a project for another time. Any way we look at it, the Celtics’ offense is currently at a historic level and if they keep this up it will result in the best offense ever.
Source: StatMuse
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What is fueling this offensive improvement (Celtics finished 10th in offensive efficiency last season overall) has been a tweak to the shooting of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown’s insane mid-range efficiency, & the ultimate connectors in Marcus Smart, White & Brogdon fitting in perfectly.
The Celtics are shooting the highest frequency of shots from 3-point land, attempting 44.3% of their shots from 3 and converting 39.2% of these shots. Ranking 1st in attempts and 4th in percentage has allowed the Celtics’ 5-Out offense to become very hard to guard creating longer closeouts. Even though they don’t take a ton of mid-range shots when they do they are shooting a blistering 46.2% (3rd) as well as a respectable 67% (11th) at the rim.
Jayson Tatum has tweaked where he is taking his shots from, eliminating more long mid-range attempts by increasing his 3-point attempts. Perhaps the biggest benefactor of the Celtics’ 5-Out spacing is Jaylen Brown who has increased his rim attempt % by 8% this season and evenly decreasing his attempts from 3 and mid-range, but his accuracy from mid-range has been incredible so far. Brown is shooting a LUDICROUS 57% from long mid-range and 48% overall on mid-rangers.
Turnovers and decision-making last season especially in the NBA Finals were big issues but by adding Brogdon who can create and is typically a low turnover guard (higher up so far this season, but new team etc.) and Smart’s development into a connecting pass-first point guard lead the Celtics to rank 2nd in the NBA only turning it over 13% of the time - for reference last season’s playoffs it jumped up to 16% and 19% in the NBA Finals.
If we are going to nit-pick then the Celtics offensive rebounding is the only area that they could improve upon (might help when they add Robert Williams back), but they rank 28th in the NBA in OREB%, but there isn’t a ton of correlation for offensive rebounding improving efficiency.
5-Out
Spacing
It’s pretty simple, 5 players spaced out behind the 3 point line. Filling the corners, wings, and middle of the floor this keeps the paint open.
More on NBA Spacing:
Drawing Out Bigs
With Al Horford spacing in the corners and always outside the 3 point line, this means that opposing bigs are going to be pulled out and away from the paint. Here Embiid is caught standing when Horford is in the corner and the backdoor layup is open.
Another example here of Horford’s value, when Allen helps on the drive here the kick to Horford creates a long closeout and Al’s ability to attack closeouts as a 6’10” center becomes INSANELY valuable.
Drives
These driving lanes created with this spacing allows for easier downhill attacks to the lane, something that Brogdon has been really great utilizing so far this season.
I mentioned above Jaylen Brown’s rim attacks increasing this season so far and his ability to use his shifty handles and athleticism have teams struggling to contain him.
Brogdon loves to reject pick and rolls, especially empty, and when he does this opens up cutting lanes like this paired cutter action as Smart cuts the helper trying to play the 2 in space.
Ball Movement
The biggest thing that I have LOVED this season from the Celtics is the advantages they create by making the extra one more pass. On penetration and kick-outs the decision-making is simple, either shoot or pass as Horford draws 2 on the closeout then swings to Tatum who makes the extra pass against the closeout for the 3.
Strong
The most common action the Celtics have gone to this season is their “Strong” or stagger action with two players setting a double screen for a player to come off looking for shots.
Last season they flowed mainly into spread ballscreen action but this season they tended to flow into guard/guard actions having Tatum/Brown/Smart involved in these actions.
Strong Boston
When the first player is defended tightly he will curl into the lane looking to put pressure on the rim.
Watch here how Brown curls and draws 2 defenders from the Pistons as he continues his cut.
This then opens up the final screen from GWill here for Tatum to hit the catch and shoot 3.
Another option they have when teams start denying or playing tighter on Tatum is to set flare screens (also called “Fan” action) to free him up toward the corner.
Strong Into Flow
As I mentioned above what they flow into is just as important as this initial action. Less stagnant offense and quicker reads mean the Celtics can keep any advantage created. Here Tatum is the one setting the flare screen then going into a ballscreen for Smart, when the weaker Hayes switches onto Tatum he quickly attacks instead of letting the defense get set.
When they attack off these stagger screens and the big elects to help, then it is an easy kick to corner for a Horford 3.
Another option is to have the player who passed it, Smart in this case, then ballscreen for Tatum who came off the stagger screen. Since teams generally put the weakest guard defender on Smart when he rolls he can become the playmaker in the short roll.
The defense sucks in on Smart here and reacts to the roll so this allows G Will to screen the last defender for a Brown 3.
Wide
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