<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ibefur" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate, though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listles half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards.<br /><br />A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks, another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He popped home a pair of threes -- his first two of the series -- served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early offense ventures. Miss, make, live ball turnover, dead ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo, In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution -- all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars, Curry and Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ibefur" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants) through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate, though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listles half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards.<br /><br />A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks, another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He popped home a pair of threes -- his first two of the series -- served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early offense ventures. Miss, make, live ball turnover, dead ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo, In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution -- all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars, Curry and Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ibefur" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants) through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listles half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards.<br /><br />A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks, another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He popped home a pair of threes -- his first two of the series -- served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early offense ventures. Miss, make, live ball turnover, dead ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo, In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution -- all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars, Curry and Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ibefur" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants) through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listles half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards.<br /><br />A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks, another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He popped home a pair of threes -- his first two of the series -- served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early offense ventures. Miss, make, live ball turnover, dead ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo, In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution -- all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars, Curry and Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ibefur" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants) through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listless half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards.<br /><br />A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks, another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He popped home a pair of threes -- his first two of the series -- served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early offense ventures. Miss, make, live ball turnover, dead ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo, In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution -- all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars, Curry and Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ibefur" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants) through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listless half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards.<br /><br />A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks, another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He popped home a pair of threes -- his first two of the series -- served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early offense ventures. Miss, make, live ball turnover, dead ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo, In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution -- all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars, Curry and Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ibefur" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants) through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listless half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards.<br /><br />A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks, another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He popped home a pair of threes -- his first two of the series -- served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early offense ventures. Miss, make, live ball turnover, dead ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo, In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution -- all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars, Curry and Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ibefur" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants) through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listless half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards.<br /><br />A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks &mdash; another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He popped home a pair of threes &mdash; his first two of the series &mdash; served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early offense ventures. Miss, make, live ball turnover, dead ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo, In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution -- all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars, Curry and Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ibefur" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants) through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listless half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards.<br /><br />A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks &mdash; another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He popped home a pair of threes &mdash; his first two of the series &mdash; served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early-offense ventures. Miss, make, live-ball turnover, dead-ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo. In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution &mdash; all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars, Curry and Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ibefur" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants) through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listless half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards.<br /><br />A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks &mdash; another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He popped home a pair of threes &mdash; his first two of the series &mdash; served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early-offense ventures. Miss, make, live-ball turnover, dead-ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo. In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution &mdash; all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars: Curry and Green.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.</span></p>
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Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green still define the Warriors' greatness

<p>In the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a few themes prevailed, powering them one win shy of their fourth title in eight seasons. Broadly, the formula was an elite defense once again reminding everyone that Boston is not the lone menacing unit in the Finals, along with timely shot-making and star-powered contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than laser in on a singular storyline and highlight every play connected to it, let&rsquo;s touch on an assortment of different sequences that help summarize all of these prevailing themes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>1. Draymond Green&rsquo;s renewed offense</strong></p>
<p>Draymond Green&rsquo;s offense has justifiably drawn prominent ire in this series. Prior to Game 5, he recorded 17 points on 26 shots and his lack of scoring prowess, particularly as a spot-up shooter, constantly bogged down the offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet on Monday, he scored 8 points on 6 shots, handed out 6 assists and committed only 2 turnovers. He&rsquo;d turned in some excellent defensive showings to this point, but Game 5 was easily his most well-rounded of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His first assist of the night previewed the next couple hours. Sometimes, Green&rsquo;s dismal offensive performances are partially defined by erratic, undisciplined passing, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case in Game 5. To kick off the festivities, he lofted a perfect feed into Otto Porter Jr.&rsquo;s bread-basket for the bucket.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9oqd22" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Porter slipping the screen was emblematic of Golden State deciphering just enough openings in the crannies of Boston&rsquo;s fortress to complement its own imposing defense. A 107.5 offensive rating is quite poor, but this club&rsquo;s formula for a title has always been shepherded by the defense.</p>
<p>Al Horford hugging Stephen Curry along the baseline, removing him entirely from any chance of helping on the pass, laid the foundation for a game where the superstar&rsquo;s gravity regularly opened up chances for others. His own 7-of-22 line was unremarkable scoring-wise, though the manner in which the Celtics tethered themselves to him created space elsewhere instead.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>2. Andrew Wiggins, the All-Star starter</strong></p>
<p>Three days after gobbling up a career-high 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins returned to score the second-most points of his playoff career with 26. With Curry marred in an uncharacteristic shooting slump and Boston still successfully limiting Klay Thompson&rsquo;s scoring volume, somebody had to prop up the Warriors&rsquo; attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That man was Andrew Wiggins, who repeatedly exposed the single coverage he faced, using his size and physicality to launch off the bounce.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s5rprg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He particularly flourished in the final frame, when he scored 10 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wiggins&rsquo; handle can be robotic and leave him susceptible to stunts or digs. As the Celtics often face-guarded Curry and Thompson (look how they&rsquo;re defended in that clip), the Canadian wing enjoyed added space to operate and wield his self-creation chops. Nearly 70% of his baskets have been assisted during the playoffs, whereas that mark fell to 50% in Game 5.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All series, Boston's defense has appeared content funneling shots to Wiggins. He capitalized monumentally on Monday&rsquo;s pivotal stage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>3. Jaylen Brown and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offensive experience</strong></p>
<p>Overwhelmingly, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 2022 NBA Playoffs have been sensational. He&rsquo;s endured some hiccups, including Game 2 of the Finals, but they&rsquo;ve merely been hiccups and haven't become the norm. Monday was another hiccup.</p>
<p>He logged 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting and committed 4 turnovers. Golden State continually forced him left as a driver and pull-up scorer, which is assuredly not his preference. His handle and ball control are precarious as is, let alone when he&rsquo;s guided away from his dominant hand.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p4glxf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To further eliminate the right side as a driving lane, both for Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Warriors loaded the gaps and invited middling shooters to bomb beyond the arc. Derrick White entered Game 5 drilling 50% of his triples in the Finals, yet Green helped one pass away and prevented Brown from frequenting the paint. The result is a midrange pull-up Golden State will likely accept, which occurred after Green initially walled off the middle for Brown around the screen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4. Golden State making Boston get comfortable with the uncomfortable</strong></p>
<p>At the point of attack, Golden State&rsquo;s most lucrative defensive approach in this series has been to apply pressure on the catch, and extend the Celtics&rsquo; offense well away from the hoop. Boston&rsquo;s scheme involves considerable side-to-side movement, with flare screens or other subtle actions designed to create small advantages that morph into sizable ones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Warriors refused to let that be commonplace in Game 5, swarming virtually everyone immediately on the catch. Hardly anything Boston achieved felt seamless. Arduous was the defining term of their experiences. On a giveaway midway through the second quarter, Golden State&rsquo;s pressure arrived at every turn.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v3umjq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Gary Payton II bothered Tatum on the inbounds. White hardly has room to collect himself before Curry is fastened to his hip. Horford caught the ball with Porter draped on him. Tatum generated a bit of space, but even if Horford&rsquo;s delivery wasn't errant, Green rotated over to complicate matters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5. Although some were unforced, many unfolded similarly to the one above, with Golden State&rsquo;s defense making every brief opening feel fleeting and spurring hurried decisions.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>5. Succumbing to the orbit of Stephen Curry&rsquo;s gravity</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1536455023214960641?s=20&amp;t=wC1_R7ObuwiuIpGVx1veHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the clinching possession of Game 4&rsquo;s defeat</span></a>, Boston twice brought two defenders to Curry. The second time, it led to a bucket that pushed the Warriors&rsquo; edge to five with roughly a minute remaining. In Game 5, the Celtics didn&rsquo;t necessarily blitz Curry each play, but their defense afforded him extra attention more often &mdash; on and off the ball.</p>
<p>Previously, they&rsquo;d predominantly stomached dropping and switching against him, but the coverage skewed more extreme Monday. This isn&rsquo;t to say Boston&rsquo;s defense was the culprit of its loss &mdash; the offense is the prevalent issue. Yet the game-plan clearly shifted and the burden of scoring responsibility didn&rsquo;t almost exclusively rest on Curry&rsquo;s shoulders anymore.<span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/l7wr4d" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As a response to that heightened concern, Curry countered with his finest playmaking production of the series, dishing out 8 assists to 1 turnover. Helping to ease the impact of Curry&rsquo;s cold shooting spell was Payton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to tie a playoff career-high.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither Green nor Kevon Looney can even approximate a similar finishing punch to Payton. He&rsquo;s not a roller the defense can entirely abandon and his screening induced favorable switches or opportunities for Golden State&rsquo;s offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Porter struggled defending in space, while Looney battled foul trouble all evening. So, Payton stepped up for a postseason-best 26 minutes and crafted necessary interior-scoring verve in addition to his steadfast defensive versatility.</p>
<p><strong>6. Jayson Tatum and his fourth quarter struggles</strong></p>
<p>Through three quarters, Tatum had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 inside the arc. The last number was an absolutely welcomed sight for the 24-year-old superstar, who began Game 5 having converted a paltry 27.4% of his two-point attempts (14-of-51) in the Finals.</p>
<p>Twelve minutes later, he ended with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 inside the arc &mdash; a good, not great overall outing. The leading candidate behind the demise of a five-point, 1-of-5 shooting fourth quarter was Wiggins, whose length, mobility and physicality perturbed Tatum into plays like this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zs8ms3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State is closing off many drives to Tatum&rsquo;s right all series, so he aimed to take advantage of an early offense opportunity. Instead, Wiggins slid alongside him and swiped down *just* as Tatum began to gather for a finish. That swipe extinguished Tatum&rsquo;s rhythm, provoked an extra, illegal slide of the back foot and he was called for traveling.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>7. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and a synergistic defense</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Green&rsquo;s Game 5 defensive brilliance extended beyond help on the perimeter and guiding Brown away from right-hand drives; he was sensational as an interior helper. During his 35 minutes, the Celtics&rsquo; took just six shots at the rim. When he sat for 13 minutes, they took four. Their rim frequency was 10.9% with him on the floor and 20% without him, according to NBA.com.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boston could hardly score in the paint when he was involved. Shooting and passing near the hoop were chores around him.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://streamable.com/9m16sx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://streamable.com/9m16sx</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tatum wiggled into the key, with Green awaiting him. Green jutted out his right arm to deter a drop-off to Robert Williams III, swiveled his left arm up and contested a challenging fadeaway jumper.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wiggins and Payton gave help on the drive, which muddied Tatum&rsquo;s passing vision as he simply worked to avoid being stripped. Once Green committed to Tatum, Wiggins peeled into Williams, stuck a body on the bouncy big man and ensured any sort of lob would be incredibly challenging to execute or corral.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All 10 of Williams&rsquo; points came in the first half, largely due to Golden State neutralizing him as a release valve after intermission. He&rsquo;s Boston&rsquo;s lone aerial threat and best means of generating shots around the rim.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There&rsquo;s simply scant space to function inside the arc against this harmonic Warriors defense. Those efforts grow increasingly laborious when Green and the entire unit are enforcing the rim like they did Monday.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>In the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a few themes prevailed, powering them one win shy of their fourth title in eight seasons. Broadly, the formula was an elite defense once again reminding everyone that Boston is not the lone menacing unit in the Finals, along with timely shot-making and star-powered contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than laser in on a singular storyline and highlight every play connected to it, let&rsquo;s touch on an assortment of different sequences that help summarize all of these prevailing themes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>1. Draymond Green&rsquo;s renewed offense</strong></p>
<p>Draymond Green&rsquo;s offense has justifiably drawn prominent ire in this series. Prior to Game 5, he recorded 17 points on 26 shots and his lack of scoring prowess, particularly as a spot-up shooter, constantly bogged down the offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet on Monday, he scored 8 points on 6 shots, handed out 6 assists and committed only 2 turnovers. He&rsquo;d turned in some excellent defensive showings to this point, but Game 5 was easily his most well-rounded of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His first assist of the night previewed the next couple hours. Sometimes, Green&rsquo;s dismal offensive performances are partially defined by erratic, undisciplined passing, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case in Game 5. To kick off the festivities, he lofted a perfect feed into Otto Porter Jr.&rsquo;s bread-basket for the bucket.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9oqd22" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Porter slipping the screen was emblematic of Golden State deciphering just enough openings in the crannies of Boston&rsquo;s fortress to complement its own imposing defense. A 107.5 offensive rating is quite poor, but this club&rsquo;s formula for a title has always been shepherded by the defense.</p>
<p>Al Horford hugging Stephen Curry along the baseline, removing him entirely from any chance of helping on the pass, laid the foundation for a game where the superstar&rsquo;s gravity regularly opened up chances for others. His own 7-of-22 line was unremarkable scoring-wise, though the manner in which the Celtics tethered themselves to him created space elsewhere instead.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>2. Andrew Wiggins, the All-Star starter</strong></p>
<p>Three days after gobbling up a career-high 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins returned to score the second-most points of his playoff career with 26. With Curry marred in an uncharacteristic shooting slump and Boston still successfully limiting Klay Thompson&rsquo;s scoring volume, somebody had to prop up the Warriors&rsquo; attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That man was Andrew Wiggins, who repeatedly exposed the single coverage he faced, using his size and physicality to launch off the bounce.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s5rprg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He particularly flourished in the final frame, when he scored 10 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wiggins&rsquo; handle can be robotic and leave him susceptible to stunts or digs. As the Celtics often face-guarded Curry and Thompson (look how they&rsquo;re defended in that clip), the Canadian wing enjoyed added space to operate and wield his self-creation chops. Nearly 70% of his baskets have been assisted during the playoffs, whereas that mark fell to 50% in Game 5.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All series, Boston's defense has appeared content funneling shots to Wiggins. He capitalized monumentally on Monday&rsquo;s pivotal stage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>3. Jaylen Brown and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offensive experience</strong></p>
<p>Overwhelmingly, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 2022 NBA Playoffs have been sensational. He&rsquo;s endured some hiccups, including Game 2 of the Finals, but they&rsquo;ve merely been hiccups and haven't become the norm. Monday was another hiccup.</p>
<p>He logged 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting and committed 4 turnovers. Golden State continually forced him left as a driver and pull-up scorer, which is assuredly not his preference. His handle and ball control are precarious as is, let alone when he&rsquo;s guided away from his dominant hand.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p4glxf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To further eliminate the right side as a driving lane, both for Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Warriors loaded the gaps and invited middling shooters to bomb beyond the arc. Derrick White entered Game 5 drilling 50% of his triples in the Finals, yet Green helped one pass away and prevented Brown from frequenting the paint. The result is a midrange pull-up Golden State will likely accept, which occurred after Green initially walled off the middle for Brown around the screen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4. Golden State making Boston get comfortable with the uncomfortable</strong></p>
<p>At the point of attack, Golden State&rsquo;s most lucrative defensive approach in this series has been to apply pressure on the catch, and extend the Celtics&rsquo; offense well away from the hoop. Boston&rsquo;s scheme involves considerable side-to-side movement, with flare screens or other subtle actions designed to create small advantages that morph into sizable ones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Warriors refused to let that be commonplace in Game 5, swarming virtually everyone immediately on the catch. Hardly anything Boston achieved felt seamless. Arduous was the defining term of their experiences. On a giveaway midway through the second quarter, Golden State&rsquo;s pressure arrived at every turn.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v3umjq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Gary Payton II bothered Tatum on the inbounds. White hardly has room to collect himself before Curry is fastened to his hip. Horford caught the ball with Porter draped on him. Tatum generated a bit of space, but even if Horford&rsquo;s delivery wasn't errant, Green rotated over to complicate matters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5. Although some were unforced, many unfolded similarly to the one above, with Golden State&rsquo;s defense making every brief opening feel fleeting and spurring hurried decisions.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>5. Succumbing to the orbit of Stephen Curry&rsquo;s gravity</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1536455023214960641?s=20&amp;t=wC1_R7ObuwiuIpGVx1veHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the clinching possession of Game 4&rsquo;s defeat</span></a>, Boston twice brought two defenders to Curry. The second time, it led to a bucket that pushed the Warriors&rsquo; edge to five with roughly a minute remaining. In Game 5, the Celtics didn&rsquo;t necessarily blitz Curry each play, but their defense afforded him extra attention more often &mdash; on and off the ball.</p>
