In MMA, or more specifically Jiu-Jutsu, this would be coined “position over submission” in that you are maintaining a positional advantage without the volatility of going for a submission where you may lose your position. It is a schematic choice on how to the Celtics choose to defend.
Definitely a choice, similar to how they clearly concede above the break 3s to a lot of shooters.
Yeah, everyone does it. This website has video examples of what is supposed to constitute "illegal screens" (extends arms and makes contact; extends backside; push with two hands; legs extended outside shoulders; etc.). If the NBA really wanted to reduce offense, all they'd need to do is start calling illegal screens by the letter of the rule and scoring would plunge drastically as guys wouldn't be able to get nearly as much separation on PnRs.
I don't think that they want to do that either. The rules are pretty good where they are. The problem is calling them consistently. Just because a guy flops doesn't mean that it was a bad screen. Just because a guy successfully fights through it doesn't mean that it wasn't a bad screen. The players always want the same thing--consistency. Tell them what the rules are and call it by the book.
I agree with the first part---as one who pushes for CJM to work refs more, and for players, CJM, and Brad to talk about officiating in post-games and press conferences, I agree. And while someone may disagree wtih me on all that, I do think I'm consistent that working the refs and league is part of the game.
To the team's credit, they've taken a big step up this year in being able to play through rough officiating and pull out wins. Yesterday was a great example.
Agree on both, and they have been MUCH better on dealing with uncertain refereeing. Tatum still has some room to go there, but even he has improved at it, and it's important....Draymond took them totally out of a game by doing a bunch of baloney two years ago. They need to be sure that never happens again.
As I'm sure you're aware I am a strong believer in about 5% of the words coming out of a Coach or GM's mouth as being sincere (Spo in his presser talking about Rozier's ankle as he's carried off with what looked like an apparent ACL/multiple ligament knee injury being just one recent example). I'll refer back to a pregame meal with my college coach prior to our first game of the year in a preseason regional tournament. I asked him about transition defense as I read in their season writeup the coach saying they wanted to run more this year. He glared up at me between bites and said verbatim, "They haven't ran a fast break since Morgan Wootten (legendary, and old, HS coach) was a student assistant." After I nearly choked on my chicken fried steak (this was the south after all) he went on to say that all coaches say they want to run more and no coach is ever going to say that they want to play slower. Those words stuck with me and I think Mazzulla's response of "We'd like to create more Turnovers" was simply coachspeak because he's never going to say...."Yeah well we don't really want to create turnovers at a high clip."
Why should fouls go uncalled when teams are in pressure mode? Handchecking is pretty out of control at the moment for a league that theoretically doesn’t allow it.
It's the players pushing the envelope as to what they can get away with. They know this league, especially the regular season, is about entertainment and that the refs cannot call the game by the book if they do indeed go into that gray area. It's why the Heat's tactics and Draymond's tactics have been so successful for them on the floor.
I agree that revealed preferences matter a lot more than words. Mazzulla does, however, tend to have things he'll harp on that find their way into the team's identity:
This is what you want: your superstar makes any lineup really good, and your #2 guy is putting the boot on the throat during the staggered minutes (as you said, +7.8 without your alpha is really really good).
Just not sure why allowing the Heat to hack the crap out of Tatum with zero calls is good for the league..
It’s the way the Heat play. They know they can get away with it and it’s their “style” or culture if you will. Things should tighten up in the postseason and hopefully Tatum will be treated a lot better than he was yesterday. I thought Tatum handled himself very well for the way he was being hacked with no calls. He still positively affected the game and ultimately got the W.
I was quite impressed with Tatum last night, kept his focus and just kept attacking. His finishing through contact was high end.
Can you see understand how sending him to the line 25x would be bad for the spectators entertainment value? There were also a bunch of times an offensive foul could have been called. The officials are trying to maintain a certain flow to the game which is why all games are officiated differently and it is up to the players to adjust.
Not sure anybody here expects Tatum to take 25 free throws a game. A half-dozen (or more) would have been warranted yesterday and wouldn't have fucked up the flow of the game.
