On the back of a horrific game six performance, Gary Washburn of the Globe piled on with more bad news: Avery Bradley is almost certainly done for the season. Washburn: A source close to Bradley told the Globe that it’s in the “high 90s” percentile that Bradley will be shut down and will perhaps need [...]
After the Thunder finished up their series by routinely dismantling the Lakers last night to send them packing in five games, a time has been announced for the C’s-Sixers Game 6 on Wednesday night. It will tipoff shortly after 8pm on ESPN. Looking ahead in the postseason, if the C’s do win Game 6, and [...]
I love this decision-making from Rajon Rondo. While leading the break, you can see him eyeballing Ray Allen, who runs the wing and spots up on the arc. The Sixers have a 1-2 disadvantage but are mostly concerned about Allen’s three balls, which allows Mickael Pietrus to make an unmolested baseline cut behind the defense. [...]
A note to all you local C’s fans out there that may be attending the game tonight at TD Garden. The game will start just after 7pm and will be broadcast nationally on TNT. However, unlike most TNT regular season games during the season, the tip will not come 15-20 minutes after the scheduled start [...]
Rajon Rondo is a tremendous player, but he tends to have a little bit of an issue scoring the ball late in games. I won’t go as far as saying he is scared, but he does pass up shots and defer to teammates in crunch-time….well a lot. Last night though may have been his coming [...]
Garnett followed up his season-best effort against Atlanta in Game 6 with a new season-high in points and another sensational double-double, as well 60 percent shooting (12-of-20) from the field. Over his past two contests, Garnett is averaging 28.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, two steals and four blocks a game. After the game, KG was candid [...]
Ah, the first half against Orlando, when everything was going well and I imagined what I was going was to say 90 minutes later to all the critics who had written the C’s off following the LA loss.
Boston’s offense was humming over the first 24. One reason why: The team (as Doc has implored them to so many times) stuck with their sets and remained active off-the-ball.
Example: They used Rajon Rondo as a screener on several early plays. This is an effective tactic against teams that play off of Rondo when he has the ball, daring him to shoot jumpers and ducking far under screens when the C’s try screen/rolls. A general counter to this strategy: Make Rondo a weapon off the ball. Sometimes that means having him rove along the baseline, waiting to receive quick passes from KG or Pierce on the interior.
Other times, it means getting a bit more creative and using Rajon as a screener. Like this:
I’ve slowed the action down here so you can see the play develop more easily. This is a pretty simple one: Rondo cuts down to the post as KG holds the ball at the top, and you think initially that Rajon is actually going to try and post up Jameer Nelson. But then Rondo veers to his left and sets a screen on Pierce’s man (Vince Carter). The screen doesn’t catch Vince cleanly, but Rajon knocks him off course enough to get Pierce some space to cut around him (and Jameer Nelson, who does pretty much nothing here) and into the lane, where he receives a pass from KG and draws a foul on Howard.
This wasn’t a one-time-only thing in the first half. Red’s Army tweeted about another early Rondo screen that led to an open Pierce look, and a third (a back screen on Rashard Lewis meant to spring KG) confused Orlando and resulted in Rondo getting a wide-open jumper from the foul line. (He nailed it).
Good stuff.
Also good: For the third consecutive game, we saw what I’ve referred to as “the rugby scrum” play for Rajon. I noticed it for the first time in the Miami game last week, and Rivers called it three times in the 1st quarter yesterday. Here’s the best example:
This play has been very effective since Doc introduced it. As you can see, it’s pretty simple: The C’s take two big guys and basically have them come together at the foul line, creating a sort of super-screen for Rondo. The set creates a huge mess and has so far confused opposing defenses, partly because it gives Rajon a lot of options. Here, he takes advantage of the fact that everyone’s momentum is coming towards him, jumps the play and dribbles easily around the rugby scrum and to the basket.
But he also has the option of waiting for the two bigs (Sheed and Davis in this case) to set picks on either side of his man (Nelson). If he takes this route, Rajon can decide which screen to dribble around and initiate a three-man screen/roll with guys veering in all sorts of directions.
It’s a good play. Look for more of it.
And then the second half happened. I don’t really have the stomach to digest it all right now. But there was a moment when I thought, “Oh crap. Howard is already in their heads, and the C’s are in trouble.” This was it:
It may not look bad as a YouTube clip. But watching this play live, I just couldn’t believe that KG didn’t even look up at the hoop after corralling this rebound. Look at this still shot:
This is right before KG decides to kick the ball out to Pierce for an open three. (Pierce missed). Look at this! KG has great (if not ideal) position for a put-back! Rashard Lewis is on his back and not a threat to do anything if KG goes up strong. Yes, Howard is there, lurking just outside the block/charge circle, in prime position to leap in for a shot block.
But you know what? KG five years ago—hell, three years ago—makes Howard come in and earn that shot block. You think you can get this one without committing a foul, big fella? Go for it.
Now? KG kicks the ball out. Hey, if Pierce makes that three-pointer, the C’s are up by nine and we’re all hailing KG’s unselfishness.
But sometimes you want to see your big man rise up and power the ball in.
Credit Howard: He unleashed himself on this game in the 3rd quarter after playing just eight minutes in the first half. He dominated the interior defensively. His intimidation factor is unparalleled, and you can see it right here in this video and this screen shot.
Anyone who tells you that another player (Andy Varejao, LeBron, Josh Smith, Thabo Sefolosha, whoever else becomes the candidate de jour) deserves Defensive Player of the Year is crazy.
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