<p>Previously, they&rsquo;d predominantly stomached dropping and switching against him, but the coverage skewed more extreme Monday. This isn&rsquo;t to say Boston&rsquo;s defense was the culprit of its loss &mdash; the offense is the prevalent issue. Yet the game-plan clearly shifted and the burden of scoring responsibility didn&rsquo;t almost exclusively rest on Curry&rsquo;s shoulders anymore.<span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/l7wr4d" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As a response to that heightened concern, Curry countered with his finest playmaking production of the series, dishing out 8 assists to 1 turnover. Helping to ease the impact of Curry&rsquo;s cold shooting spell was Payton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to tie a playoff career-high.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither Green nor Kevon Looney can even approximate a similar finishing punch to Payton. He&rsquo;s not a roller the defense can entirely abandon and his screening induced favorable switches or opportunities for Golden State&rsquo;s offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Porter struggled defending in space, while Looney battled foul trouble all evening. So, Payton stepped up for a postseason-best 26 minutes and crafted necessary interior-scoring verve in addition to his steadfast defensive versatility.</p>
<p><strong>6. Jayson Tatum and his fourth quarter struggles</strong></p>
<p>Through three quarters, Tatum had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 inside the arc. The last number was an absolutely welcomed sight for the 24-year-old superstar, who began Game 5 having converted a paltry 27.4% of his two-point attempts (14-of-51) in the Finals.</p>
<p>Twelve minutes later, he ended with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 inside the arc &mdash; a good, not great overall outing. The leading candidate behind the demise of a five-point, 1-of-5 shooting fourth quarter was Wiggins, whose length, mobility and physicality perturbed Tatum into plays like this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zs8ms3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State is closing off many drives to Tatum&rsquo;s right all series, so he aimed to take advantage of an early offense opportunity. Instead, Wiggins slid alongside him and swiped down *just* as Tatum began to gather for a finish. That swipe extinguished Tatum&rsquo;s rhythm, provoked an extra, illegal slide of the back foot and he was called for traveling.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>7. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and a synergistic defense</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Green&rsquo;s Game 5 defensive brilliance extended beyond help on the perimeter and guiding Brown away from right-hand drives; he was sensational as an interior helper. During his 35 minutes, the Celtics&rsquo; took just six shots at the rim. When he sat for 13 minutes, they took four. Their rim frequency was 10.9% with him on the floor and 20% without him, according to NBA.com.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boston could hardly score in the paint when he was involved. Shooting and passing near the hoop were chores around him.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tatum wiggled into the key, with Green awaiting him. Green jutted out his right arm to deter a drop-off to Robert Williams III, swiveled his left arm up and contested a challenging fadeaway jumper.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wiggins and Payton gave help on the drive, which muddied Tatum&rsquo;s passing vision as he simply worked to avoid being stripped. Once Green committed to Tatum, Wiggins peeled into Williams, stuck a body on the bouncy big man and ensured any sort of lob would be incredibly challenging to execute or corral.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All 10 of Williams&rsquo; points came in the first half, largely due to Golden State neutralizing him as a release valve after intermission. He&rsquo;s Boston&rsquo;s lone aerial threat and best means of generating shots around the rim.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There&rsquo;s simply scant space to function inside the arc against this harmonic Warriors defense. Those efforts grow increasingly laborious when Green and the entire unit are enforcing the rim like they did Monday.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>In the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a few themes prevailed, powering them one win shy of their fourth title in eight seasons. Broadly, the formula was an elite defense once again reminding everyone that Boston is not the lone menacing unit in the Finals, along with timely shot-making and star-powered contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than laser in on a singular storyline and highlight every play connected to it, let&rsquo;s touch on an assortment of different sequences that help summarize all of these prevailing themes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>1. Draymond Green&rsquo;s renewed offense</strong></p>
<p>Draymond Green&rsquo;s offense has justifiably drawn prominent ire in this series. Prior to Game 5, he recorded 17 points on 26 shots and his lack of scoring prowess, particularly as a spot-up shooter, constantly bogged down the offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet on Monday, he scored 8 points on 6 shots, handed out 6 assists and committed only 2 turnovers. He&rsquo;d turned in some excellent defensive showings to this point, but Game 5 was easily his most well-rounded of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His first assist of the night previewed the next couple hours. Sometimes, Green&rsquo;s dismal offensive performances are partially defined by erratic, undisciplined passing, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case in Game 5. To kick off the festivities, he lofted a perfect feed into Otto Porter Jr.&rsquo;s bread-basket for the bucket.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9oqd22" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Porter slipping the screen was emblematic of Golden State deciphering just enough openings in the crannies of Boston&rsquo;s fortress to complement its own imposing defense. A 107.5 offensive rating is quite poor, but this club&rsquo;s formula for a title has always been shepherded by the defense.</p>
<p>Al Horford hugging Stephen Curry along the baseline, removing him entirely from any chance of helping on the pass, laid the foundation for a game where the superstar&rsquo;s gravity regularly opened up chances for others. His own 7-of-22 line was unremarkable scoring-wise, though the manner in which the Celtics tethered themselves to him created space elsewhere instead.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>2. Andrew Wiggins, the All-Star starter</strong></p>
<p>Three days after gobbling up a career-high 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins returned to score the second-most points of his playoff career with 26. With Curry marred in an uncharacteristic shooting slump and Boston still successfully limiting Klay Thompson&rsquo;s scoring volume, somebody had to prop up the Warriors&rsquo; attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That man was Andrew Wiggins, who repeatedly exposed the single coverage he faced, using his size and physicality to launch off the bounce.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s5rprg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He particularly flourished in the final frame, when he scored 10 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wiggins&rsquo; handle can be robotic and leave him susceptible to stunts or digs. As the Celtics often face-guarded Curry and Thompson (look how they&rsquo;re defended in that clip), the Canadian wing enjoyed added space to operate and wield his self-creation chops. Nearly 70% of his baskets have been assisted during the playoffs, whereas that mark fell to 50% in Game 5.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All series, Boston's defense has appeared content funneling shots to Wiggins. He capitalized monumentally on Monday&rsquo;s pivotal stage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>3. Jaylen Brown and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offensive experience</strong></p>
<p>Overwhelmingly, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 2022 NBA Playoffs have been sensational. He&rsquo;s endured some hiccups, including Game 2 of the Finals, but they&rsquo;ve merely been hiccups and haven't become the norm. Monday was another hiccup.</p>
<p>He logged 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting and committed 4 turnovers. Golden State continually forced him left as a driver and pull-up scorer, which is assuredly not his preference. His handle and ball control are precarious as is, let alone when he&rsquo;s guided away from his dominant hand.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p4glxf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To further eliminate the right side as a driving lane, both for Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Warriors loaded the gaps and invited middling shooters to bomb beyond the arc. Derrick White entered Game 5 drilling 50% of his triples in the Finals, yet Green helped one pass away and prevented Brown from frequenting the paint. The result is a midrange pull-up Golden State will likely accept, which occurred after Green initially walled off the middle for Brown around the screen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4. Golden State making Boston get comfortable with the uncomfortable</strong></p>
<p>At the point of attack, Golden State&rsquo;s most lucrative defensive approach in this series has been to apply pressure on the catch, and extend the Celtics&rsquo; offense well away from the hoop. Boston&rsquo;s scheme involves considerable side-to-side movement, with flare screens or other subtle actions designed to create small advantages that morph into sizable ones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Warriors refused to let that be commonplace in Game 5, swarming virtually everyone immediately on the catch. Hardly anything Boston achieved felt seamless. Arduous was the defining term of their experiences. On a giveaway midway through the second quarter, Golden State&rsquo;s pressure arrived at every turn.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v3umjq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Gary Payton II bothered Tatum on the inbounds. White hardly has room to collect himself before Curry is fastened to his hip. Horford caught the ball with Porter draped on him. Tatum generated a bit of space, but even if Horford&rsquo;s delivery wasn't errant, Green rotated over to complicate matters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5. Although some were unforced, many unfolded similarly to the one above, with Golden State&rsquo;s defense making every brief opening feel fleeting and spurring hurried decisions.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>5. Succumbing to the orbit of Stephen Curry&rsquo;s gravity</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1536455023214960641?s=20&amp;t=wC1_R7ObuwiuIpGVx1veHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the clinching possession of Game 4&rsquo;s defeat</span></a>, Boston twice brought two defenders to Curry. The second time, it led to a bucket that pushed the Warriors&rsquo; edge to five with roughly a minute remaining. In Game 5, the Celtics didn&rsquo;t necessarily blitz Curry each play, but their defense afforded him extra attention more often &mdash; on and off the ball.</p>
<p>Previously, they&rsquo;d predominantly stomached dropping and switching against him, but the coverage skewed more extreme Monday. This isn&rsquo;t to say Boston&rsquo;s defense was the culprit of its loss &mdash; the offense is the prevalent issue. Yet the game-plan clearly shifted and the burden of scoring responsibility didn&rsquo;t almost exclusively rest on Curry&rsquo;s shoulders anymore.<span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/l7wr4d" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As a response to that heightened concern, Curry countered with his finest playmaking production of the series, dishing out 8 assists to 1 turnover. Helping to ease the impact of Curry&rsquo;s cold shooting spell was Payton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to tie a playoff career-high.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither Green nor Kevon Looney can even approximate a similar finishing punch to Payton. He&rsquo;s not a roller the defense can entirely abandon and his screening induced favorable switches or opportunities for Golden State&rsquo;s offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Porter struggled defending in space, while Looney battled foul trouble all evening. So, Payton stepped up for a postseason-best 26 minutes and crafted necessary interior-scoring verve in addition to his steadfast defensive versatility.</p>
<p><strong>6. Jayson Tatum and his fourth quarter struggles</strong></p>
<p>Through three quarters, Tatum had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 inside the arc. The last number was an absolutely welcomed sight for the 24-year-old superstar, who began Game 5 having converted a paltry 27.4% of his two-point attempts (14-of-51) in the Finals.</p>
<p>Twelve minutes later, he ended with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 inside the arc &mdash; a good, not great overall outing. The leading candidate behind the demise of a five-point, 1-of-5 shooting fourth quarter was Wiggins, whose length, mobility and physicality perturbed Tatum into plays like this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zs8ms3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State is closing off many drives to Tatum&rsquo;s right all series, so he aimed to take advantage of an early offense opportunity. Instead, Wiggins slid alongside him and swiped down *just* as Tatum began to gather for a finish. That swipe extinguished Tatum&rsquo;s rhythm, provoked an extra, illegal slide of the back foot and he was called for traveling.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>7. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and a synergistic defense</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Green&rsquo;s Game 5 defensive brilliance extended beyond help on the perimeter and guiding Brown away from right-hand drives; he was sensational as an interior helper. During his 35 minutes, the Celtics&rsquo; took just six shots at the rim. When he sat for 13 minutes, they took four. Their rim frequency was 10.9% with him on the floor and 20% without him, according to NBA.com.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boston could hardly score in the paint when he was involved. Shooting and passing near the hoop were chores around him.</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9m16sx" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tatum wiggled into the key, with Green awaiting him. Green jutted out his right arm to deter a drop-off to Robert Williams III, swiveled his left arm up and contested a challenging fadeaway jumper.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wiggins and Payton gave help on the drive, which muddied Tatum&rsquo;s passing vision as he simply worked to avoid being stripped. Once Green committed to Tatum, Wiggins peeled into Williams, stuck a body on the bouncy big man and ensured any sort of lob would be incredibly challenging to execute or corral.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All 10 of Williams&rsquo; points came in the first half, largely due to Golden State neutralizing him as a release valve after intermission. He&rsquo;s Boston&rsquo;s lone aerial threat and best means of generating shots around the rim.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There&rsquo;s simply scant space to function inside the arc against this harmonic Warriors defense. Those efforts grow increasingly laborious when Green and the entire unit are enforcing the rim like they did Monday.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>In the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a few themes prevailed, powering them one win shy of their fourth title in eight seasons. Broadly, the formula was an elite defense once again reminding everyone that Boston is not the lone menacing unit in the Finals, along with timely shot-making and star-powered contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than laser in on a singular storyline and highlight every play connected to it, let&rsquo;s touch on an assortment of different sequences that help summarize all of these prevailing themes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>1. Draymond Green&rsquo;s renewed offense</strong></p>
<p>Draymond Green&rsquo;s offense has justifiably drawn prominent ire in this series. Prior to Game 5, he recorded 17 points on 26 shots and his lack of scoring prowess, particularly as a spot-up shooter, constantly bogged down the offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet on Monday, he scored 8 points on 6 shots, handed out 6 assists and committed only 2 turnovers. He&rsquo;d turned in some excellent defensive showings to this point, but Game 5 was easily his most well-rounded of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His first assist of the night previewed the next couple hours. Sometimes, Green&rsquo;s dismal offensive performances are partially defined by erratic, undisciplined passing, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case in Game 5. To kick off the festivities, he lofted a perfect feed into Otto Porter Jr.&rsquo;s bread-basket for the bucket.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9oqd22" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Porter slipping the screen was emblematic of Golden State deciphering just enough openings in the crannies of Boston&rsquo;s fortress to complement its own imposing defense. A 107.5 offensive rating is quite poor, but this club&rsquo;s formula for a title has always been shepherded by the defense.</p>
<p>Al Horford hugging Stephen Curry along the baseline, removing him entirely from any chance of helping on the pass, laid the foundation for a game where the superstar&rsquo;s gravity regularly opened up chances for others. His own 7-of-22 line was unremarkable scoring-wise, though the manner in which the Celtics tethered themselves to him created space elsewhere instead.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>2. Andrew Wiggins, the All-Star starter</strong></p>
<p>Three days after gobbling up a career-high 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins returned to score the second-most points of his playoff career with 26. With Curry marred in an uncharacteristic shooting slump and Boston still successfully limiting Klay Thompson&rsquo;s scoring volume, somebody had to prop up the Warriors&rsquo; attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That man was Andrew Wiggins, who repeatedly exposed the single coverage he faced, using his size and physicality to launch off the bounce.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s5rprg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He particularly flourished in the final frame, when he scored 10 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wiggins&rsquo; handle can be robotic and leave him susceptible to stunts or digs. As the Celtics often face-guarded Curry and Thompson (look how they&rsquo;re defended in that clip), the Canadian wing enjoyed added space to operate and wield his self-creation chops. Nearly 70% of his baskets have been assisted during the playoffs, whereas that mark fell to 50% in Game 5.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All series, Boston's defense has appeared content funneling shots to Wiggins. He capitalized monumentally on Monday&rsquo;s pivotal stage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>3. Jaylen Brown and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offensive experience</strong></p>
<p>Overwhelmingly, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 2022 NBA Playoffs have been sensational. He&rsquo;s endured some hiccups, including Game 2 of the Finals, but they&rsquo;ve merely been hiccups and haven't become the norm. Monday was another hiccup.</p>
<p>He logged 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting and committed 4 turnovers. Golden State continually forced him left as a driver and pull-up scorer, which is assuredly not his preference. His handle and ball control are precarious as is, let alone when he&rsquo;s guided away from his dominant hand.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p4glxf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To further eliminate the right side as a driving lane, both for Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Warriors loaded the gaps and invited middling shooters to bomb beyond the arc. Derrick White entered Game 5 drilling 50% of his triples in the Finals, yet Green helped one pass away and prevented Brown from frequenting the paint. The result is a midrange pull-up Golden State will likely accept, which occurred after Green initially walled off the middle for Brown around the screen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4. Golden State making Boston get comfortable with the uncomfortable</strong></p>
<p>At the point of attack, Golden State&rsquo;s most lucrative defensive approach in this series has been to apply pressure on the catch, and extend the Celtics&rsquo; offense well away from the hoop. Boston&rsquo;s scheme involves considerable side-to-side movement, with flare screens or other subtle actions designed to create small advantages that morph into sizable ones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Warriors refused to let that be commonplace in Game 5, swarming virtually everyone immediately on the catch. Hardly anything Boston achieved felt seamless. Arduous was the defining term of their experiences. On a giveaway midway through the second quarter, Golden State&rsquo;s pressure arrived at every turn.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v3umjq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Gary Payton II bothered Tatum on the inbounds. White hardly has room to collect himself before Curry is fastened to his hip. Horford caught the ball with Porter draped on him. Tatum generated a bit of space, but even if Horford&rsquo;s delivery wasn't errant, Green rotated over to complicate matters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5. Although some were unforced, many unfolded similarly to the one above, with Golden State&rsquo;s defense making every brief opening feel fleeting and spurring hurried decisions.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>5. Succumbing to the orbit of Stephen Curry&rsquo;s gravity</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1536455023214960641?s=20&amp;t=wC1_R7ObuwiuIpGVx1veHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the clinching possession of Game 4&rsquo;s defeat</span></a>, Boston twice brought two defenders to Curry. The second time, it led to a bucket that pushed the Warriors&rsquo; edge to five with roughly a minute remaining. In Game 5, the Celtics didn&rsquo;t necessarily blitz Curry each play, but their defense afforded him extra attention more often &mdash; on and off the ball.</p>
<p>Previously, they&rsquo;d predominantly stomached dropping and switching against him, but the coverage skewed more extreme Monday. This isn&rsquo;t to say Boston&rsquo;s defense was the culprit of its loss &mdash; the offense is the prevalent issue. Yet the game-plan clearly shifted and the burden of scoring responsibility didn&rsquo;t almost exclusively rest on Curry&rsquo;s shoulders anymore.<span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/l7wr4d" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As a response to that heightened concern, Curry countered with his finest playmaking production of the series, dishing out 8 assists to 1 turnover. Helping to ease the impact of Curry&rsquo;s cold shooting spell was Payton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to tie a playoff career-high.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither Green nor Kevon Looney can even approximate a similar finishing punch to Payton. He&rsquo;s not a roller the defense can entirely abandon and his screening induced favorable switches or opportunities for Golden State&rsquo;s offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Porter struggled defending in space, while Looney battled foul trouble all evening. So, Payton stepped up for a postseason-best 26 minutes and crafted necessary interior-scoring verve in addition to his steadfast defensive versatility.</p>
<p><strong>6. Jayson Tatum and his fourth quarter struggles</strong></p>
<p>Through three quarters, Tatum had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 inside the arc. The last number was an absolutely welcomed sight for the 24-year-old superstar, who began Game 5 having converted a paltry 27.4% of his two-point attempts (14-of-51) in the Finals.</p>
<p>Twelve minutes later, he ended with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 inside the arc &mdash; a good, not great overall outing. The leading candidate behind the demise of a five-point, 1-of-5 shooting fourth quarter was Wiggins, whose length, mobility and physicality perturbed Tatum into plays like this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zs8ms3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State is closing off many drives to Tatum&rsquo;s right all series, so he aimed to take advantage of an early offense opportunity. Instead, Wiggins slid alongside him and swiped down *just* as Tatum began to gather for a finish. That swipe extinguished Tatum&rsquo;s rhythm, provoked an extra, illegal slide of the back foot and he was called for traveling.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>7. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and a synergistic defense</strong></p>
<p>Green&rsquo;s Game 5 defensive brilliance extended beyond help on the perimeter and guiding Brown away from right-hand drives; he was sensational as an interior helper. During his 35 minutes, the Celtics&rsquo; took just six shots at the rim. When he sat for 13 minutes, they took four. Their rim frequency was 10.9% with him on the floor and 20% without him, according to NBA.com.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston could hardly score in the paint when he was involved. Shooting and passing near the hoop were chores around him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9m16sx" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tatum wiggled into the key, with Green awaiting him. Green jutted out his right arm to deter a drop-off to Robert Williams III, swiveled his left arm up and contested a challenging fadeaway jumper.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wiggins and Payton gave help on the drive, which muddied Tatum&rsquo;s passing vision as he simply worked to avoid being stripped. Once Green committed to Tatum, Wiggins peeled into Williams, stuck a body on the bouncy big man and ensured any sort of lob would be incredibly challenging to execute or corral.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All 10 of Williams&rsquo; points came in the first half, largely due to Golden State neutralizing him as a release valve after intermission. He&rsquo;s Boston&rsquo;s lone aerial threat and best means of generating shots around the rim.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There&rsquo;s simply scant space to function inside the arc against this harmonic Warriors defense. Those efforts grow increasingly laborious when Green and the entire unit are enforcing the rim like they did Monday.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>In the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a few themes prevailed, powering them one win shy of their fourth title in eight seasons. Broadly, the formula was an elite defense once again reminding everyone that Boston is not the lone menacing unit in the Finals, along with timely shot-making and star-powered contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than laser in on a singular storyline and highlight every play connected to it, let&rsquo;s touch on an assortment of different sequences that help summarize all of these prevailing themes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>1. Draymond Green&rsquo;s renewed offense</strong></p>
