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The plays of a champ: Fast break and Early Offense
The Boston Celtics started the new season setting a record. I guess some people asked themselves, “Why are Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and this team so great?” After some DVD analysis we have the answers; our results will be expounded in a series of articles.
The Boston Celtics: NBA Champions 2008. This season, the Celtics started as they ended last season: Winning! Some wondered if Garnett, Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajan Rondo et al would keep up the intensity and level of play after winning the title last year. The Celtics have already proved doubters wrong.
Rather than start the season slowly, the Celtics started off with 27 wins in 29 games, the best record for any NBA team with two losses. The prospect of Boston winning 70 games this season was raised, but stopped really fast after the team lost six games in a row. In late December, the sole Celtics weakness was revealed: insufficient support from the bench. This is probably the basis of Stephon Marbury-to-the-Celtics rumors.
Celtics Offense
The offensive play of the Celtics is just made for their “big four.” Overall, we found four main categories that work with/ for their stars: Early Offense; Dribble-Drive-Motion; Horns; and Post-Isolation.
We will show you with graphics how Doc Rivers wants his team to run the floor and what options they have to finish. Of course this is just a glimpse into the complete Boston Celtics playbook, but it still provides a good overview.
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Fastbreak and early offense
This season, 36 percent of all Celtics baskets are scored within the first 10 seconds of a play. While the Celts don’t play as much run-and-gun as, for example, the Golden State Warriors, who finish 46 percent of shots within the same time frame, but the Celtics still like to run a break whenever they have the chance.
Still, the Celtics – and particularly Allen – know about good shots and bad shots within the fast break. Whenever Allen gets the chance during a break, he try to get open at the three-point line. Within the first ten seconds of play, Allen contributes 6.7 points while shooting 64.4 percent! Rondo (4.6 points, 59.6 percent) and Pierce (5.3 points, 56.1 percent) are also doing very well.
Whenever the C’s have no clear fast break option, the team chooses to play an early offense without taking their final position on the court. Advantage: The defending team’s possible confusion and unreadiness to guard every opening that comes up for the Celtics. This can subsequently lead to a one-on-one situation or an open three pointer which perfectly fits Garnett, Pierce and Allen.
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