I haven’t really noticed anything particularly noteworthy or over the line. Zinger is fantastic at establishing position, especially on the much smaller guys, and the defender is doing all he can to move him off the spot. And zinger is often rewarded for getting that position with either FTs or clean look from 8-5ft. He’s been very fun to watch.
That’s the thing….consistency is most important. You can’t call some and not others. This is why players talk about adjusting to how a game is called which is really adjusting to how a particular game is played. The idea that there is one rule book and every play is called by the book is wonderful in theory….it simply is not practical in application.
He was hand checking a lot. Points to Spo' for getting him in a place he can be somewhat useful. Herro and Duncan are horrendous on D. Spo' gets them in position while dirty as hell to basically challenge the ref to blow the whistle every play. It isn't dangerous and basically the only way you can survive having the one of them on the court at any given time. Caleb Martin steps into people's shots (which was hilarious the ref tripped him up) which is way more dangerous.
Yeah Porzingis too. He probably missed out on 8 legit FTA on clear hacks at his arms near the rim yesterday.
I don't think that it's a habitual thing, but he definitely was getting smacked and bodied a ton yesterday. He wasn't in the league in the late 80s, but that's what yesterday's game was for long stretches.
KP gets shoved in the back by smaller players but that sort of stuff happens to all BIGs.
Only speculating but does it seem to anyone else that KP’s are fouls to his shooting motion, which are almost always going to be called, which Tatum’s are to the body and can be dismissed as incidental or not affecting his shot?
Jimmy's are usually getting guys to jump on a fake, which almost always gets a call. Tatum's are more as the defender is moving with him.
Fair... Zingis seems to just keep the ball high when he posts, and Brown seems to draw more fouls when he stops on a dime and shoots. Don't recall Tatum doing that quite as much when he drives.
You can play physically without intentionally taking steps to injure opponents. Which is why I specifically made note of the stepping under shooters and rebounders. When other teams do it they get whistled, as they should, but with Miami the refs might make a call or two a game when they can, and should, be making that call twenty times a game. The first time that Miami is forced to play the second half of a game 4 on 5 is the day that this honky ass bullshit stops.
Definitely. He's clearly worked a ton on holding the ball out where he either gets a clean shot, or gets hit on the arm. Harden-ish. This is why it was so noticeable when he was getting fouled: no one shorter blocks his shot from a standstill without whacking the arm.
Well yeah KP is better at generating that contact on his mantis arms so that it's visible to refs. Tatum also gets contact on his arms going to the hole that is often not called. It's harder to see but is also still a foul.
Except that there really isn’t in Heat games given Jimmy Butler’s FTA numbers.
That’s an easy one. Just as how does LeBron, Harden, Doncic, DeRozan, etc do/did it differently? They just do. They create better angles to place the defender out of position and create contact more effectively.
Timpf is really pretty great on his own, the problem is when he's on with Cowherd (who has a really bizarre blindspot with Tatum) or those Lakers dorks. Makes it pretty easy to know when to watch and when to skip.
On one hand, you'd think Tatum would have picked up some angles from Embiid during training. On the other hand... eh, I'm glad he -really- doesn't go anywhere near Embiid's styling. It might do him some good to pick up stuff from McHale.
Agree, Herd & the Nerd Sesh guys aren't worth a listen.
Great article. A must-read if you're interested in Brad's options with the future Cap/Apron along with the strategy behind adding Tillman and Springer.
More Celtic clear side analysis/explanation. Starts at 25:35 mark
He does film study on youtube without using any film? Interesting. Maybe he should borrow Exasperated Guy's video cutter.
I think he posts video cuts on Twitter/X immediately after the games but have never checkedHe does film study on youtube without using any film? Interesting. Maybe he should borrow Exasperated Guy's video cutter.
Now that I listened to the Cs Heat recap he does have some interesting things to say but one point I want to make is that I'm sure his observation about the Cs efficiency on empty corner sets isn't lost on the coaching staff. Even in November JB was noting that they were running a lot more of these sets. I don't think they can run the same sets over and over again but I think the empty corner is their bread and butter. Jrue, in particular, is really difficult to guard with an empty corner seeing how he generally isn't being guarded by the strongest defender.