<p>Draymond Green&rsquo;s offense has justifiably drawn prominent ire in this series. Prior to Game 5, he recorded 17 points on 26 shots and his lack of scoring prowess, particularly as a spot-up shooter, constantly bogged down the offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet on Monday, he scored 8 points on 6 shots, handed out 6 assists and committed only 2 turnovers. He&rsquo;d turned in some excellent defensive showings to this point, but Game 5 was easily his most well-rounded of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His first assist of the night previewed the next couple hours. Sometimes, Green&rsquo;s dismal offensive performances are partially defined by erratic, undisciplined passing, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case in Game 5. To kick off the festivities, he lofted a perfect feed into Otto Porter Jr.&rsquo;s bread-basket for the bucket.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9oqd22" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Porter slipping the screen was emblematic of Golden State deciphering just enough openings in the crannies of Boston&rsquo;s fortress to complement its own imposing defense. A 107.5 offensive rating is quite poor, but this club&rsquo;s formula for a title has always been shepherded by the defense.</p>
<p>Al Horford hugging Stephen Curry along the baseline, removing him entirely from any chance of helping on the pass, laid the foundation for a game where the superstar&rsquo;s gravity regularly opened up chances for others. His own 7-of-22 line was unremarkable scoring-wise, though the manner in which the Celtics tethered themselves to him created space elsewhere instead.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>2. Andrew Wiggins, the All-Star starter</strong></p>
<p>Three days after gobbling up a career-high 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins returned to score the second-most points of his playoff career with 26. With Curry marred in an uncharacteristic shooting slump and Boston still successfully limiting Klay Thompson&rsquo;s scoring volume, somebody had to prop up the Warriors&rsquo; attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That man was Andrew Wiggins, who repeatedly exposed the single coverage he faced, using his size and physicality to launch off the bounce.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s5rprg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He particularly flourished in the final frame, when he scored 10 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wiggins&rsquo; handle can be robotic and leave him susceptible to stunts or digs. As the Celtics often face-guarded Curry and Thompson (look how they&rsquo;re defended in that clip), the Canadian wing enjoyed added space to operate and wield his self-creation chops. Nearly 70% of his baskets have been assisted during the playoffs, whereas that mark fell to 50% in Game 5.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All series, Boston's defense has appeared content funneling shots to Wiggins. He capitalized monumentally on Monday&rsquo;s pivotal stage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>3. Jaylen Brown and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offensive experience</strong></p>
<p>Overwhelmingly, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 2022 NBA Playoffs have been sensational. He&rsquo;s endured some hiccups, including Game 2 of the Finals, but they&rsquo;ve merely been hiccups and haven't become the norm. Monday was another hiccup.</p>
<p>He logged 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting and committed 4 turnovers. Golden State continually forced him left as a driver and pull-up scorer, which is assuredly not his preference. His handle and ball control are precarious as is, let alone when he&rsquo;s guided away from his dominant hand.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p4glxf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To further eliminate the right side as a driving lane, both for Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Warriors loaded the gaps and invited middling shooters to bomb beyond the arc. Derrick White entered Game 5 drilling 50% of his triples in the Finals, yet Green helped one pass away and prevented Brown from frequenting the paint. The result is a midrange pull-up Golden State will likely accept, which occurred after Green initially walled off the middle for Brown around the screen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4. Golden State making Boston get comfortable with the uncomfortable</strong></p>
<p>At the point of attack, Golden State&rsquo;s most lucrative defensive approach in this series has been to apply pressure on the catch, and extend the Celtics&rsquo; offense well away from the hoop. Boston&rsquo;s scheme involves considerable side-to-side movement, with flare screens or other subtle actions designed to create small advantages that morph into sizable ones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Warriors refused to let that be commonplace in Game 5, swarming virtually everyone immediately on the catch. Hardly anything Boston achieved felt seamless. Arduous was the defining term of their experiences. On a giveaway midway through the second quarter, Golden State&rsquo;s pressure arrived at every turn.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v3umjq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Gary Payton II bothered Tatum on the inbounds. White hardly has room to collect himself before Curry is fastened to his hip. Horford caught the ball with Porter draped on him. Tatum generated a bit of space, but even if Horford&rsquo;s delivery wasn't errant, Green rotated over to complicate matters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5. Although some were unforced, many unfolded similarly to the one above, with Golden State&rsquo;s defense making every brief opening feel fleeting and spurring hurried decisions.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>5. Succumbing to the orbit of Stephen Curry&rsquo;s gravity</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1536455023214960641?s=20&amp;t=wC1_R7ObuwiuIpGVx1veHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the clinching possession of Game 4&rsquo;s defeat</span></a>, Boston twice brought two defenders to Curry. The second time, it led to a bucket that pushed the Warriors&rsquo; edge to five with roughly a minute remaining. In Game 5, the Celtics didn&rsquo;t necessarily blitz Curry each play, but their defense afforded him extra attention more often &mdash; on and off the ball.</p>
<p>Previously, they&rsquo;d predominantly stomached dropping and switching against him, but the coverage skewed more extreme Monday. This isn&rsquo;t to say Boston&rsquo;s defense was the culprit of its loss &mdash; the offense is the prevalent issue. Yet the game-plan clearly shifted and the burden of scoring responsibility didn&rsquo;t almost exclusively rest on Curry&rsquo;s shoulders anymore.<span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/l7wr4d" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As a response to that heightened concern, Curry countered with his finest playmaking production of the series, dishing out 8 assists to 1 turnover. Helping to ease the impact of Curry&rsquo;s cold shooting spell was Payton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to tie a playoff career-high.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither Green nor Kevon Looney can even approximate a similar finishing punch to Payton. He&rsquo;s not a roller the defense can entirely abandon and his screening induced favorable switches or opportunities for Golden State&rsquo;s offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Porter struggled defending in space, while Looney battled foul trouble all evening. So, Payton stepped up for a postseason-best 26 minutes and crafted necessary interior-scoring verve in addition to his steadfast defensive versatility.</p>
<p><strong>6. Jayson Tatum and his fourth quarter struggles</strong></p>
<p>Through three quarters, Tatum had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 inside the arc. The last number was an absolutely welcomed sight for the 24-year-old superstar, who began Game 5 having converted a paltry 27.4% of his two-point attempts (14-of-51) in the Finals.</p>
<p>Twelve minutes later, he ended with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 inside the arc &mdash; a good, not great overall outing. The leading candidate behind the demise of a five-point, 1-of-5 shooting fourth quarter was Wiggins, whose length, mobility and physicality perturbed Tatum into plays like this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zs8ms3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State is closing off many drives to Tatum&rsquo;s right all series, so he aimed to take advantage of an early offense opportunity. Instead, Wiggins slid alongside him and swiped down *just* as Tatum began to gather for a finish. That swipe extinguished Tatum&rsquo;s rhythm, provoked an extra, illegal slide of the back foot and he was called for traveling.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>7. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and a synergistic defense</strong></p>
<p>Green&rsquo;s Game 5 defensive brilliance extended beyond help on the perimeter and guiding Brown away from right-hand drives; he was sensational as an interior helper. During his 35 minutes, the Celtics&rsquo; took just six shots at the rim. When he sat for 13 minutes, they took four. Their rim frequency was 10.9% with him on the floor and 20% without him, according to NBA.com.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston could hardly score in the paint when he was involved. Shooting and passing near the hoop were chores around him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9m16sx" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Tatum wiggled into the key, with Green awaiting him. Green jutted out his right arm to deter a drop-off to Robert Williams III, swiveled his left arm up and contested a challenging fadeaway jumper.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wiggins and Payton gave help on the drive, which muddied Tatum&rsquo;s passing vision as he simply worked to avoid being stripped. Once Green committed to Tatum, Wiggins peeled into Williams, stuck a body on the bouncy big man and ensured any sort of lob would be incredibly challenging to execute or corral.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All 10 of Williams&rsquo; points came in the first half, largely due to Golden State neutralizing him as a release valve after intermission. He&rsquo;s Boston&rsquo;s lone aerial threat and best means of generating shots around the rim.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There&rsquo;s simply scant space to function inside the arc against this harmonic Warriors defense. Those efforts grow increasingly laborious when Green and the entire unit are enforcing the rim like they did Monday.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>In the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a few themes prevailed, powering them one win shy of their fourth title in eight seasons. Broadly, the formula was an elite defense once again reminding everyone that Boston is not the lone menacing unit in the Finals, along with timely shot-making and star-powered contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than laser in on a singular storyline and highlight every play connected to it, let&rsquo;s touch on an assortment of different sequences that help summarize all of these prevailing themes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>1. Draymond Green&rsquo;s renewed offense</strong></p>
<p>Draymond Green&rsquo;s offense has justifiably drawn prominent ire in this series. Prior to Game 5, he recorded 17 points on 26 shots and his lack of scoring prowess, particularly as a spot-up shooter, constantly bogged down the offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet on Monday, he scored 8 points on 6 shots, handed out 6 assists and committed only 2 turnovers. He&rsquo;d turned in some excellent defensive showings to this point, but Game 5 was easily his most well-rounded of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His first assist of the night previewed the next couple hours. Sometimes, Green&rsquo;s dismal offensive performances are partially defined by erratic, undisciplined passing, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case in Game 5. To kick off the festivities, he lofted a perfect feed into Otto Porter Jr.&rsquo;s bread-basket for the bucket.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9oqd22" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Porter slipping the screen was emblematic of Golden State deciphering just enough openings in the crannies of Boston&rsquo;s fortress to complement its own imposing defense. A 107.5 offensive rating is quite poor, but this club&rsquo;s formula for a title has always been shepherded by the defense.</p>
<p>Al Horford hugging Stephen Curry along the baseline, removing him entirely from any chance of helping on the pass, laid the foundation for a game where the superstar&rsquo;s gravity regularly opened up chances for others. His own 7-of-22 line was unremarkable scoring-wise, though the manner in which the Celtics tethered themselves to him created space elsewhere instead.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>2. Andrew Wiggins, the All-Star starter</strong></p>
<p>Three days after gobbling up a career-high 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins returned to score the second-most points of his playoff career with 26. With Curry marred in an uncharacteristic shooting slump and Boston still successfully limiting Klay Thompson&rsquo;s scoring volume, somebody had to prop up the Warriors&rsquo; attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That man was Andrew Wiggins, who repeatedly exposed the single coverage he faced, using his size and physicality to launch off the bounce.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s5rprg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He particularly flourished in the final frame, when he scored 10 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wiggins&rsquo; handle can be robotic and leave him susceptible to stunts or digs. As the Celtics often face-guarded Curry and Thompson (look how they&rsquo;re defended in that clip), the Canadian wing enjoyed added space to operate and wield his self-creation chops. Nearly 70% of his baskets have been assisted during the playoffs, whereas that mark fell to 50% in Game 5.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All series, Boston's defense has appeared content funneling shots to Wiggins. He capitalized monumentally on Monday&rsquo;s pivotal stage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>3. Jaylen Brown and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offensive experience</strong></p>
<p>Overwhelmingly, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 2022 NBA Playoffs have been sensational. He&rsquo;s endured some hiccups, including Game 2 of the Finals, but they&rsquo;ve merely been hiccups and haven't become the norm. Monday was another hiccup.</p>
<p>He logged 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting and committed 4 turnovers. Golden State continually forced him left as a driver and pull-up scorer, which is assuredly not his preference. His handle and ball control are precarious as is, let alone when he&rsquo;s guided away from his dominant hand.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p4glxf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To further eliminate the right side as a driving lane, both for Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Warriors loaded the gaps and invited middling shooters to bomb beyond the arc. Derrick White entered Game 5 drilling 50% of his triples in the Finals, yet Green helped one pass away and prevented Brown from frequenting the paint. The result is a midrange pull-up Golden State will likely accept, which occurred after Green initially walled off the middle for Brown around the screen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4. Golden State making Boston get comfortable with the uncomfortable</strong></p>
<p>At the point of attack, Golden State&rsquo;s most lucrative defensive approach in this series has been to apply pressure on the catch, and extend the Celtics&rsquo; offense well away from the hoop. Boston&rsquo;s scheme involves considerable side-to-side movement, with flare screens or other subtle actions designed to create small advantages that morph into sizable ones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Warriors refused to let that be commonplace in Game 5, swarming virtually everyone immediately on the catch. Hardly anything Boston achieved felt seamless. Arduous was the defining term of their experiences. On a giveaway midway through the second quarter, Golden State&rsquo;s pressure arrived at every turn.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v3umjq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Gary Payton II bothered Tatum on the inbounds. White hardly has room to collect himself before Curry is fastened to his hip. Horford caught the ball with Porter draped on him. Tatum generated a bit of space, but even if Horford&rsquo;s delivery wasn't errant, Green rotated over to complicate matters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5. Although some were unforced, many unfolded similarly to the one above, with Golden State&rsquo;s defense making every brief opening feel fleeting and spurring hurried decisions.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>5. Succumbing to the orbit of Stephen Curry&rsquo;s gravity</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1536455023214960641?s=20&amp;t=wC1_R7ObuwiuIpGVx1veHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the clinching possession of Game 4&rsquo;s defeat</span></a>, Boston twice brought two defenders to Curry. The second time, it led to a bucket that pushed the Warriors&rsquo; edge to five with roughly a minute remaining. In Game 5, the Celtics didn&rsquo;t necessarily blitz Curry each play, but their defense afforded him extra attention more often &mdash; on and off the ball.</p>
<p>Previously, they&rsquo;d predominantly stomached dropping and switching against him, but the coverage skewed more extreme Monday. This isn&rsquo;t to say Boston&rsquo;s defense was the culprit of its loss &mdash; the offense is the prevalent issue. Yet the game-plan clearly shifted and the burden of scoring responsibility didn&rsquo;t almost exclusively rest on Curry&rsquo;s shoulders anymore.<span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/l7wr4d" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As a response to that heightened concern, Curry countered with his finest playmaking production of the series, dishing out 8 assists to 1 turnover. Helping to ease the impact of Curry&rsquo;s cold shooting spell was Payton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to tie a playoff career-high.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither Green nor Kevon Looney can even approximate a similar finishing punch to Payton. He&rsquo;s not a roller the defense can entirely abandon and his screening induced favorable switches or opportunities for Golden State&rsquo;s offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Porter struggled defending in space, while Looney battled foul trouble all evening. So, Payton stepped up for a postseason-best 26 minutes and crafted necessary interior-scoring verve in addition to his steadfast defensive versatility.</p>
<p><strong>6. Jayson Tatum and his fourth quarter struggles</strong></p>
<p>Through three quarters, Tatum had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 inside the arc. The last number was an absolutely welcomed sight for the 24-year-old superstar, who began Game 5 having converted a paltry 27.4% of his two-point attempts (14-of-51) in the Finals.</p>
<p>Twelve minutes later, he ended with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 inside the arc &mdash; a good, not great overall outing. The leading candidate behind the demise of a five-point, 1-of-5 shooting fourth quarter was Wiggins, whose length, mobility and physicality perturbed Tatum into plays like this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zs8ms3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State is closing off many drives to Tatum&rsquo;s right all series, so he aimed to take advantage of an early offense opportunity. Instead, Wiggins slid alongside him and swiped down *just* as Tatum began to gather for a finish. That swipe extinguished Tatum&rsquo;s rhythm, provoked an extra, illegal slide of the back foot and he was called for traveling.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>7. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and a synergistic defense</strong></p>
<p>Green&rsquo;s Game 5 defensive brilliance extended beyond help on the perimeter and guiding Brown away from right-hand drives; he was sensational as an interior helper. During his 35 minutes, the Celtics&rsquo; took just six shots at the rim. When he sat for 13 minutes, they took four. Their rim frequency was 10.9% with him on the floor and 20% without him, according to NBA.com.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston could hardly score in the paint when he was involved. Shooting and passing near the hoop were chores around him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9m16sx" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Tatum wiggled into the key, with Green awaiting him. Green jutted out his right arm to deter a drop-off to Robert Williams III, swiveled his left arm up and contested a challenging fadeaway jumper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wiggins and Payton gave help on the drive, which muddied Tatum&rsquo;s passing vision as he simply worked to avoid being stripped. Once Green committed to Tatum, Wiggins peeled into Williams, stuck a body on the bouncy big man and ensured any sort of lob would be incredibly challenging to execute or corral.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All 10 of Williams&rsquo; points came in the first half, largely due to Golden State neutralizing him as a release valve after intermission. He&rsquo;s Boston&rsquo;s lone aerial threat and best means of generating shots around the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s simply scant space to function inside the arc against this harmonic Warriors defense. Those efforts grow increasingly laborious when Green and the entire unit are enforcing the rim like they did Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a few themes prevailed, powering them one win shy of their fourth title in eight seasons. Broadly, the formula was an elite defense once again reminding everyone that Boston is not the lone menacing unit in the Finals, along with timely shot-making and star-powered contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than laser in on a singular storyline and highlight every play connected to it, let&rsquo;s touch on an assortment of different sequences that help summarize all of these prevailing themes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>1. Draymond Green&rsquo;s renewed offense</strong></p>
<p>Draymond Green&rsquo;s offense has justifiably drawn prominent ire in this series. Prior to Game 5, he recorded 17 points on 26 shots and his lack of scoring prowess, particularly as a spot-up shooter, constantly bogged down the offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet on Monday, he scored 8 points on 6 shots, handed out 6 assists and committed only 2 turnovers. He&rsquo;d turned in some excellent defensive showings to this point, but Game 5 was easily his most well-rounded of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His first assist of the night previewed the next couple hours. Sometimes, Green&rsquo;s dismal offensive performances are partially defined by erratic, undisciplined passing, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case in Game 5. To kick off the festivities, he lofted a perfect feed into Otto Porter Jr.&rsquo;s bread-basket for the bucket.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9oqd22" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Porter slipping the screen was emblematic of Golden State deciphering just enough openings in the crannies of Boston&rsquo;s fortress to complement its own imposing defense. A 107.5 offensive rating is quite poor, but this club&rsquo;s formula for a title has always been shepherded by the defense.</p>
<p>Al Horford hugging Stephen Curry along the baseline, removing him entirely from any chance of helping on the pass, laid the foundation for a game where the superstar&rsquo;s gravity regularly opened up chances for others. His own 7-of-22 line was unremarkable scoring-wise, though the manner in which the Celtics tethered themselves to him created space elsewhere instead.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><strong>2. Andrew Wiggins, the All-Star starter</strong></p>
<p>Three days after gobbling up a career-high 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins returned to score the second-most points of his playoff career with 26. With Curry marred in an uncharacteristic shooting slump and Boston still successfully limiting Klay Thompson&rsquo;s scoring volume, somebody had to prop up the Warriors&rsquo; attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That man was Andrew Wiggins, who repeatedly exposed the single coverage he faced, using his size and physicality to launch off the bounce.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s5rprg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He particularly flourished in the final frame, when he scored 10 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wiggins&rsquo; handle can be robotic and leave him susceptible to stunts or digs. As the Celtics often face-guarded Curry and Thompson (look how they&rsquo;re defended in that clip), the Canadian wing enjoyed added space to operate and wield his self-creation chops. Nearly 70% of his baskets have been assisted during the playoffs, whereas that mark fell to 50% in Game 5.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All series, Boston's defense has appeared content funneling shots to Wiggins. He capitalized monumentally on Monday&rsquo;s pivotal stage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>3. Jaylen Brown and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offensive experience</strong></p>
