Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:01 Defending Luka
8:13 Porzingis Returns
9:56 Jaylen Brown Takes Over
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Note: The video & written portions with gifs do have some overlap, but wanted to make sure I highlighted the most important parts with longer video edits below.
Most stats and film below are from Synergy, but some labeled CTG are from Cleaning The Glass.
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Game 1 Notes:
Mavericks LOVE the corner 3 & Boston took it away in game 1.
12% of shots from corner 3 in the regular season - #1 in the NBA.
12.4% of shots from corner 3 in the playoffs - #2 in the NBA.
2% of attempts from corner 3 in game 1 - LOWEST % attempts the entire regular season & playoffs.
Luka had 1 assist, the lowest number of the entire season and lowest since 2019-20.
Mavericks ended the game with a 75 ORTG in the half court - 4th lowest of the entire season (CTG).
Mavericks had ZERO points from rollers in game 1, the lowest of the playoffs and they came into game 1 averaging 8 points from roll man per game.
Celtics Staff on BOB:
I didn’t really know where to put this, but I loved this clip of the Celtics bench & Cassell calling out the Mavericks play. Obvious through scouting and communicating it shows how much goes into each possession for both teams and how it becomes more and more about players making plays in the moment.
Staying Home On Luka
The Celtics really put an emphasis on only allowing Luka to score in 1 on 1 Isolation situations by switching and not helping off of shooters - especially off the corners. In game 1 the Mavericks ended with 17 Isolation possessions scoring 0.29 points per possession. I will write that again - 0.29 points per possession. For reference coming into the Finals the Mavs scored 0.92 in Isolation - crazy stat from game 5 against Minnesota the Mavs scored 2.29 points per possession which is INSANE.
Combining this with only 12 spot up attempts (another playoff low) and the strategy for Boston was pretty clear - switch everything and limit help and rotations but if help is needed, do not give up corner 3’s.
An example of them ignoring certain players - especially above the break - is when they ICE the ballscreen here on Kyrie and ignore the pop of DJJ and let Porzingis get there when he can.
Another example here as Porzingis is in Drop, both Brown and KP are staying on Luka since Porzingis started on Green.
We can see the rotation (or no rotation) from White in the corner to stunt at Green and then recover back to the corner, clearly living with a Green floater even if it is open.
Defensive Clips vs Luka:
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