Small ball - Can the Celtics win it all with this strategy?

NomarsFool

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Dec 21, 2001
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This topic has come up a lot in a number of other threads, so I thought it might be interesting to have a separate question. This Celtics team is super exciting and fun to watch (albeit a little less so for the next 6 weeks). Having a lot of players with fungible positions is super great in the regular season, as you need to rest guys, guys get injured, etc., etc. But in the playoffs, the games are more spread out and generally the bench just gets quite a bit shorter.

So, here's the question - it's game 7, NBA finals, fourth quarter with ~5:00 minutes left to play. Who are the five guys on the floor for the Celtics to bring home #18? The five best players on the team (IMHO inarguably) are Hayward, Tatum, Brown, Smart, and Walker. Can you close out game 7 with that lineup? Or, do you have to bring in Theis or another big and sit one of those 5?
 

lovegtm

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Apr 30, 2013
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I think it's actually the opposite in terms of regular season vs. playoffs: in the regular season you want bigs to absorb the pound and the grind of 82 games, while in the playoffs you can have your smaller guys go all out for shorter stints. We saw this a lot with GS's death lineups: they tried to stay away from them except when necessary, to preserve Draymond and Iggy.

As far as can you play Smart/Jaylen at center in the playoffs in crunch time? Depends on the opponent. Against most you absolutely could.
 

Devizier

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There are two teams that could potentially produce real matchup issues in the frontcourt against this Celtics squad. The first is Philly, as we already saw, and the second is the Lakers. Besides that, I don't see many competitive teams that can leverage a significant size advantage over the Celtics. We will see this team outrebounded, sure, but some of that is strategy. That doesn't mean that they can't lose to someone else, I would still pick them as 'dogs against Milwaukee or a healthy Clippers team. But the fact that the Celtics are clearly in the top four/five is something.
 

bankshot1

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Feb 12, 2003
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Seventh game, 5 minutes left in the 4th qtr., anything can happen. In a 7-game series, while Celts seem deep, size will eventually matter, and against our long-time rivals from Philly and LA, barring shooting 50% for the series, I fear they would get killed off the boards and eventually get worn down. AD and Embiid/AH are bad match-ups. Barring a fast climb up the learning curve for TL, or Enes finding another gear, Danny looking for a talented and moble big wouldn't be a huge surprise. But having said that I love the quickness, D and so far good shooting. They're fun to watch.
 

Big John

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Hard to say. They haven't been killed on the glass so far, and their active perimeter defense has generated plenty of turnovers. If the issue is "who is going to guard AD or Embiid," about 27 other teams have the same issue, including other contending teams like the Clippers and Rockets.
 

benhogan

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So, here's the question - it's game 7, NBA finals, fourth quarter with ~5:00 minutes left to play. Who are the five guys on the floor for the Celtics to bring home #18? The five best players on the team (IMHO inarguably) are Hayward, Tatum, Brown, Smart, and Walker. Can you close out game 7 with that lineup? Or, do you have to bring in Theis or another big and sit one of those 5?
If the Celtics are playing Lakers or 76ers:

You leave Theis on the floor with Walker, Hayward, Tatum, Brown on offense for screens/rim runs/tip outs AND
sub out Walker for Smart on defense and can really go switchy

Go situational the last 5 minutes
 

lovegtm

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Hard to say. They haven't been killed on the glass so far, and their active perimeter defense has generated plenty of turnovers. If the issue is "who is going to guard AD or Embiid," about 27 other teams have the same issue, including other contending teams like the Clippers and Rockets.
The current rules make it really hard to just dump the ball in the post, even when you have advantage matchups. Philly really doesn’t have the personnel to spread things out and make you pay for helping/doubling etc—the Celtics issues against them are going to be on the other end of the floor.

The only team that REALLY has the personnel to spread you out and make it hard to help is LAL, but they have to get through the West first, and one injury basically wrecks that.
 

Big John

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The only team that REALLY has the personnel to spread you out and make it hard to help is LAL, but they have to get through the West first, and one injury basically wrecks that.
The Lakers' problem is going to be perimeter defense, especially now with Bradley hurt. Kuzma is a poor defender, and Jared Dudley's days as a 3 and D guy are long past. Danny Green can't guard everyone, and he's not getting younger either.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Mar 26, 2005
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So, here's the question - it's game 7, NBA finals, fourth quarter with ~5:00 minutes left to play. Who are the five guys on the floor for the Celtics to bring home #18? The five best players on the team (IMHO inarguably) are Hayward, Tatum, Brown, Smart, and Walker. Can you close out game 7 with that lineup? Or, do you have to bring in Theis or another big and sit one of those 5?
If Cs get to Finals, it's not going 7 games. :)