<p>Overwhelmingly, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 2022 NBA Playoffs have been sensational. He&rsquo;s endured some hiccups, including Game 2 of the Finals, but they&rsquo;ve merely been hiccups and haven't become the norm. Monday was another hiccup.</p>
<p>He logged 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting and committed 4 turnovers. Golden State continually forced him left as a driver and pull-up scorer, which is assuredly not his preference. His handle and ball control are precarious as is, let alone when he&rsquo;s guided away from his dominant hand.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p4glxf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To further eliminate the right side as a driving lane, both for Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Warriors loaded the gaps and invited middling shooters to bomb beyond the arc. Derrick White entered Game 5 drilling 50% of his triples in the Finals, yet Green helped one pass away and prevented Brown from frequenting the paint. The result is a midrange pull-up Golden State will likely accept, which occurred after Green initially walled off the middle for Brown around the screen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4. Golden State making Boston get comfortable with the uncomfortable</strong></p>
<p>At the point of attack, Golden State&rsquo;s most lucrative defensive approach in this series has been to apply pressure on the catch, and extend the Celtics&rsquo; offense well away from the hoop. Boston&rsquo;s scheme involves considerable side-to-side movement, with flare screens or other subtle actions designed to create small advantages that morph into sizable ones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Warriors refused to let that be commonplace in Game 5, swarming virtually everyone immediately on the catch. Hardly anything Boston achieved felt seamless. Arduous was the defining term of their experiences. On a giveaway midway through the second quarter, Golden State&rsquo;s pressure arrived at every turn.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v3umjq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Gary Payton II bothered Tatum on the inbounds. White hardly has room to collect himself before Curry is fastened to his hip. Horford caught the ball with Porter draped on him. Tatum generated a bit of space, but even if Horford&rsquo;s delivery wasn't errant, Green rotated over to complicate matters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5. Although some were unforced, many unfolded similarly to the one above, with Golden State&rsquo;s defense making every brief opening feel fleeting and spurring hurried decisions.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>5. Succumbing to the orbit of Stephen Curry&rsquo;s gravity</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1536455023214960641?s=20&amp;t=wC1_R7ObuwiuIpGVx1veHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the clinching possession of Game 4&rsquo;s defeat</span></a>, Boston twice brought two defenders to Curry. The second time, it led to a bucket that pushed the Warriors&rsquo; edge to five with roughly a minute remaining. In Game 5, the Celtics didn&rsquo;t necessarily blitz Curry each play, but their defense afforded him extra attention more often &mdash; on and off the ball.</p>
<p>Previously, they&rsquo;d predominantly stomached dropping and switching against him, but the coverage skewed more extreme Monday. This isn&rsquo;t to say Boston&rsquo;s defense was the culprit of its loss &mdash; the offense is the prevalent issue. Yet the game-plan clearly shifted and the burden of scoring responsibility didn&rsquo;t almost exclusively rest on Curry&rsquo;s shoulders anymore.<span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/l7wr4d" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As a response to that heightened concern, Curry countered with his finest playmaking production of the series, dishing out 8 assists to 1 turnover. Helping to ease the impact of Curry&rsquo;s cold shooting spell was Payton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to tie a playoff career-high.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither Green nor Kevon Looney can even approximate a similar finishing punch to Payton. He&rsquo;s not a roller the defense can entirely abandon and his screening induced favorable switches or opportunities for Golden State&rsquo;s offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Porter struggled defending in space, while Looney battled foul trouble all evening. So, Payton stepped up for a postseason-best 26 minutes and crafted necessary interior-scoring verve in addition to his steadfast defensive versatility.</p>
<p><strong>6. Jayson Tatum and his fourth quarter struggles</strong></p>
<p>Through three quarters, Tatum had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 inside the arc. The last number was an absolutely welcomed sight for the 24-year-old superstar, who began Game 5 having converted a paltry 27.4% of his two-point attempts (14-of-51) in the Finals.</p>
<p>Twelve minutes later, he ended with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 inside the arc &mdash; a good, not great overall outing. The leading candidate behind the demise of a five-point, 1-of-5 shooting fourth quarter was Wiggins, whose length, mobility and physicality perturbed Tatum into plays like this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zs8ms3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State is closing off many drives to Tatum&rsquo;s right all series, so he aimed to take advantage of an early offense opportunity. Instead, Wiggins slid alongside him and swiped down *just* as Tatum began to gather for a finish. That swipe extinguished Tatum&rsquo;s rhythm, provoked an extra, illegal slide of the back foot and he was called for traveling.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>7. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and a synergistic defense</strong></p>
<p>Green&rsquo;s Game 5 defensive brilliance extended beyond help on the perimeter and guiding Brown away from right-hand drives; he was sensational as an interior helper. During his 35 minutes, the Celtics&rsquo; took just six shots at the rim. When he sat for 13 minutes, they took four. Their rim frequency was 10.9% with him on the floor and 20% without him, according to NBA.com.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston could hardly score in the paint when he was involved. Shooting and passing near the hoop were chores around him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9m16sx" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Tatum wiggled into the key, with Green awaiting him. Green jutted out his right arm to deter a drop-off to Robert Williams III, swiveled his left arm up and contested a challenging fadeaway jumper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wiggins and Payton gave help on the drive, which muddied Tatum&rsquo;s passing vision as he simply worked to avoid being stripped. Once Green committed to Tatum, Wiggins peeled into Williams, stuck a body on the bouncy big man and ensured any sort of lob would be incredibly challenging to execute or corral.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All 10 of Williams&rsquo; points came in the first half, largely due to Golden State neutralizing him as a release valve after intermission. He&rsquo;s Boston&rsquo;s lone aerial threat and best means of generating shots around the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s simply scant space to function inside the arc against this harmonic Warriors defense. Those efforts grow increasingly laborious when Green and the entire unit are enforcing the rim like they did Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a few themes prevailed, powering them one win shy of their fourth title in eight seasons. Broadly, the formula was an elite defense once again reminding everyone that Boston is not the lone menacing unit in the Finals, along with timely shot-making and star-powered contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than laser in on a singular storyline and highlight every play connected to it, let&rsquo;s touch on an assortment of different sequences that help summarize all of these prevailing themes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>1. Draymond Green&rsquo;s renewed offense</strong></p>
<p>Draymond Green&rsquo;s offense has justifiably drawn prominent ire in this series. Prior to Game 5, he recorded 17 points on 26 shots and his lack of scoring prowess, particularly as a spot-up shooter, constantly bogged down the offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet on Monday, he scored 8 points on 6 shots, handed out 6 assists and committed only 2 turnovers. He&rsquo;d turned in some excellent defensive showings to this point, but Game 5 was easily his most well-rounded of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His first assist of the night previewed the next couple hours. Sometimes, Green&rsquo;s dismal offensive performances are partially defined by erratic, undisciplined passing, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case in Game 5. To kick off the festivities, he lofted a perfect feed into Otto Porter Jr.&rsquo;s bread-basket for the bucket.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9oqd22" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Porter slipping the screen was emblematic of Golden State deciphering just enough openings in the crannies of Boston&rsquo;s fortress to complement its own imposing defense. A 107.5 offensive rating is quite poor, but this club&rsquo;s formula for a title has always been shepherded by the defense.</p>
<p>Al Horford hugging Stephen Curry along the baseline, removing him entirely from any chance of helping on the pass, laid the foundation for a game where the superstar&rsquo;s gravity regularly opened up chances for others. His own 7-of-22 line was unremarkable scoring-wise, though the manner in which the Celtics tethered themselves to him created space elsewhere instead.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><strong>2. Andrew Wiggins, the All-Star starter</strong></p>
<p>Three days after gobbling up a career-high 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins returned to score the second-most points of his playoff career with 26. With Curry marred in an uncharacteristic shooting slump and Boston still successfully limiting Klay Thompson&rsquo;s scoring volume, somebody had to prop up the Warriors&rsquo; attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That man was Andrew Wiggins, who repeatedly exposed the single coverage he faced, using his size and physicality to launch off the bounce.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s5rprg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He particularly flourished in the final frame, when he scored 10 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wiggins&rsquo; handle can be robotic and leave him susceptible to stunts or digs. As the Celtics often face-guarded Curry and Thompson (look how they&rsquo;re defended in that clip), the Canadian wing enjoyed added space to operate and wield his self-creation chops. Nearly 70% of his baskets have been assisted during the playoffs, whereas that mark fell to 50% in Game 5.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All series, Boston's defense has appeared content funneling shots to Wiggins. He capitalized monumentally on Monday&rsquo;s pivotal stage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>3. Jaylen Brown and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offensive experience</strong></p>
<p>Overwhelmingly, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 2022 NBA Playoffs have been sensational. He&rsquo;s endured some hiccups, including Game 2 of the Finals, but they&rsquo;ve merely been hiccups and haven't become the norm. Monday was another hiccup.</p>
<p>He logged 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting and committed 4 turnovers. Golden State continually forced him left as a driver and pull-up scorer, which is assuredly not his preference. His handle and ball control are precarious as is, let alone when he&rsquo;s guided away from his dominant hand.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p4glxf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To further eliminate the right side as a driving lane, both for Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Warriors loaded the gaps and invited middling shooters to bomb beyond the arc. Derrick White entered Game 5 drilling 50% of his triples in the Finals, yet Green helped one pass away and prevented Brown from frequenting the paint. The result is a midrange pull-up Golden State will likely accept, which occurred after Green initially walled off the middle for Brown around the screen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4. Golden State making Boston get comfortable with the uncomfortable</strong></p>
<p>At the point of attack, Golden State&rsquo;s most lucrative defensive approach in this series has been to apply pressure on the catch, and extend the Celtics&rsquo; offense well away from the hoop. Boston&rsquo;s scheme involves considerable side-to-side movement, with flare screens or other subtle actions designed to create small advantages that morph into sizable ones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Warriors refused to let that be commonplace in Game 5, swarming virtually everyone immediately on the catch. Hardly anything Boston achieved felt seamless. Arduous was the defining term of their experiences. On a giveaway midway through the second quarter, Golden State&rsquo;s pressure arrived at every turn.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v3umjq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Gary Payton II bothered Tatum on the inbounds. White hardly has room to collect himself before Curry is fastened to his hip. Horford caught the ball with Porter draped on him. Tatum generated a bit of space, but even if Horford&rsquo;s delivery wasn't errant, Green rotated over to complicate matters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5. Although some were unforced, many unfolded similarly to the one above, with Golden State&rsquo;s defense making every brief opening feel fleeting and spurring hurried decisions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><strong>5. Succumbing to the orbit of Stephen Curry&rsquo;s gravity</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1536455023214960641?s=20&amp;t=wC1_R7ObuwiuIpGVx1veHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the clinching possession of Game 4&rsquo;s defeat</span></a>, Boston twice brought two defenders to Curry. The second time, it led to a bucket that pushed the Warriors&rsquo; edge to five with roughly a minute remaining. In Game 5, the Celtics didn&rsquo;t necessarily blitz Curry each play, but their defense afforded him extra attention more often &mdash; on and off the ball.</p>
<p>Previously, they&rsquo;d predominantly stomached dropping and switching against him, but the coverage skewed more extreme Monday. This isn&rsquo;t to say Boston&rsquo;s defense was the culprit of its loss &mdash; the offense is the prevalent issue. Yet the game-plan clearly shifted and the burden of scoring responsibility didn&rsquo;t almost exclusively rest on Curry&rsquo;s shoulders anymore.<span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/l7wr4d" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As a response to that heightened concern, Curry countered with his finest playmaking production of the series, dishing out 8 assists to 1 turnover. Helping to ease the impact of Curry&rsquo;s cold shooting spell was Payton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to tie a playoff career-high.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither Green nor Kevon Looney can even approximate a similar finishing punch to Payton. He&rsquo;s not a roller the defense can entirely abandon and his screening induced favorable switches or opportunities for Golden State&rsquo;s offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Porter struggled defending in space, while Looney battled foul trouble all evening. So, Payton stepped up for a postseason-best 26 minutes and crafted necessary interior-scoring verve in addition to his steadfast defensive versatility.</p>
<p><strong>6. Jayson Tatum and his fourth quarter struggles</strong></p>
<p>Through three quarters, Tatum had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 inside the arc. The last number was an absolutely welcomed sight for the 24-year-old superstar, who began Game 5 having converted a paltry 27.4% of his two-point attempts (14-of-51) in the Finals.</p>
<p>Twelve minutes later, he ended with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 inside the arc &mdash; a good, not great overall outing. The leading candidate behind the demise of a five-point, 1-of-5 shooting fourth quarter was Wiggins, whose length, mobility and physicality perturbed Tatum into plays like this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zs8ms3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State is closing off many drives to Tatum&rsquo;s right all series, so he aimed to take advantage of an early offense opportunity. Instead, Wiggins slid alongside him and swiped down *just* as Tatum began to gather for a finish. That swipe extinguished Tatum&rsquo;s rhythm, provoked an extra, illegal slide of the back foot and he was called for traveling.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>7. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and a synergistic defense</strong></p>
<p>Green&rsquo;s Game 5 defensive brilliance extended beyond help on the perimeter and guiding Brown away from right-hand drives; he was sensational as an interior helper. During his 35 minutes, the Celtics&rsquo; took just six shots at the rim. When he sat for 13 minutes, they took four. Their rim frequency was 10.9% with him on the floor and 20% without him, according to NBA.com.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston could hardly score in the paint when he was involved. Shooting and passing near the hoop were chores around him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9m16sx" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Tatum wiggled into the key, with Green awaiting him. Green jutted out his right arm to deter a drop-off to Robert Williams III, swiveled his left arm up and contested a challenging fadeaway jumper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wiggins and Payton gave help on the drive, which muddied Tatum&rsquo;s passing vision as he simply worked to avoid being stripped. Once Green committed to Tatum, Wiggins peeled into Williams, stuck a body on the bouncy big man and ensured any sort of lob would be incredibly challenging to execute or corral.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All 10 of Williams&rsquo; points came in the first half, largely due to Golden State neutralizing him as a release valve after intermission. He&rsquo;s Boston&rsquo;s lone aerial threat and best means of generating shots around the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s simply scant space to function inside the arc against this harmonic Warriors defense. Those efforts grow increasingly laborious when Green and the entire unit are enforcing the rim like they did Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a few themes prevailed, powering them one win shy of their fourth title in eight seasons. Broadly, the formula was an elite defense once again reminding everyone that Boston is not the lone menacing unit in the Finals, along with timely shot-making and star-powered contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than laser in on a singular storyline and highlight every play connected to it, let&rsquo;s touch on an assortment of different sequences that help summarize all of these prevailing themes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>1. Draymond Green&rsquo;s renewed offense</strong></p>
<p>Draymond Green&rsquo;s offense has justifiably drawn prominent ire in this series. Prior to Game 5, he recorded 17 points on 26 shots and his lack of scoring prowess, particularly as a spot-up shooter, constantly bogged down the offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet on Monday, he scored 8 points on 6 shots, handed out 6 assists and committed only 2 turnovers. He&rsquo;d turned in some excellent defensive showings to this point, but Game 5 was easily his most well-rounded of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His first assist of the night previewed the next couple hours. Sometimes, Green&rsquo;s dismal offensive performances are partially defined by erratic, undisciplined passing, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case in Game 5. To kick off the festivities, he lofted a perfect feed into Otto Porter Jr.&rsquo;s bread-basket for the bucket.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9oqd22" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Porter slipping the screen was emblematic of Golden State deciphering just enough openings in the crannies of Boston&rsquo;s fortress to complement its own imposing defense. A 107.5 offensive rating is quite poor, but this club&rsquo;s formula for a title has always been shepherded by the defense.</p>
<p>Al Horford hugging Stephen Curry along the baseline, removing him entirely from any chance of helping on the pass, laid the foundation for a game where the superstar&rsquo;s gravity regularly opened up chances for others. His own 7-of-22 line was unremarkable scoring-wise, though the manner in which the Celtics tethered themselves to him created space elsewhere instead.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><strong>2. Andrew Wiggins, the All-Star starter</strong></p>
<p>Three days after gobbling up a career-high 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins returned to score the second-most points of his playoff career with 26. With Curry marred in an uncharacteristic shooting slump and Boston still successfully limiting Klay Thompson&rsquo;s scoring volume, somebody had to prop up the Warriors&rsquo; attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That man was Andrew Wiggins, who repeatedly exposed the single coverage he faced, using his size and physicality to launch off the bounce.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s5rprg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He particularly flourished in the final frame, when he scored 10 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wiggins&rsquo; handle can be robotic and leave him susceptible to stunts or digs. As the Celtics often face-guarded Curry and Thompson (look how they&rsquo;re defended in that clip), the Canadian wing enjoyed added space to operate and wield his self-creation chops. Nearly 70% of his baskets have been assisted during the playoffs, whereas that mark fell to 50% in Game 5.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All series, Boston's defense has appeared content funneling shots to Wiggins. He capitalized monumentally on Monday&rsquo;s pivotal stage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>3. Jaylen Brown and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offensive experience</strong></p>
<p>Overwhelmingly, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 2022 NBA Playoffs have been sensational. He&rsquo;s endured some hiccups, including Game 2 of the Finals, but they&rsquo;ve merely been hiccups and haven't become the norm. Monday was another hiccup.</p>
<p>He logged 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting and committed 4 turnovers. Golden State continually forced him left as a driver and pull-up scorer, which is assuredly not his preference. His handle and ball control are precarious as is, let alone when he&rsquo;s guided away from his dominant hand.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p4glxf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To further eliminate the right side as a driving lane, both for Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Warriors loaded the gaps and invited middling shooters to bomb beyond the arc. Derrick White entered Game 5 drilling 50% of his triples in the Finals, yet Green helped one pass away and prevented Brown from frequenting the paint. The result is a midrange pull-up Golden State will likely accept, which occurred after Green initially walled off the middle for Brown around the screen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4. Golden State making Boston get comfortable with the uncomfortable</strong></p>
<p>At the point of attack, Golden State&rsquo;s most lucrative defensive approach in this series has been to apply pressure on the catch, and extend the Celtics&rsquo; offense well away from the hoop. Boston&rsquo;s scheme involves considerable side-to-side movement, with flare screens or other subtle actions designed to create small advantages that morph into sizable ones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Warriors refused to let that be commonplace in Game 5, swarming virtually everyone immediately on the catch. Hardly anything Boston achieved felt seamless. Arduous was the defining term of their experiences. On a giveaway midway through the second quarter, Golden State&rsquo;s pressure arrived at every turn.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v3umjq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Gary Payton II bothered Tatum on the inbounds. White hardly has room to collect himself before Curry is fastened to his hip. Horford caught the ball with Porter draped on him. Tatum generated a bit of space, but even if Horford&rsquo;s delivery wasn't errant, Green rotated over to complicate matters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5. Although some were unforced, many unfolded similarly to the one above, with Golden State&rsquo;s defense making every brief opening feel fleeting and spurring hurried decisions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><strong>5. Succumbing to the orbit of Stephen Curry&rsquo;s gravity</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1536455023214960641?s=20&amp;t=wC1_R7ObuwiuIpGVx1veHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the clinching possession of Game 4&rsquo;s defeat</span></a>, Boston twice brought two defenders to Curry. The second time, it led to a bucket that pushed the Warriors&rsquo; edge to five with roughly a minute remaining. In Game 5, the Celtics didn&rsquo;t necessarily blitz Curry each play, but their defense afforded him extra attention more often &mdash; on and off the ball.</p>
<p>Previously, they&rsquo;d predominantly stomached dropping and switching against him, but the coverage skewed more extreme Monday. This isn&rsquo;t to say Boston&rsquo;s defense was the culprit of its loss &mdash; the offense is the prevalent issue. Yet the game-plan clearly shifted and the burden of scoring responsibility didn&rsquo;t almost exclusively rest on Curry&rsquo;s shoulders anymore.<span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/l7wr4d" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As a response to that heightened concern, Curry countered with his finest playmaking production of the series, dishing out 8 assists to 1 turnover. Helping to ease the impact of Curry&rsquo;s cold shooting spell was Payton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to tie a playoff career-high.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither Green nor Kevon Looney can even approximate a similar finishing punch to Payton. He&rsquo;s not a roller the defense can entirely abandon and his screening induced favorable switches or opportunities for Golden State&rsquo;s offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Porter struggled defending in space, while Looney battled foul trouble all evening. So, Payton stepped up for a postseason-best 26 minutes and crafted necessary interior-scoring verve in addition to his steadfast defensive versatility.</p>
<p><strong>6. Jayson Tatum and his fourth quarter struggles</strong></p>
<p>Through three quarters, Tatum had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 inside the arc. The last number was an absolutely welcomed sight for the 24-year-old superstar, who began Game 5 having converted a paltry 27.4% of his two-point attempts (14-of-51) in the Finals.</p>
<p>Twelve minutes later, he ended with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 inside the arc &mdash; a good, not great overall outing. The leading candidate behind the demise of a five-point, 1-of-5 shooting fourth quarter was Wiggins, whose length, mobility and physicality perturbed Tatum into plays like this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zs8ms3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State is closing off many drives to Tatum&rsquo;s right all series, so he aimed to take advantage of an early offense opportunity. Instead, Wiggins slid alongside him and swiped down *just* as Tatum began to gather for a finish. That swipe extinguished Tatum&rsquo;s rhythm, provoked an extra, illegal slide of the back foot and he was called for traveling.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>7. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and a synergistic defense</strong></p>
<p>Green&rsquo;s Game 5 defensive brilliance extended beyond help on the perimeter and guiding Brown away from right-hand drives; he was sensational as an interior helper. During his 35 minutes, the Celtics&rsquo; took just six shots at the rim. When he sat for 13 minutes, they took four. Their rim frequency was 10.9% with him on the floor and 20% without him, according to NBA.com.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston could hardly score in the paint when he was involved. Shooting and passing near the hoop were chores around him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9m16sx" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Tatum wiggled into the key, with Green awaiting him. Green jutted out his right arm to deter a drop-off to Robert Williams III, swiveled his left arm up and contested a challenging fadeaway jumper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wiggins and Payton gave help on the drive, which muddied Tatum&rsquo;s passing vision as he simply worked to avoid being stripped. Once Green committed to Tatum, Wiggins peeled into Williams, stuck a body on the bouncy big man and ensured any sort of lob would be incredibly challenging to execute or corral.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All 10 of Williams&rsquo; points came in the first half, largely due to Golden State neutralizing him as a release valve after intermission. He&rsquo;s Boston&rsquo;s lone aerial threat and best means of generating shots around the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s simply scant space to function inside the arc against this harmonic Warriors defense. Those efforts grow increasingly laborious when Green and the entire unit are enforcing the rim like they did Monday.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>f</p>

<p>In the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a few themes prevailed, powering them one win shy of their fourth title in eight seasons. Broadly, the formula was an elite defense once again reminding everyone that Boston is not the lone menacing unit in the Finals, along with timely shot-making and star-powered contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rather than laser in on a singular storyline and highlight every play connected to it, let&rsquo;s touch on an assortment of different sequences that help summarize all of these prevailing themes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>1. Draymond Green&rsquo;s renewed offense</strong></p>
<p>Draymond Green&rsquo;s offense has justifiably drawn prominent ire in this series. Prior to Game 5, he recorded 17 points on 26 shots and his lack of scoring prowess, particularly as a spot-up shooter, constantly bogged down the offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet on Monday, he scored 8 points on 6 shots, handed out 6 assists and committed only 2 turnovers. He&rsquo;d turned in some excellent defensive showings to this point, but Game 5 was easily his most well-rounded of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His first assist of the night previewed the next couple hours. Sometimes, Green&rsquo;s dismal offensive performances are partially defined by erratic, undisciplined passing, but that wasn&rsquo;t the case in Game 5. To kick off the festivities, he lofted a perfect feed into Otto Porter Jr.&rsquo;s bread-basket for the bucket.</p>
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<p>Porter slipping the screen was emblematic of Golden State deciphering just enough openings in the crannies of Boston&rsquo;s fortress to complement its own imposing defense. A 107.5 offensive rating is quite poor, but this club&rsquo;s formula for a title has always been shepherded by the defense.</p>
<p>Al Horford hugging Stephen Curry along the baseline, removing him entirely from any chance of helping on the pass, laid the foundation for a game where the superstar&rsquo;s gravity regularly opened up chances for others. His own 7-of-22 line was unremarkable scoring-wise, though the manner in which the Celtics tethered themselves to him created space elsewhere instead.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><strong>2. Andrew Wiggins, the All-Star starter</strong></p>
<p>Three days after gobbling up a career-high 16 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins returned to score the second-most points of his playoff career with 26. With Curry marred in an uncharacteristic shooting slump and Boston still successfully limiting Klay Thompson&rsquo;s scoring volume, somebody had to prop up the Warriors&rsquo; attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That man was Andrew Wiggins, who repeatedly exposed the single coverage he faced, using his size and physicality to launch off the bounce.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s5rprg" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He particularly flourished in the final frame, when he scored 10 of his 26 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wiggins&rsquo; handle can be robotic and leave him susceptible to stunts or digs. As the Celtics often face-guarded Curry and Thompson (look how they&rsquo;re defended in that clip), the Canadian wing enjoyed added space to operate and wield his self-creation chops. Nearly 70% of his baskets have been assisted during the playoffs, whereas that mark fell to 50% in Game 5.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All series, Boston's defense has appeared content funneling shots to Wiggins. He capitalized monumentally on Monday&rsquo;s pivotal stage.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>3. Jaylen Brown and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offensive experience</strong></p>
<p>Overwhelmingly, Jaylen Brown&rsquo;s 2022 NBA Playoffs have been sensational. He&rsquo;s endured some hiccups, including Game 2 of the Finals, but they&rsquo;ve merely been hiccups and haven't become the norm. Monday was another hiccup.</p>
<p>He logged 18 points on 5-of-18 shooting and committed 4 turnovers. Golden State continually forced him left as a driver and pull-up scorer, which is assuredly not his preference. His handle and ball control are precarious as is, let alone when he&rsquo;s guided away from his dominant hand.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p4glxf" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>To further eliminate the right side as a driving lane, both for Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Warriors loaded the gaps and invited middling shooters to bomb beyond the arc. Derrick White entered Game 5 drilling 50% of his triples in the Finals, yet Green helped one pass away and prevented Brown from frequenting the paint. The result is a midrange pull-up Golden State will likely accept, which occurred after Green initially walled off the middle for Brown around the screen.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>4. Golden State making Boston get comfortable with the uncomfortable</strong></p>
<p>At the point of attack, Golden State&rsquo;s most lucrative defensive approach in this series has been to apply pressure on the catch, and extend the Celtics&rsquo; offense well away from the hoop. Boston&rsquo;s scheme involves considerable side-to-side movement, with flare screens or other subtle actions designed to create small advantages that morph into sizable ones.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Warriors refused to let that be commonplace in Game 5, swarming virtually everyone immediately on the catch. Hardly anything Boston achieved felt seamless. Arduous was the defining term of their experiences. On a giveaway midway through the second quarter, Golden State&rsquo;s pressure arrived at every turn.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v3umjq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Gary Payton II bothered Tatum on the inbounds. White hardly has room to collect himself before Curry is fastened to his hip. Horford caught the ball with Porter draped on him. Tatum generated a bit of space, but even if Horford&rsquo;s delivery wasn't errant, Green rotated over to complicate matters.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics committed 18 turnovers in Game 5. Although some were unforced, many unfolded similarly to the one above, with Golden State&rsquo;s defense making every brief opening feel fleeting and spurring hurried decisions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><strong>5. Succumbing to the orbit of Stephen Curry&rsquo;s gravity</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/StephNoh/status/1536455023214960641?s=20&amp;t=wC1_R7ObuwiuIpGVx1veHg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the clinching possession of Game 4&rsquo;s defeat</span></a>, Boston twice brought two defenders to Curry. The second time, it led to a bucket that pushed the Warriors&rsquo; edge to five with roughly a minute remaining. In Game 5, the Celtics didn&rsquo;t necessarily blitz Curry each play, but their defense afforded him extra attention more often &mdash; on and off the ball.</p>
<p>Previously, they&rsquo;d predominantly stomached dropping and switching against him, but the coverage skewed more extreme Monday. This isn&rsquo;t to say Boston&rsquo;s defense was the culprit of its loss &mdash; the offense is the prevalent issue. Yet the game-plan clearly shifted and the burden of scoring responsibility didn&rsquo;t almost exclusively rest on Curry&rsquo;s shoulders anymore.<span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/l7wr4d" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>As a response to that heightened concern, Curry countered with his finest playmaking production of the series, dishing out 8 assists to 1 turnover. Helping to ease the impact of Curry&rsquo;s cold shooting spell was Payton, who scored 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting to tie a playoff career-high.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither Green nor Kevon Looney can even approximate a similar finishing punch to Payton. He&rsquo;s not a roller the defense can entirely abandon and his screening induced favorable switches or opportunities for Golden State&rsquo;s offense.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Porter struggled defending in space, while Looney battled foul trouble all evening. So, Payton stepped up for a postseason-best 26 minutes and crafted necessary interior-scoring verve in addition to his steadfast defensive versatility.</p>
<p><strong>6. Jayson Tatum and his fourth quarter struggles</strong></p>
<p>Through three quarters, Tatum had 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 inside the arc. The last number was an absolutely welcomed sight for the 24-year-old superstar, who began Game 5 having converted a paltry 27.4% of his two-point attempts (14-of-51) in the Finals.</p>
<p>Twelve minutes later, he ended with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-11 inside the arc &mdash; a good, not great overall outing. The leading candidate behind the demise of a five-point, 1-of-5 shooting fourth quarter was Wiggins, whose length, mobility and physicality perturbed Tatum into plays like this.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/zs8ms3" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State is closing off many drives to Tatum&rsquo;s right all series, so he aimed to take advantage of an early offense opportunity. Instead, Wiggins slid alongside him and swiped down *just* as Tatum began to gather for a finish. That swipe extinguished Tatum&rsquo;s rhythm, provoked an extra, illegal slide of the back foot and he was called for traveling.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>7. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and a synergistic defense</strong></p>
<p>Green&rsquo;s Game 5 defensive brilliance extended beyond help on the perimeter and guiding Brown away from right-hand drives; he was sensational as an interior helper. During his 35 minutes, the Celtics&rsquo; took just six shots at the rim. When he sat for 13 minutes, they took four. Their rim frequency was 10.9% with him on the floor and 20% without him, according to NBA.com.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston could hardly score in the paint when he was involved. Shooting and passing near the hoop were chores around him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/9m16sx" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Tatum wiggled into the key, with Green awaiting him. Green jutted out his right arm to deter a drop-off to Robert Williams III, swiveled his left arm up and contested a challenging fadeaway jumper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wiggins and Payton gave help on the drive, which muddied Tatum&rsquo;s passing vision as he simply worked to avoid being stripped. Once Green committed to Tatum, Wiggins peeled into Williams, stuck a body on the bouncy big man and ensured any sort of lob would be incredibly challenging to execute or corral.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All 10 of Williams&rsquo; points came in the first half, largely due to Golden State neutralizing him as a release valve after intermission. He&rsquo;s Boston&rsquo;s lone aerial threat and best means of generating shots around the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s simply scant space to function inside the arc against this harmonic Warriors defense. Those efforts grow increasingly laborious when Green and the entire unit are enforcing the rim like they did Monday.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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Following the Warriors' Game 5 win over the Celtics, Jackson Frank breaks down the film and examines what worked for Golden State.

Breaking down 7 plays that define the Warriors' Game 5 victory

<p>In basketball, physicality is often akin to tug of war. Both sides are putting forth all their might, but one side has to topple the other into exhaustion &mdash; that&rsquo;s the nature of things. It doesn&rsquo;t mean one party didn&rsquo;t try as hard as the other. Sometimes, previous battles leave a deeper impact for one more than the other, and the next game is swiftly decided.</p>
<p>Amid these NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors are engaged in a tug of war of physicality.</p>
<p>Game 1 went to Boston, who stymied Golden State&rsquo;s off-ball attack and applied its size to generate paint touches or open looks offensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 2 went to Golden State, who pressured Boston on the catch, extended its offense far away from the rim and sprung open shooters with hard-nosed picks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 went to Boston, who chiseled itself into a 116-100 victory and snagged a 2-1 series lead, halfway from its first title in 14 seasons.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality is a broad term, one that&rsquo;s been present through each of the first three Finals games. When teams say the opponent was more physical, that may sound cliche and coy, but there are nuances behind the ambiguity that provide a road map toward finer details. They reveal themselves through trends, statistics and on-court results.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among those concepts for the Celtics in Game 3 was a revival of consistent driving and interior scoring. In their Game 2 loss, per NBA.com, they registered just 6 attempts in the restricted area (7.5% frequency), talled 47 drives and shot 15-of-43 (34.9%) on twos. On Wednesday, they tallied 26 attempts at the rim (29.2% frequency), recorded 61 drives and shot 30-of-54 (55.6%) on twos.</p>
<p>The leading proponents behind those contrasts were Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who combined for 48 of the 61 drives, three days after logging just 27.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Boston wields a notable strength advantage on the perimeter over the Warriors, whose point-of-attack defense is susceptible to breakdowns. Limiting dribble penetration stems from Golden State's synergistic help and active rotations, not a cast of staunch isolation stoppers. The Celtics exploited that on Wednesday, with Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and Otto Porter Jr. regularly the targets of this approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether the edge stemmed from speed, strength or a marriage of the two, Boston ball-handlers dependably fashioned successful downhill forays. Improved spacing compared to Game 2 aided their efforts; multiple teammates were no longer parked in the lane or cutting inside on drives. Robert Williams III also camped a bit farther from the hoop rather than directly in the dunker spot, and floated around to occupy help defenders.</p>
<p>The Celtics did well to move both Kevon Looney and/or Draymond Green away from the hoop during their stints, which left Golden State incapable of properly enforcing the paint. While Klay Thompson had some noteworthy moments of weak-side rim-protection in Game 2, those two bigs are the lone rotation players who reliably protect the basket for the Warriors. They were often not in position to do so during Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/x89lui" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Contributing to Boston&rsquo;s massively-heightened rim frequency was Williams III playing 26 minutes, his most of the series, and nearly double his 14 minutes in Game 2. Aside from a few riveting moments in the second half of Game 1, Williams&rsquo; inaugural Finals have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-robert-williams-find-a-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlined by troubles</a>: poor pick-and-roll coverage, erratic decision-making as a helper and a struggle to discern his optimal defensive assignment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 was easily his finest of the three thus far, notching 7 total steals/blocks, collecting 10 boards and scoring 8 points on 5 shots. His presence is indispensable for the Celtics. They need to play him and surf through the waves of frustration. That&rsquo;s why him being good feels imperative. Nobody else on the roster provides vertical spacing as a lob threat or inhabits the offensive glass like him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When he survives defensively, as he did Wednesday, he poses grand issues for Golden State as an interior release valve and putback option. His length and explosiveness can overwhelm the Warriors&rsquo; undersized front line. Boston producing paint touches with Williams in the dunker spot has left Golden State in conflicting situations, unsure of whether to help on the drive and leave him open or stay back and risk an easy finish. The dimensions of his skill set are novel and critical.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s9saia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first half, the Celtics scored 68 of their 116 points and posted a sterling 136.0 Offensive Rating. Renewed driving profits were the headlining component, but they also functioned at a quicker pace. During the first two games, they averaged 95.5 possessions per night, while Thursday&rsquo;s first half saw the pace rise to 100.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pushing the tempo to force cross-matches, typically with Al Horford against smaller defenders, seemed to be an emphasis &mdash; even if it was mostly confined to the opening 24 minutes. Horford&rsquo;s post-ups in the half-court throughout Game 2 were pretty fruitless. So, quick duck-ins prior to the defense organizing itself became the counter, and it yielded some welcomed possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Clearly, Boston wants to deploy Horford&rsquo;s size in the paint. It merely needed a shrewder tactic. Empty-corner sets initiated early in the clock to highlight the size discrepancy between these clubs were also periodically featured.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mu03ht" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Boston winning the dance of physicality commenced almost immediately. Smart&rsquo;s screening was a weapon much of the night, beginning with a gnarly pick on Wiggins during its first offensive possession. The pick allowed Tatum to feed him and induced a shoddy stunt from Thompson, enabling Brown to knock down an open triple.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All night, the Celtics seemed to shrug off Golden State&rsquo;s potentially imposing pressure and spur defensive rotations. Smart&rsquo;s first crunching screen would not be his last, either. Boston spun its knack for dishing out and handling physicality into offensive advantages.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality on its own is not inherently valuable. It has to do something and mean something; it needs purpose. The Celtics&rsquo; physicality very much had purpose in Game 3.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>*Sidenote: The last Tatum bucket in that montage is filthy stuff. Looney tries to disrupt his handle multiple times and funnel him to Jordan Poole&rsquo;s help on the left wing. But Tatum spins away from all of it, keeps the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder on his hip and converts a contested layup. The way he navigates physicality this season has taken a vital jump and really stands out over the past three series.*</p>
<p>Much like Golden State&rsquo;s Game 2 offensive flurry, a combination of adjustments and uncharacteristic breakdowns from a stingy defense were responsible for the Celtics&rsquo; 116 points. On both occasions, the former was more salient, though the latter remained relevant.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Defense is a wildly fickle undertaking. One slight step in the wrong direction or incorrect shift of body weight can radicalize everything. A slightly improper angle around a screen or to cut off a drive reorients the possession. The same goes for how physicality manifests itself.</p>
<p>The best defenses minimize those events, but these Finals are underscoring that even elite units are susceptible to such ebbs and flows. Both teams embrace physicality. One isn&rsquo;t running away with the mantle of &ldquo;more physical.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s been a fluid title.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For now, thanks to refined driving, spacing and screening, Boston&rsquo;s the current keeper of that fluid title.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In basketball, physicality is often akin to tug of war. Both sides are putting forth all their might, but one side has to topple the other into exhaustion &mdash; that&rsquo;s the nature of things. It doesn&rsquo;t mean one party didn&rsquo;t try as hard as the other. Sometimes, previous battles leave a deeper impact for one more than the other, and the next game is swiftly decided.</p>
<p>Amid these NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors are engaged in a tug of war of physicality.</p>
<p>Game 1 went to Boston, who stymied Golden State&rsquo;s off-ball attack and applied its size to generate paint touches or open looks offensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 2 went to Golden State, who pressured Boston on the catch, extended its offense far away from the rim and sprung open shooters with hard-nosed picks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 went to Boston, who chiseled itself into a 116-100 victory and snagged a 2-1 series lead, halfway from its first title in 14 seasons.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality is a broad term, one that&rsquo;s been present through each of the first three Finals games. When teams say the opponent was more physical, that may sound cliche and coy, but there are nuances behind the ambiguity that provide a road map toward finer details. They reveal themselves through trends, statistics and on-court results.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among those concepts for the Celtics in Game 3 was a revival of consistent driving and interior scoring. In their Game 2 loss, per NBA.com, they registered just 6 attempts in the restricted area (7.5% frequency), talled 47 drives and shot 15-of-43 (34.9%) on twos. On Wednesday, they tallied 26 attempts at the rim (29.2% frequency), recorded 61 drives and shot 30-of-54 (55.6%) on twos.</p>
<p>The leading proponents behind those contrasts were Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who combined for 48 of the 61 drives, three days after logging just 27.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Boston wields a notable strength advantage on the perimeter over the Warriors, whose point-of-attack defense is susceptible to breakdowns. Limiting dribble penetration stems from Golden State's synergistic help and active rotations, not a cast of staunch isolation stoppers. The Celtics exploited that on Wednesday, with Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and Otto Porter Jr. regularly the targets of this approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether the edge stemmed from speed, strength or a marriage of the two, Boston ball-handlers dependably fashioned successful downhill forays. Improved spacing compared to Game 2 aided their efforts; multiple teammates were no longer parked in the lane or cutting inside on drives. Robert Williams III also camped a bit farther from the hoop rather than directly in the dunker spot, and floated around to occupy help defenders.</p>
<p>The Celtics did well to move both Kevon Looney and/or Draymond Green away from the hoop during their stints, which left Golden State incapable of properly enforcing the paint. While Klay Thompson had some noteworthy moments of weak-side rim-protection in Game 2, those two bigs are the lone rotation players who reliably protect the basket for the Warriors. They were often not in position to do so during Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/x89lui" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Contributing to Boston&rsquo;s massively-heightened rim frequency was Williams III playing 26 minutes, his most of the series, and nearly double his 14 minutes in Game 2. Aside from a few riveting moments in the second half of Game 1, Williams&rsquo; inaugural Finals have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-robert-williams-find-a-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlined by troubles</a>: poor pick-and-roll coverage, erratic decision-making as a helper and a struggle to discern his optimal defensive assignment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 was easily his finest of the three thus far, notching 7 total steals/blocks, collecting 10 boards and scoring 8 points on 5 shots. His presence is indispensable for the Celtics. They need to play him and surf through the waves of frustration. That&rsquo;s why him being good feels imperative. Nobody else on the roster provides vertical spacing as a lob threat or inhabits the offensive glass like him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When he survives defensively, as he did Wednesday, he poses grand issues for Golden State as an interior release valve and putback option. His length and explosiveness can overwhelm the Warriors&rsquo; undersized front line. Boston producing paint touches with Williams in the dunker spot has left Golden State in conflicting situations, unsure of whether to help on the drive and leave him open or stay back and risk an easy finish. The dimensions of his skill set are novel and critical.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s9saia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first half, the Celtics scored 68 of their 116 points and posted a sterling 136.0 Offensive Rating. Renewed driving profits were the headlining component, but they also functioned at a quicker pace. During the first two games, they averaged 95.5 possessions per night, while Thursday&rsquo;s first half saw the pace rise to 100.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pushing the tempo to force cross-matches, typically with Al Horford against smaller defenders, seemed to be an emphasis &mdash; even if it was mostly confined to the opening 24 minutes. Horford&rsquo;s post-ups in the half-court throughout Game 2 were pretty fruitless. So, quick duck-ins prior to the defense organizing itself became the counter, and it yielded some welcomed possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Clearly, Boston wants to deploy Horford&rsquo;s size in the paint. It merely needed a shrewder tactic. Empty-corner sets initiated early in the clock to highlight the size discrepancy between these clubs were also periodically featured.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mu03ht" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Boston winning the dance of physicality commenced almost immediately. Smart&rsquo;s screening was a weapon much of the night, beginning with a gnarly pick on Wiggins during its first offensive possession. The pick allowed Tatum to feed him and induced a shoddy stunt from Thompson, enabling Brown to knock down an open triple.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All night, the Celtics seemed to shrug off Golden State&rsquo;s potentially imposing pressure and spur defensive rotations. Smart&rsquo;s first crunching screen would not be his last, either. Boston spun its knack for dishing out and handling physicality into offensive advantages.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality on its own is not inherently valuable. It has to do something and mean something; it needs purpose. The Celtics&rsquo; physicality very much had purpose in Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/fl9xgg" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>*Sidenote: The last Tatum bucket in that montage is filthy stuff. Looney tries to disrupt his handle multiple times and funnel him to Jordan Poole&rsquo;s help on the left wing. But Tatum spins away from all of it, keeps the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder on his hip and converts a contested layup. The way he navigates physicality this season has taken a vital jump and really stands out over the past three series.*</p>
<p>Much like Golden State&rsquo;s Game 2 offensive flurry, a combination of adjustments and uncharacteristic breakdowns from a stingy defense were responsible for the Celtics&rsquo; 116 points. On both occasions, the former was more salient, though the latter remained relevant.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Defense is a wildly fickle undertaking. One slight step in the wrong direction or incorrect shift of body weight can radicalize everything. A slightly improper angle around a screen or to cut off a drive reorients the possession. The same goes for how physicality manifests itself.</p>
<p>The best defenses minimize those events, but these Finals are underscoring that even elite units are susceptible to such ebbs and flows. Both teams embrace physicality. One isn&rsquo;t running away with the mantle of &ldquo;more physical.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s been a fluid title.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For now, thanks to refined driving, spacing and screening, Boston&rsquo;s the current keeper of that fluid title.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In basketball, physicality is often akin to tug of war. Both sides are putting forth all their might, but one side has to topple the other into exhaustion &mdash; that&rsquo;s the nature of things. It doesn&rsquo;t mean one party didn&rsquo;t try as hard as the other. Sometimes, previous battles leave a deeper impact for one more than the other, and the next game is swiftly decided.</p>
<p>Amid these NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors are engaged in a tug of war of physicality.</p>
<p>Game 1 went to Boston, who stymied Golden State&rsquo;s off-ball attack and applied its size to generate paint touches or open looks offensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 2 went to Golden State, who pressured Boston on the catch, extended its offense far away from the rim and sprung open shooters with hard-nosed picks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 went to Boston, who chiseled itself into a 116-100 victory and snagged a 2-1 series lead, halfway from its first title in 14 seasons.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality is a broad term, one that&rsquo;s been present through each of the first three Finals games. When teams say the opponent was more physical, that may sound cliche and coy, but there are nuances behind the ambiguity that provide a road map toward finer details. They reveal themselves through trends, statistics and on-court results.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among those concepts for the Celtics in Game 3 was a revival of consistent driving and interior scoring. In their Game 2 loss, per NBA.com, they registered just 6 attempts in the restricted area (7.5% frequency), talled 47 drives and shot 15-of-43 (34.9%) on twos. On Wednesday, they tallied 26 attempts at the rim (29.2% frequency), recorded 61 drives and shot 30-of-54 (55.6%) on twos.</p>
<p>The leading proponents behind those contrasts were Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who combined for 48 of the 61 drives, three days after logging just 27.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Boston wields a notable strength advantage on the perimeter over the Warriors, whose point-of-attack defense is susceptible to breakdowns. Limiting dribble penetration stems from Golden State's synergistic help and active rotations, not a cast of staunch isolation stoppers. The Celtics exploited that on Wednesday, with Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and Otto Porter Jr. regularly the targets of this approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether the edge stemmed from speed, strength or a marriage of the two, Boston ball-handlers dependably fashioned successful downhill forays. Improved spacing compared to Game 2 aided their efforts; multiple teammates were no longer parked in the lane or cutting inside on drives. Robert Williams III also camped a bit farther from the hoop rather than directly in the dunker spot, and floated around to occupy help defenders.</p>
<p>The Celtics did well to move both Kevon Looney and/or Draymond Green away from the hoop during their stints, which left Golden State incapable of properly enforcing the paint. While Klay Thompson had some noteworthy moments of weak-side rim-protection in Game 2, those two bigs are the lone rotation players who reliably protect the basket for the Warriors. They were often not in position to do so during Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/x89lui" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Contributing to Boston&rsquo;s massively-heightened rim frequency was Williams III playing 26 minutes, his most of the series, and nearly double his 14 minutes in Game 2. Aside from a few riveting moments in the second half of Game 1, Williams&rsquo; inaugural Finals have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-robert-williams-find-a-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlined by troubles</a>: poor pick-and-roll coverage, erratic decision-making as a helper and a struggle to discern his optimal defensive assignment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 was easily his finest of the three thus far, notching 7 total steals/blocks, collecting 10 boards and scoring 8 points on 5 shots. His presence is indispensable for the Celtics. They need to play him and surf through the waves of frustration. That&rsquo;s why him being good feels imperative. Nobody else on the roster provides vertical spacing as a lob threat or inhabits the offensive glass like him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When he survives defensively, as he did Wednesday, he poses grand issues for Golden State as an interior release valve and putback option. His length and explosiveness can overwhelm the Warriors&rsquo; undersized front line. Boston producing paint touches with Williams in the dunker spot has left Golden State in conflicting situations, unsure of whether to help on the drive and leave him open or stay back and risk an easy finish. The dimensions of his skill set are novel and critical.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s9saia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first half, the Celtics scored 68 of their 116 points and posted a sterling 136.0 Offensive Rating. Renewed driving profits were the headlining component, but they also functioned at a quicker pace. During the first two games, they averaged 95.5 possessions per night, while Thursday&rsquo;s first half saw the pace rise to 100.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pushing the tempo to force cross-matches, typically with Al Horford against smaller defenders, seemed to be an emphasis &mdash; even if it was mostly confined to the opening 24 minutes. Horford&rsquo;s post-ups in the half-court throughout Game 2 were pretty fruitless. So, quick duck-ins prior to the defense organizing itself became the counter, and it yielded some welcomed possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Clearly, Boston wants to deploy Horford&rsquo;s size in the paint. It merely needed a shrewder tactic. Empty-corner sets initiated early in the clock to highlight the size discrepancy between these clubs were also periodically featured.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mu03ht" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Boston winning the dance of physicality commenced almost immediately. Smart&rsquo;s screening was a weapon much of the night, beginning with a gnarly pick on Wiggins during its first offensive possession. The pick allowed Tatum to feed him and induced a shoddy stunt from Thompson, enabling Brown to knock down an open triple.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All night, the Celtics seemed to shrug off Golden State&rsquo;s potentially imposing pressure and spur defensive rotations. Smart&rsquo;s first crunching screen would not be his last, either. Boston spun its knack for dishing out and handling physicality into offensive advantages.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality on its own is not inherently valuable. It has to do something and mean something; it needs purpose. The Celtics&rsquo; physicality very much had purpose in Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/fl9xgg" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Side note: The last Tatum bucket in that montage is filthy stuff. Looney tries to disrupt his handle multiple times and funnel him to Jordan Poole&rsquo;s help on the left wing. But Tatum spins away from all of it, keeps the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder on his hip and converts a contested layup. The way he's navigated physicality this season has taken a vital jump and really stands out over the past three series.*</p>
<p>Much like Golden State&rsquo;s Game 2 offensive flurry, a combination of adjustments and uncharacteristic breakdowns from a stingy defense were responsible for the Celtics&rsquo; 116 points. On both occasions, the former was more salient, though the latter remained relevant.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Defense is a wildly fickle undertaking. One slight step in the wrong direction or incorrect shift of body weight can radicalize everything. A slightly improper angle around a screen or to cut off a drive reorients the possession. The same goes for how physicality manifests itself.</p>
<p>The best defenses minimize those events, but these Finals are underscoring that even elite units are susceptible to such ebbs and flows. Both teams embrace physicality. One isn&rsquo;t running away with the mantle of &ldquo;more physical.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s been a fluid title.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For now, thanks to refined driving, spacing and screening, Boston&rsquo;s the current keeper of that fluid title.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In basketball, physicality is often akin to tug of war. Both sides are putting forth all their might, but one side has to topple the other into exhaustion &mdash; that&rsquo;s the nature of things. It doesn&rsquo;t mean one party didn&rsquo;t try as hard as the other. Sometimes, previous battles leave a deeper impact for one more than the other, and the next game is swiftly decided.</p>
<p>Amid these NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors are engaged in a tug of war of physicality.</p>
<p>Game 1 went to Boston, who stymied Golden State&rsquo;s off-ball attack and applied its size to generate paint touches or open looks offensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 2 went to Golden State, who pressured Boston on the catch, extended its offense far away from the rim and sprung open shooters with hard-nosed picks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 went to Boston, who chiseled itself into a 116-100 victory and snagged a 2-1 series lead, halfway from its first title in 14 seasons.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality is a broad term, one that&rsquo;s been present through each of the first three Finals games. When teams say the opponent was more physical, that may sound cliche and coy, but there are nuances behind the ambiguity that provide a road map toward finer details. They reveal themselves through trends, statistics and on-court results.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among those concepts for the Celtics in Game 3 was a revival of consistent driving and interior scoring. In their Game 2 loss, per NBA.com, they registered just 6 attempts in the restricted area (7.5% frequency), talled 47 drives and shot 15-of-43 (34.9%) on twos. On Wednesday, they tallied 26 attempts at the rim (29.2% frequency), recorded 61 drives and shot 30-of-54 (55.6%) on twos.</p>
<p>The leading proponents behind those contrasts were Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who combined for 48 of the 61 drives, three days after logging just 27.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Boston wields a notable strength advantage on the perimeter over the Warriors, whose point-of-attack defense is susceptible to breakdowns. Limiting dribble penetration stems from Golden State's synergistic help and active rotations, not a cast of staunch isolation stoppers. The Celtics exploited that on Wednesday, with Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and Otto Porter Jr. regularly the targets of this approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether the edge stemmed from speed, strength or a marriage of the two, Boston ball-handlers dependably fashioned successful downhill forays. Improved spacing compared to Game 2 aided their efforts; multiple teammates were no longer parked in the lane or cutting inside on drives. Robert Williams III also camped a bit farther from the hoop rather than directly in the dunker spot, and floated around to occupy help defenders.</p>
<p>The Celtics did well to move both Kevon Looney and/or Draymond Green away from the hoop during their stints, which left Golden State incapable of properly enforcing the paint. While Klay Thompson had some noteworthy moments of weak-side rim-protection in Game 2, those two bigs are the lone rotation players who reliably protect the basket for the Warriors. They were often not in position to do so during Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/x89lui" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Contributing to Boston&rsquo;s massively-heightened rim frequency was Williams III playing 26 minutes, his most of the series, and nearly double his 14 minutes in Game 2. Aside from a few riveting moments in the second half of Game 1, Williams&rsquo; inaugural Finals have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-robert-williams-find-a-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlined by troubles</a>: poor pick-and-roll coverage, erratic decision-making as a helper and a struggle to discern his optimal defensive assignment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 was easily his finest of the three thus far, notching 7 total steals/blocks, collecting 10 boards and scoring 8 points on 5 shots. His presence is indispensable for the Celtics. They need to play him and surf through the waves of frustration. That&rsquo;s why him being good feels imperative. Nobody else on the roster provides vertical spacing as a lob threat or inhabits the offensive glass like him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When he survives defensively, as he did Wednesday, he poses grand issues for Golden State as an interior release valve and putback option. His length and explosiveness can overwhelm the Warriors&rsquo; undersized front line. Boston producing paint touches with Williams in the dunker spot has left Golden State in conflicting situations, unsure of whether to help on the drive and leave him open or stay back and risk an easy finish. The dimensions of his skill set are novel and critical.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s9saia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first half, the Celtics scored 68 of their 116 points and posted a sterling 136.0 Offensive Rating. Renewed driving profits were the headlining component, but they also functioned at a quicker pace. During the first two games, they averaged 95.5 possessions per night, while Thursday&rsquo;s first half saw the pace rise to 100.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pushing the tempo to force cross-matches, typically with Al Horford against smaller defenders, seemed to be an emphasis &mdash; even if it was mostly confined to the opening 24 minutes. Horford&rsquo;s post-ups in the half-court throughout Game 2 were pretty fruitless. So, quick duck-ins prior to the defense organizing itself became the counter, and it yielded some welcomed possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Clearly, Boston wants to deploy Horford&rsquo;s size in the paint. It merely needed a shrewder tactic. Empty-corner sets initiated early in the clock to highlight the size discrepancy between these clubs were also periodically featured.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mu03ht" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Boston winning the dance of physicality commenced almost immediately. Smart&rsquo;s screening was a weapon much of the night, beginning with a gnarly pick on Wiggins during its first offensive possession. The pick allowed Tatum to feed him and induced a shoddy stunt from Thompson, enabling Brown to knock down an open triple.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All night, the Celtics seemed to shrug off Golden State&rsquo;s potentially imposing pressure and spur defensive rotations. Smart&rsquo;s first crunching screen would not be his last, either. Boston spun its knack for dishing out and handling physicality into offensive advantages.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality on its own is not inherently valuable. It has to do something and mean something; it needs purpose. The Celtics&rsquo; physicality very much had purpose in Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/fl9xgg" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Side note: The last Tatum bucket in that montage is filthy stuff. Looney tries to disrupt his handle multiple times and funnel him to Jordan Poole&rsquo;s help on the left wing. But Tatum spins away from all of it, keeps the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder on his hip and converts a contested layup. The way he's navigated physicality this season has taken a vital jump and really stands out over the past three series.)</p>
<p>Much like Golden State&rsquo;s Game 2 offensive flurry, a combination of adjustments and uncharacteristic breakdowns from a stingy defense were responsible for the Celtics&rsquo; 116 points. On both occasions, the former was more salient, though the latter remained relevant.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Defense is a wildly fickle undertaking. One slight step in the wrong direction or incorrect shift of body weight can radicalize everything. A slightly improper angle around a screen or to cut off a drive reorients the possession. The same goes for how physicality manifests itself.</p>
<p>The best defenses minimize those events, but these Finals are underscoring that even elite units are susceptible to such ebbs and flows. Both teams embrace physicality. One isn&rsquo;t running away with the mantle of &ldquo;more physical.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s been a fluid title.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For now, thanks to refined driving, spacing and screening, Boston&rsquo;s the current keeper of that fluid title.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In basketball, physicality is often akin to tug of war. Both sides are putting forth all their might, but one side has to topple the other into exhaustion &mdash; that&rsquo;s the nature of things. It doesn&rsquo;t mean one party didn&rsquo;t try as hard as the other. Sometimes, previous battles leave a deeper impact for one more than the other, and the next game is swiftly decided.</p>
<p>Amid these NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors are engaged in a tug of war of physicality.</p>
<p>Game 1 went to Boston, who stymied Golden State&rsquo;s off-ball attack and applied its size to generate paint touches or open looks offensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 2 went to Golden State, who pressured Boston on the catch, extended its offense far away from the rim and sprung open shooters with hard-nosed picks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 went to Boston, who chiseled itself into a 116-100 victory and snagged a 2-1 series lead, halfway from its first title in 14 seasons.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality is a broad term, one that&rsquo;s been present through each of the first three Finals games. When teams say the opponent was more physical, that may sound cliche and coy, but there are nuances behind the ambiguity that provide a road map toward finer details. They reveal themselves through trends, statistics and on-court results.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among those concepts for the Celtics in Game 3 was a revival of consistent driving and interior scoring. In their Game 2 loss, per NBA.com, they registered just 6 attempts in the restricted area (7.5% frequency), talled 47 drives and shot 15-of-43 (34.9%) on twos. On Wednesday, they tallied 26 attempts at the rim (29.2% frequency), recorded 61 drives and shot 30-of-54 (55.6%) on twos.</p>
<p>The leading proponents behind those contrasts were Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who combined for 48 of the 61 drives, three days after logging just 27.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Boston wields a notable strength advantage on the perimeter over the Warriors, whose point-of-attack defense is susceptible to breakdowns. Limiting dribble penetration stems from Golden State's synergistic help and active rotations, not a cast of staunch isolation stoppers. The Celtics exploited that on Wednesday, with Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and Otto Porter Jr. regularly the targets of this approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether the edge stemmed from speed, strength or a marriage of the two, Boston ball-handlers dependably fashioned successful downhill forays. Improved spacing compared to Game 2 aided their efforts; multiple teammates were no longer parked in the lane or cutting inside on drives. Robert Williams III also camped a bit farther from the hoop rather than directly in the dunker spot, and floated around to occupy help defenders.</p>
<p>The Celtics did well to move both Kevon Looney and/or Draymond Green away from the hoop during their stints, which left Golden State incapable of properly enforcing the paint. While Klay Thompson had some noteworthy moments of weak-side rim-protection in Game 2, those two bigs are the lone rotation players who reliably protect the basket for the Warriors. They were often not in position to do so during Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/x89lui" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Contributing to Boston&rsquo;s massively-heightened rim frequency was Williams III playing 26 minutes, his most of the series, and nearly double his 14 minutes in Game 2. Aside from a few riveting moments in the second half of Game 1, Williams&rsquo; inaugural Finals have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-robert-williams-find-a-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlined by troubles</a>: poor pick-and-roll coverage, erratic decision-making as a helper and a struggle to discern his optimal defensive assignment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 was easily his finest of the three thus far, notching 7 total steals/blocks, collecting 10 boards and scoring 8 points on 5 shots. His presence is indispensable for the Celtics. They need to play him and surf through the waves of frustration. That&rsquo;s why him being good feels imperative. Nobody else on the roster provides vertical spacing as a lob threat or inhabits the offensive glass like him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When he survives defensively, as he did Wednesday, he poses grand issues for Golden State as an interior release valve and putback option. His length and explosiveness can overwhelm the Warriors&rsquo; undersized front line. Boston producing paint touches with Williams in the dunker spot has left Golden State in conflicting situations, unsure of whether to help on the drive and leave him open or stay back and risk an easy finish. The dimensions of his skill set are novel and critical.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s9saia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first half, the Celtics scored 68 of their 116 points and posted a sterling 136.0 Offensive Rating. Renewed driving profits were the headlining component, but they also functioned at a quicker pace. During the first two games, they averaged 95.5 possessions per night, while Thursday&rsquo;s first half saw the pace rise to 100.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pushing the tempo to force cross-matches, typically with Al Horford against smaller defenders, seemed to be an emphasis &mdash; even if it was mostly confined to the opening 24 minutes. Horford&rsquo;s post-ups in the half-court throughout Game 2 were pretty fruitless. So, quick duck-ins prior to the defense organizing itself became the counter, and it yielded some welcomed possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Clearly, Boston wants to deploy Horford&rsquo;s size in the paint. It merely needed a shrewder tactic. Empty-corner sets initiated early in the clock to highlight the size discrepancy between these clubs were also periodically featured.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/mu03ht" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Boston winning the dance of physicality commenced almost immediately. Smart&rsquo;s screening was a weapon much of the night, beginning with a gnarly pick on Wiggins during its first offensive possession. The pick allowed Tatum to feed him and induced a shoddy stunt from Thompson, enabling Brown to knock down an open triple.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All night, the Celtics seemed to shrug off Golden State&rsquo;s potentially imposing pressure and spur defensive rotations. Smart&rsquo;s first crunching screen would not be his last, either. Boston spun its knack for dishing out and handling physicality into offensive advantages.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality on its own is not inherently valuable. It has to do something and mean something; it needs purpose. The Celtics&rsquo; physicality very much had purpose in Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/fl9xgg" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Side note: The last Tatum bucket in that montage is filthy stuff. Looney tries to disrupt his handle multiple times and funnel him to Jordan Poole&rsquo;s help on the left wing. But Tatum spins away from all of it, keeps the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder on his hip and converts a contested layup. The way he's navigated physicality this season has taken a vital jump and really stands out over the past three series.)</p>
<p>Much like Golden State&rsquo;s Game 2 offensive flurry, a combination of adjustments and uncharacteristic breakdowns from a stingy defense was responsible for the Celtics&rsquo; 116 points. On both occasions, the former was more salient, though the latter remained relevant.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Defense is a wildly fickle undertaking. One slight step in the wrong direction or incorrect shift of body weight can radicalize everything. A slightly improper angle around a screen or to cut off a drive reorients the possession. The same goes for how physicality manifests itself.</p>
<p>The best defenses minimize those events, but these Finals are underscoring that even elite units are susceptible to such ebbs and flows. Both teams embrace physicality. One isn&rsquo;t running away with the mantle of &ldquo;more physical.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s been a fluid title.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For now, thanks to refined driving, spacing and screening, Boston&rsquo;s the current keeper of that fluid title.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In basketball, physicality is often akin to tug of war. Both sides are putting forth all their might, but one side has to topple the other into exhaustion &mdash; that&rsquo;s the nature of things. It doesn&rsquo;t mean one party didn&rsquo;t try as hard as the other. Sometimes, previous battles leave a deeper impact for one more than the other, and the next game is swiftly decided.</p>
<p>Amid these NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors are engaged in a tug of war of physicality.</p>
<p>Game 1 went to Boston, who stymied Golden State&rsquo;s off-ball attack and applied its size to generate paint touches or open looks offensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 2 went to Golden State, who pressured Boston on the catch, extended its offense far away from the rim and sprung open shooters with hard-nosed picks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 went to Boston, who chiseled itself into a 116-100 victory and snagged a 2-1 series lead, halfway from its first title in 14 seasons.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality is a broad term, one that&rsquo;s been present through each of the first three Finals games. When teams say the opponent was more physical, that may sound cliche and coy, but there are nuances behind the ambiguity that provide a road map toward finer details. They reveal themselves through trends, statistics and on-court results.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among those concepts for the Celtics in Game 3 was a revival of consistent driving and interior scoring. In their Game 2 loss, per NBA.com, they registered just 6 attempts in the restricted area (7.5% frequency), talled 47 drives and shot 15-of-43 (34.9%) on twos. On Wednesday, they tallied 26 attempts at the rim (29.2% frequency), recorded 61 drives and shot 30-of-54 (55.6%) on twos.</p>
<p>The leading proponents behind those contrasts were Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who combined for 48 of the 61 drives, three days after logging just 27.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Boston wields a notable strength advantage on the perimeter over the Warriors, whose point-of-attack defense is susceptible to breakdowns. Limiting dribble penetration stems from Golden State's synergistic help and active rotations, not a cast of staunch isolation stoppers. The Celtics exploited that on Wednesday, with Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and Otto Porter Jr. regularly the targets of this approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether the edge stemmed from speed, strength or a marriage of the two, Boston ball-handlers dependably fashioned successful downhill forays. Improved spacing compared to Game 2 aided their efforts; multiple teammates were no longer parked in the lane or cutting inside on drives. Robert Williams III also camped a bit farther from the hoop rather than directly in the dunker spot, and floated around to occupy help defenders.</p>
<p>The Celtics did well to move both Kevon Looney and/or Draymond Green away from the hoop during their stints, which left Golden State incapable of properly enforcing the paint. While Klay Thompson had some noteworthy moments of weak-side rim-protection in Game 2, those two bigs are the lone rotation players who reliably protect the basket for the Warriors. They were often not in position to do so during Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/x89lui" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Contributing to Boston&rsquo;s massively-heightened rim frequency was Williams III playing 26 minutes, his most of the series, and nearly double his 14 minutes in Game 2. Aside from a few riveting moments in the second half of Game 1, Williams&rsquo; inaugural Finals have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-robert-williams-find-a-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlined by troubles</a>: poor pick-and-roll coverage, erratic decision-making as a helper and a struggle to discern his optimal defensive assignment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 was easily his finest of the three thus far, notching 7 total steals/blocks, collecting 10 boards and scoring 8 points on 5 shots. His presence is indispensable for the Celtics. They need to play him and surf through the waves of frustration. That&rsquo;s why him being good feels imperative. Nobody else on the roster provides vertical spacing as a lob threat or inhabits the offensive glass like him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When he survives defensively, as he did Wednesday, he poses grand issues for Golden State as an interior release valve and putback option. His length and explosiveness can overwhelm the Warriors&rsquo; undersized front line. Boston producing paint touches with Williams in the dunker spot has left Golden State in conflicting situations, unsure of whether to help on the drive and leave him open or stay back and risk an easy finish. The dimensions of his skill set are novel and critical.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s9saia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first half, the Celtics scored 68 of their 116 points and posted a sterling 136.0 Offensive Rating. Renewed driving profits were the headlining component, but they also functioned at a quicker pace. During the first two games, they averaged 95.5 possessions per night, while Thursday&rsquo;s first half saw the pace rise to 100.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pushing the tempo to force cross-matches, typically with Al Horford against smaller defenders, seemed to be an emphasis &mdash; even if it was mostly confined to the opening 24 minutes. Horford&rsquo;s post-ups in the half-court throughout Game 2 were pretty fruitless. So, quick duck-ins prior to the defense organizing itself became the counter, and it yielded some welcomed possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Clearly, Boston wants to deploy Horford&rsquo;s size in the paint. It merely needed a shrewder tactic. Empty-corner sets initiated early in the clock to highlight the size discrepancy between these clubs were also periodically featured.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">&nbsp;</div>
<p>Boston winning the dance of physicality commenced almost immediately. Smart&rsquo;s screening was a weapon much of the night, beginning with a gnarly pick on Wiggins during its first offensive possession. The pick allowed Tatum to feed him and induced a shoddy stunt from Thompson, enabling Brown to knock down an open triple.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All night, the Celtics seemed to shrug off Golden State&rsquo;s potentially imposing pressure and spur defensive rotations. Smart&rsquo;s first crunching screen would not be his last, either. Boston spun its knack for dishing out and handling physicality into offensive advantages.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality on its own is not inherently valuable. It has to do something and mean something; it needs purpose. The Celtics&rsquo; physicality very much had purpose in Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/fl9xgg" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Side note: The last Tatum bucket in that montage is filthy stuff. Looney tries to disrupt his handle multiple times and funnel him to Jordan Poole&rsquo;s help on the left wing. But Tatum spins away from all of it, keeps the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder on his hip and converts a contested layup. The way he's navigated physicality this season has taken a vital jump and really stands out over the past three series.)</p>
<p>Much like Golden State&rsquo;s Game 2 offensive flurry, a combination of adjustments and uncharacteristic breakdowns from a stingy defense was responsible for the Celtics&rsquo; 116 points. On both occasions, the former was more salient, though the latter remained relevant.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Defense is a wildly fickle undertaking. One slight step in the wrong direction or incorrect shift of body weight can radicalize everything. A slightly improper angle around a screen or to cut off a drive reorients the possession. The same goes for how physicality manifests itself.</p>
<p>The best defenses minimize those events, but these Finals are underscoring that even elite units are susceptible to such ebbs and flows. Both teams embrace physicality. One isn&rsquo;t running away with the mantle of &ldquo;more physical.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s been a fluid title.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For now, thanks to refined driving, spacing and screening, Boston&rsquo;s the current keeper of that fluid title.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In basketball, physicality is often akin to tug of war. Both sides are putting forth all their might, but one side has to topple the other into exhaustion &mdash; that&rsquo;s the nature of things. It doesn&rsquo;t mean one party didn&rsquo;t try as hard as the other. Sometimes, previous battles leave a deeper impact for one more than the other, and the next game is swiftly decided.</p>
<p>Amid these NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors are engaged in a tug of war of physicality.</p>
<p>Game 1 went to Boston, who stymied Golden State&rsquo;s off-ball attack and applied its size to generate paint touches or open looks offensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 2 went to Golden State, who pressured Boston on the catch, extended its offense far away from the rim and sprung open shooters with hard-nosed picks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 went to Boston, who chiseled itself into a 116-100 victory and snagged a 2-1 series lead, halfway from its first title in 14 seasons.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality is a broad term, one that&rsquo;s been present through each of the first three Finals games. When teams say the opponent was more physical, that may sound cliche and coy, but there are nuances behind the ambiguity that provide a road map toward finer details. They reveal themselves through trends, statistics and on-court results.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among those concepts for the Celtics in Game 3 was a revival of consistent driving and interior scoring. In their Game 2 loss, per NBA.com, they registered just 6 attempts in the restricted area (7.5% frequency), talled 47 drives and shot 15-of-43 (34.9%) on twos. On Wednesday, they tallied 26 attempts at the rim (29.2% frequency), recorded 61 drives and shot 30-of-54 (55.6%) on twos.</p>
<p>The leading proponents behind those contrasts were Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who combined for 48 of the 61 drives, three days after logging just 27.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Boston wields a notable strength advantage on the perimeter over the Warriors, whose point-of-attack defense is susceptible to breakdowns. Limiting dribble penetration stems from Golden State's synergistic help and active rotations, not a cast of staunch isolation stoppers. The Celtics exploited that on Wednesday, with Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and Otto Porter Jr. regularly the targets of this approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether the edge stemmed from speed, strength or a marriage of the two, Boston ball-handlers dependably fashioned successful downhill forays. Improved spacing compared to Game 2 aided their efforts; multiple teammates were no longer parked in the lane or cutting inside on drives. Robert Williams III also camped a bit farther from the hoop rather than directly in the dunker spot, and floated around to occupy help defenders.</p>
<p>The Celtics did well to move both Kevon Looney and/or Draymond Green away from the hoop during their stints, which left Golden State incapable of properly enforcing the paint. While Klay Thompson had some noteworthy moments of weak-side rim-protection in Game 2, those two bigs are the lone rotation players who reliably protect the basket for the Warriors. They were often not in position to do so during Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/x89lui" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Contributing to Boston&rsquo;s massively-heightened rim frequency was Williams III playing 26 minutes, his most of the series, and nearly double his 14 minutes in Game 2. Aside from a few riveting moments in the second half of Game 1, Williams&rsquo; inaugural Finals have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-robert-williams-find-a-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlined by troubles</a>: poor pick-and-roll coverage, erratic decision-making as a helper and a struggle to discern his optimal defensive assignment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 was easily his finest of the three thus far, notching 7 total steals/blocks, collecting 10 boards and scoring 8 points on 5 shots. His presence is indispensable for the Celtics. They need to play him and surf through the waves of frustration. That&rsquo;s why him being good feels imperative. Nobody else on the roster provides vertical spacing as a lob threat or inhabits the offensive glass like him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When he survives defensively, as he did Wednesday, he poses grand issues for Golden State as an interior release valve and putback option. His length and explosiveness can overwhelm the Warriors&rsquo; undersized front line. Boston producing paint touches with Williams in the dunker spot has left Golden State in conflicting situations, unsure of whether to help on the drive and leave him open or stay back and risk an easy finish. The dimensions of his skill set are novel and critical.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s9saia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first half, the Celtics scored 68 of their 116 points and posted a sterling 136.0 Offensive Rating. Renewed driving profits were the headlining component, but they also functioned at a quicker pace. During the first two games, they averaged 95.5 possessions per night, while Thursday&rsquo;s first half saw the pace rise to 100.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pushing the tempo to force cross-matches, typically with Al Horford against smaller defenders, seemed to be an emphasis &mdash; even if it was mostly confined to the opening 24 minutes. Horford&rsquo;s post-ups in the half-court throughout Game 2 were pretty fruitless. So, quick duck-ins prior to the defense organizing itself became the counter, and it yielded some welcomed possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Clearly, Boston wants to deploy Horford&rsquo;s size in the paint. It merely needed a shrewder tactic. Empty-corner sets initiated early in the clock to highlight the size discrepancy between these clubs were also periodically featured.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston winning the dance of physicality commenced almost immediately. Smart&rsquo;s screening was a weapon much of the night, beginning with a gnarly pick on Wiggins during its first offensive possession. The pick allowed Tatum to feed him and induced a shoddy stunt from Thompson, enabling Brown to knock down an open triple.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All night, the Celtics seemed to shrug off Golden State&rsquo;s potentially imposing pressure and spur defensive rotations. Smart&rsquo;s first crunching screen would not be his last, either. Boston spun its knack for dishing out and handling physicality into offensive advantages.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality on its own is not inherently valuable. It has to do something and mean something; it needs purpose. The Celtics&rsquo; physicality very much had purpose in Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/fl9xgg" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Side note: The last Tatum bucket in that montage is filthy stuff. Looney tries to disrupt his handle multiple times and funnel him to Jordan Poole&rsquo;s help on the left wing. But Tatum spins away from all of it, keeps the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder on his hip and converts a contested layup. The way he's navigated physicality this season has taken a vital jump and really stands out over the past three series.)</p>
<p>Much like Golden State&rsquo;s Game 2 offensive flurry, a combination of adjustments and uncharacteristic breakdowns from a stingy defense was responsible for the Celtics&rsquo; 116 points. On both occasions, the former was more salient, though the latter remained relevant.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Defense is a wildly fickle undertaking. One slight step in the wrong direction or incorrect shift of body weight can radicalize everything. A slightly improper angle around a screen or to cut off a drive reorients the possession. The same goes for how physicality manifests itself.</p>
<p>The best defenses minimize those events, but these Finals are underscoring that even elite units are susceptible to such ebbs and flows. Both teams embrace physicality. One isn&rsquo;t running away with the mantle of &ldquo;more physical.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s been a fluid title.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For now, thanks to refined driving, spacing and screening, Boston&rsquo;s the current keeper of that fluid title.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In basketball, physicality is often akin to tug of war. Both sides are putting forth all their might, but one side has to topple the other into exhaustion &mdash; that&rsquo;s the nature of things. It doesn&rsquo;t mean one party didn&rsquo;t try as hard as the other. Sometimes, previous battles leave a deeper impact for one more than the other, and the next game is swiftly decided.</p>
<p>Amid these NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors are engaged in a tug of war of physicality.</p>
<p>Game 1 went to Boston, who stymied Golden State&rsquo;s off-ball attack and applied its size to generate paint touches or open looks offensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 2 went to Golden State, who pressured Boston on the catch, extended its offense far away from the rim and sprung open shooters with hard-nosed picks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 went to Boston, who chiseled itself into a 116-100 victory and snagged a 2-1 series lead, halfway from its first title in 14 seasons.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality is a broad term, one that&rsquo;s been present through each of the first three Finals games. When teams say the opponent was more physical, that may sound cliche and coy, but there are nuances behind the ambiguity that provide a road map toward finer details. They reveal themselves through trends, statistics and on-court results.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among those concepts for the Celtics in Game 3 was a revival of consistent driving and interior scoring. In their Game 2 loss, per NBA.com, they registered just 6 attempts in the restricted area (7.5% frequency), talled 47 drives and shot 15-of-43 (34.9%) on twos. On Wednesday, they tallied 26 attempts at the rim (29.2% frequency), recorded 61 drives and shot 30-of-54 (55.6%) on twos.</p>
<p>The leading proponents behind those contrasts were Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who combined for 48 of the 61 drives, three days after logging just 27.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Boston wields a notable strength advantage on the perimeter over the Warriors, whose point-of-attack defense is susceptible to breakdowns. Limiting dribble penetration stems from Golden State's synergistic help and active rotations, not a cast of staunch isolation stoppers. The Celtics exploited that on Wednesday, with Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and Otto Porter Jr. regularly the targets of this approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether the edge stemmed from speed, strength or a marriage of the two, Boston ball-handlers dependably fashioned successful downhill forays. Improved spacing compared to Game 2 aided their efforts; multiple teammates were no longer parked in the lane or cutting inside on drives. Robert Williams III also camped a bit farther from the hoop rather than directly in the dunker spot, and floated around to occupy help defenders.</p>
<p>The Celtics did well to move both Kevon Looney and/or Draymond Green away from the hoop during their stints, which left Golden State incapable of properly enforcing the paint. While Klay Thompson had some noteworthy moments of weak-side rim-protection in Game 2, those two bigs are the lone rotation players who reliably protect the basket for the Warriors. They were often not in position to do so during Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/x89lui" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Contributing to Boston&rsquo;s massively-heightened rim frequency was Williams III playing 26 minutes, his most of the series, and nearly double his 14 minutes in Game 2. Aside from a few riveting moments in the second half of Game 1, Williams&rsquo; inaugural Finals have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-robert-williams-find-a-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlined by troubles</a>: poor pick-and-roll coverage, erratic decision-making as a helper and a struggle to discern his optimal defensive assignment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 was easily his finest of the three thus far, notching 7 total steals/blocks, collecting 10 boards and scoring 8 points on 5 shots. His presence is indispensable for the Celtics. They need to play him and surf through the waves of frustration. That&rsquo;s why him being good feels imperative. Nobody else on the roster provides vertical spacing as a lob threat or inhabits the offensive glass like him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When he survives defensively, as he did Wednesday, he poses grand issues for Golden State as an interior release valve and putback option. His length and explosiveness can overwhelm the Warriors&rsquo; undersized front line. Boston producing paint touches with Williams in the dunker spot has left Golden State in conflicting situations, unsure of whether to help on the drive and leave him open or stay back and risk an easy finish. The dimensions of his skill set are novel and critical.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s9saia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first half, the Celtics scored 68 of their 116 points and posted a sterling 136.0 Offensive Rating. Renewed driving profits were the headlining component, but they also functioned at a quicker pace. During the first two games, they averaged 95.5 possessions per night, while Thursday&rsquo;s first half saw the pace rise to 100.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pushing the tempo to force cross-matches, typically with Al Horford against smaller defenders, seemed to be an emphasis &mdash; even if it was mostly confined to the opening 24 minutes. Horford&rsquo;s post-ups in the half-court throughout Game 2 were pretty fruitless. So, quick duck-ins prior to the defense organizing itself became the counter, and it yielded some welcomed possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Clearly, Boston wants to deploy Horford&rsquo;s size in the paint. It merely needed a shrewder tactic. Empty-corner sets initiated early in the clock to highlight the size discrepancy between these clubs were also periodically featured.&nbsp;</p>
<p><video controls="controls" width="300" height="150">
<source src="&lt;div style=&quot;width:100%;height:0px;position:relative;padding-bottom:56.250%;&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe src=&quot;https:/streamable.com/e/tindsb&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;100%&quot; height=&quot;100%&quot; allowfullscreen style=&quot;width:100%;height:100%;position:absolute;left:0px;top:0px;overflow:hidden;&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;" /></video></p>
<p>Boston winning the dance of physicality commenced almost immediately. Smart&rsquo;s screening was a weapon much of the night, beginning with a gnarly pick on Wiggins during its first offensive possession. The pick allowed Tatum to feed him and induced a shoddy stunt from Thompson, enabling Brown to knock down an open triple.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All night, the Celtics seemed to shrug off Golden State&rsquo;s potentially imposing pressure and spur defensive rotations. Smart&rsquo;s first crunching screen would not be his last, either. Boston spun its knack for dishing out and handling physicality into offensive advantages.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality on its own is not inherently valuable. It has to do something and mean something; it needs purpose. The Celtics&rsquo; physicality very much had purpose in Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/fl9xgg" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Side note: The last Tatum bucket in that montage is filthy stuff. Looney tries to disrupt his handle multiple times and funnel him to Jordan Poole&rsquo;s help on the left wing. But Tatum spins away from all of it, keeps the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder on his hip and converts a contested layup. The way he's navigated physicality this season has taken a vital jump and really stands out over the past three series.)</p>
<p>Much like Golden State&rsquo;s Game 2 offensive flurry, a combination of adjustments and uncharacteristic breakdowns from a stingy defense was responsible for the Celtics&rsquo; 116 points. On both occasions, the former was more salient, though the latter remained relevant.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Defense is a wildly fickle undertaking. One slight step in the wrong direction or incorrect shift of body weight can radicalize everything. A slightly improper angle around a screen or to cut off a drive reorients the possession. The same goes for how physicality manifests itself.</p>
<p>The best defenses minimize those events, but these Finals are underscoring that even elite units are susceptible to such ebbs and flows. Both teams embrace physicality. One isn&rsquo;t running away with the mantle of &ldquo;more physical.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s been a fluid title.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For now, thanks to refined driving, spacing and screening, Boston&rsquo;s the current keeper of that fluid title.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>In basketball, physicality is often akin to tug of war. Both sides are putting forth all their might, but one side has to topple the other into exhaustion &mdash; that&rsquo;s the nature of things. It doesn&rsquo;t mean one party didn&rsquo;t try as hard as the other. Sometimes, previous battles leave a deeper impact for one more than the other, and the next game is swiftly decided.</p>
<p>Amid these NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors are engaged in a tug of war of physicality.</p>
<p>Game 1 went to Boston, who stymied Golden State&rsquo;s off-ball attack and applied its size to generate paint touches or open looks offensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 2 went to Golden State, who pressured Boston on the catch, extended its offense far away from the rim and sprung open shooters with hard-nosed picks.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 went to Boston, who chiseled itself into a 116-100 victory and snagged a 2-1 series lead, halfway from its first title in 14 seasons.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality is a broad term, one that&rsquo;s been present through each of the first three Finals games. When teams say the opponent was more physical, that may sound cliche and coy, but there are nuances behind the ambiguity that provide a road map toward finer details. They reveal themselves through trends, statistics and on-court results.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among those concepts for the Celtics in Game 3 was a revival of consistent driving and interior scoring. In their Game 2 loss, per NBA.com, they registered just 6 attempts in the restricted area (7.5% frequency), talled 47 drives and shot 15-of-43 (34.9%) on twos. On Wednesday, they tallied 26 attempts at the rim (29.2% frequency), recorded 61 drives and shot 30-of-54 (55.6%) on twos.</p>
<p>The leading proponents behind those contrasts were Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who combined for 48 of the 61 drives, three days after logging just 27.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Boston wields a notable strength advantage on the perimeter over the Warriors, whose point-of-attack defense is susceptible to breakdowns. Limiting dribble penetration stems from Golden State's synergistic help and active rotations, not a cast of staunch isolation stoppers. The Celtics exploited that on Wednesday, with Andrew Wiggins, Stephen Curry and Otto Porter Jr. regularly the targets of this approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether the edge stemmed from speed, strength or a marriage of the two, Boston ball-handlers dependably fashioned successful downhill forays. Improved spacing compared to Game 2 aided their efforts; multiple teammates were no longer parked in the lane or cutting inside on drives. Robert Williams III also camped a bit farther from the hoop rather than directly in the dunker spot, and floated around to occupy help defenders.</p>
<p>The Celtics did well to move both Kevon Looney and/or Draymond Green away from the hoop during their stints, which left Golden State incapable of properly enforcing the paint. While Klay Thompson had some noteworthy moments of weak-side rim-protection in Game 2, those two bigs are the lone rotation players who reliably protect the basket for the Warriors. They were often not in position to do so during Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/x89lui" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Contributing to Boston&rsquo;s massively-heightened rim frequency was Williams III playing 26 minutes, his most of the series, and nearly double his 14 minutes in Game 2. Aside from a few riveting moments in the second half of Game 1, Williams&rsquo; inaugural Finals have been <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/can-robert-williams-find-a-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlined by troubles</a>: poor pick-and-roll coverage, erratic decision-making as a helper and a struggle to discern his optimal defensive assignment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Game 3 was easily his finest of the three thus far, notching 7 total steals/blocks, collecting 10 boards and scoring 8 points on 5 shots. His presence is indispensable for the Celtics. They need to play him and surf through the waves of frustration. That&rsquo;s why him being good feels imperative. Nobody else on the roster provides vertical spacing as a lob threat or inhabits the offensive glass like him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When he survives defensively, as he did Wednesday, he poses grand issues for Golden State as an interior release valve and putback option. His length and explosiveness can overwhelm the Warriors&rsquo; undersized front line. Boston producing paint touches with Williams in the dunker spot has left Golden State in conflicting situations, unsure of whether to help on the drive and leave him open or stay back and risk an easy finish. The dimensions of his skill set are novel and critical.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s9saia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the first half, the Celtics scored 68 of their 116 points and posted a sterling 136.0 Offensive Rating. Renewed driving profits were the headlining component, but they also functioned at a quicker pace. During the first two games, they averaged 95.5 possessions per night, while Thursday&rsquo;s first half saw the pace rise to 100.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pushing the tempo to force cross-matches, typically with Al Horford against smaller defenders, seemed to be an emphasis &mdash; even if it was mostly confined to the opening 24 minutes. Horford&rsquo;s post-ups in the half-court throughout Game 2 were pretty fruitless. So, quick duck-ins prior to the defense organizing itself became the counter, and it yielded some welcomed possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Clearly, Boston wants to deploy Horford&rsquo;s size in the paint. It merely needed a shrewder tactic. Empty-corner sets initiated early in the clock to highlight the size discrepancy between these clubs were also periodically featured.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/tindsb" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Boston winning the dance of physicality commenced almost immediately. Smart&rsquo;s screening was a weapon much of the night, beginning with a gnarly pick on Wiggins during its first offensive possession. The pick allowed Tatum to feed him and induced a shoddy stunt from Thompson, enabling Brown to knock down an open triple.&nbsp;</p>
<p>All night, the Celtics seemed to shrug off Golden State&rsquo;s potentially imposing pressure and spur defensive rotations. Smart&rsquo;s first crunching screen would not be his last, either. Boston spun its knack for dishing out and handling physicality into offensive advantages.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Physicality on its own is not inherently valuable. It has to do something and mean something; it needs purpose. The Celtics&rsquo; physicality very much had purpose in Game 3.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/fl9xgg" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Side note: The last Tatum bucket in that montage is filthy stuff. Looney tries to disrupt his handle multiple times and funnel him to Jordan Poole&rsquo;s help on the left wing. But Tatum spins away from all of it, keeps the 6-foot-9, 220-pounder on his hip and converts a contested layup. The way he's navigated physicality this season has taken a vital jump and really stands out over the past three series.)</p>
<p>Much like Golden State&rsquo;s Game 2 offensive flurry, a combination of adjustments and uncharacteristic breakdowns from a stingy defense was responsible for the Celtics&rsquo; 116 points. On both occasions, the former was more salient, though the latter remained relevant.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Defense is a wildly fickle undertaking. One slight step in the wrong direction or incorrect shift of body weight can radicalize everything. A slightly improper angle around a screen or to cut off a drive reorients the possession. The same goes for how physicality manifests itself.</p>
<p>The best defenses minimize those events, but these Finals are underscoring that even elite units are susceptible to such ebbs and flows. Both teams embrace physicality. One isn&rsquo;t running away with the mantle of &ldquo;more physical.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s been a fluid title.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For now, thanks to refined driving, spacing and screening, Boston&rsquo;s the current keeper of that fluid title.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

Jackson Frank breaks down how the Celtics were able to win the battle of physicality with smarts in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

Celtics' physicality revitalized their offense in NBA Finals Game 3

<p>Adjustments sit central to the outcome of virtually any playoff series. Choose a series, whichever you wish, and the result will, in some form, likely be dictated by adjustments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether that&rsquo;s a team crafting beneficial ones, another team failing to do so or the superior side forcing its opponent to deviate from its preferential style, adjustments are the secret sauce of postseason battles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&rsquo;re also among the most enjoyable components of the playoffs from a viewer&rsquo;s perspective. Watching a team decipher its counters, practice them and assess their success is invigorating. Even cosplaying as an armchair coach and dreaming up or anticipating potential adjustments gets the juices flowing.</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, adjustments persisted as the protagonist. Behind a zany, 17-0 fourth-quarter run, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, and ripped away home-court advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Broadly, the Celtics&rsquo; 21-of-41 night from deep was a leading factor in that conclusion. On an in-depth level, torrid shooting reflected Boston winning the war of adjustments and guiding Golden State toward places it does not wish to frequent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the alterations was how Boston responded to Stephen Curry lighting up the nylon for 21 first-quarter points, including six long balls. Early on, the Celtics operated in deep drop against his ball-screens and hastily saw why that tactic had to be extinguished. Couple the strategy with a few uncharacteristic miscommunications, and Curry&rsquo;s explosive prologue is deductible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Imperfect screen navigation and a big man parked below the arc was the recipe for Curry to cook &mdash; and cook he did.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ekoy4y" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Outside of the first frame, though, Boston&rsquo;s defense against Curry was superb. It maintained its ideal of drop coverage, but brought the big man much closer to the level of the pick. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are premier screen navigators and stayed tethered to him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart&rsquo;s presence was akin to a linebacker, cutting off driving angles and limiting space to rise for jumpers. White&rsquo;s was that of a gnat, locking onto Curry&rsquo;s hip and providing constant discomfort.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Each successfully ran him off the line and funneled him inside, where further irritants awaited. When a big man wasn&rsquo;t guarding the screener, Boston switched the action, often throwing size and range at the two-time MVP.</p>
<p>After hoisting eight triples in the first 12 minutes, Curry logged just six over his ensuing 26 minutes. Smart and White were the leading proponents behind that decline. Robert Williams III&rsquo;s length (7-foot-6 wingspan) and sprightly bounce navigated him away from threes. Al Horford&rsquo;s mobility, astute positioning and jazz hands perturbed Curry.</p>
<p>Twenty-one points on 9 shots in 12 minutes ended in 34 points on 25 shots in 38 minutes. That&rsquo;s a very good performance, but nowhere near the show-stopper his first quarter previewed. If this coverage holds, Curry's playmaking to prop up the offense will carry heightened value.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ccsqtq" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State followed its 32-point first quarter with 76 points over the final three. On the whole, it yielded an Offensive Rating of 90.1 (33rd percentile) in the half-court, per Cleaning The Glass. For contrast, Boston&rsquo;s was 114.1 (89th percentile). The crux of that disparity, at least from the Warriors&rsquo; standpoint, was the Celtics erasing their pindowns and Floppy actions all night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston directed shots into the hands of shaky scorers and denied off-ball screen after off-ball screen. Through three rounds, Golden State obliterated teams with dribble handoffs and wide pindowns for Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Subtle openings and advantages multiplied into waves of buckets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those openings and advantages dissipated. Boston&rsquo;s synergy, communication (led by Smart) and confrontation on switches stymied Golden State&rsquo;s half-court plans. The Celtics sport a substantial strength advantage on the perimeter, and leveraged that with off-ball physicality and top-locking screens. <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532767212531945472?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These</a> were perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532544577940299779?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their finest</a> possessions, but they&rsquo;re accompanied by many more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That plotline started from the Warriors&rsquo; opening touch of the game. Look how crisp those switches are. Nobody does it better this year.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jn7khf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Shout out to Jaylen Brown, by the way. He flourished tracking Thompson&rsquo;s motion and denying him passes. He helped stymie numerous possessions. That dude is playing stellar ball this postseason.)</p>
<p>In an aim to open up the offense and avoid playing multiple non-scoring threats (Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala), Steve Kerr elected to close with Poole over Looney. The upshot of that decision, though, left Golden State incredibly small on the interior.</p>
<p>Before both teams emptied their benches, Boston&rsquo;s closing lineup outscored Golden State&rsquo;s 10-2 in three minutes. Smart&rsquo;s corner three, which pushed the lead to 114-103, stemmed from the Warriors&rsquo; lack of size in the Curry-Poole-Thompson-Wiggins-Green quintet.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boston shuts down Golden State's offense, so the Warriors downsize and replace Looney with Poole, which allows Horford to snag this rebound and create a critical 3.<br /><br />Celtics seemed to win the adjustments battle in Game 1. <a href="https://t.co/ZNAaGKaTRZ">pic.twitter.com/ZNAaGKaTRZ</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532807044771639296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Three of the Celtics&rsquo; most critical two-way forces are Smart, White and Horford. All three are brilliant defenders and capable offensive players with mercurial jumpers. Both Smart (33.1%) and White (30.6%) are hovering in the low 30s beyond the arc these playoffs, while Horford&rsquo;s at a scorching 46.3% after 33.6% in the regular season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of their numbers, the Warriors clearly opened Game 1 content to let each of them fire away and prioritized helping elsewhere instead. By night&rsquo;s end, the Boston trio combined for 15 threes on 23 attempts and tangibly reshaped how Golden State guarded it.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s how those three were viewed as perimeter options early on.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry offers a tepid closeout on Smart. Horford is invited to toss up a pair of wide open looks. Poole leaves White alone to help on Brown&rsquo;s drive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Later, though, this dynamic evolved. All of them began to garner attention as shooters. The paint was no longer off-limits. Driving lanes populated. Boston&rsquo;s bevy of connective passers found easier space to maneuver and wield that trait.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://streamable.com/1jh0r5">https://streamable.com/1jh0r5</a></p>
<p>Some notes: Green closing out on Horford in the first clip simplified his passing route to Tatum. Williams&rsquo; vertical spacing kept Green at home on Smart&rsquo;s score; his lob threat was quite useful at times, despite his fickle outing.</p>
<p>Poole biting on White&rsquo;s shot fake after treating him like a non-shooter in their opening minutes together is a major shift. Brown had scored or assisted on 18 of Boston&rsquo;s 20 points of the fourth before Horford&rsquo;s 3, hence Thompson&rsquo;s conflicted decision-making.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart, White and Horford compose three of Boston&rsquo;s trustiest passers and decision-makers. Smart and White are two of its best drivers. How Golden State defends them and the impact of their outside shooting feels quite correlated with the Celtics&rsquo; offensive production moving forward.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If the threes are falling and the Warriors no longer sag off, the offense should be pretty crisp. If the three are falling, but they&rsquo;re allowed to keep firing, how they navigate that green light without a downhill opportunity is important. If they don&rsquo;t fall, Boston will likely encounter trouble (duh, missing shots is #notgood).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Summing up Game 1 by shooting variance ignores the process behind all that transpired. The Celtics&rsquo; adaptability and shot-making coalesced for victory. Adjustments will continue to manifest. Who they favor and who generates them is both a compelling mystery and essential to determining this year&rsquo;s champion. At least for a night, the answer to those unknowns was Boston.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Adjustments sit central to the outcome of virtually any playoff series. Choose a series, whichever you wish, and the result will, in some form, likely be dictated by adjustments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether that&rsquo;s a team crafting beneficial ones, another team failing to do so or the superior side forcing its opponent to deviate from its preferential style, adjustments are the secret sauce of postseason battles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&rsquo;re also among the most enjoyable components of the playoffs from a viewer&rsquo;s perspective. Watching a team decipher its counters, practice them and assess their success is invigorating. Even cosplaying as an armchair coach and dreaming up or anticipating potential adjustments gets the juices flowing.</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, adjustments persisted as the protagonist. Behind a zany, 17-0 fourth-quarter run, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, and ripped away home-court advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Broadly, the Celtics&rsquo; 21-of-41 night from deep was a leading factor in that conclusion. On an in-depth level, torrid shooting reflected Boston winning the war of adjustments and guiding Golden State toward places it does not wish to frequent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the alterations was how Boston responded to Stephen Curry lighting up the nylon for 21 first-quarter points, including six long balls. Early on, the Celtics operated in deep drop against his ball-screens and hastily saw why that tactic had to be extinguished. Couple the strategy with a few uncharacteristic miscommunications, and Curry&rsquo;s explosive prologue is deductible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Imperfect screen navigation and a big man parked below the arc was the recipe for Curry to cook &mdash; and cook he did.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ekoy4y" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Outside of the first frame, though, Boston&rsquo;s defense against Curry was superb. It maintained its ideal of drop coverage, but brought the big man much closer to the level of the pick. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are premier screen navigators and stayed tethered to him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart&rsquo;s presence was akin to a linebacker, cutting off driving angles and limiting space to rise for jumpers. White&rsquo;s was that of a gnat, locking onto Curry&rsquo;s hip and providing constant discomfort.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Each successfully ran him off the line and funneled him inside, where further irritants awaited. When a big man wasn&rsquo;t guarding the screener, Boston switched the action, often throwing size and range at the two-time MVP.</p>
<p>After hoisting eight triples in the first 12 minutes, Curry logged just six over his ensuing 26 minutes. Smart and White were the leading proponents behind that decline. Robert Williams III&rsquo;s length (7-foot-6 wingspan) and sprightly bounce navigated him away from threes. Al Horford&rsquo;s mobility, astute positioning and jazz hands perturbed Curry.</p>
<p>Twenty-one points on 9 shots in 12 minutes ended in 34 points on 25 shots in 38 minutes. That&rsquo;s a very good performance, but nowhere near the show-stopper his first quarter previewed. If this coverage holds, Curry's playmaking to prop up the offense will carry heightened value.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ccsqtq" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State followed its 32-point first quarter with 76 points over the final three. On the whole, it yielded an Offensive Rating of 90.1 (33rd percentile) in the half-court, per Cleaning The Glass. For contrast, Boston&rsquo;s was 114.1 (89th percentile). The crux of that disparity, at least from the Warriors&rsquo; standpoint, was the Celtics erasing their pindowns and Floppy actions all night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston directed shots into the hands of shaky scorers and denied off-ball screen after off-ball screen. Through three rounds, Golden State obliterated teams with dribble handoffs and wide pindowns for Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Subtle openings and advantages multiplied into waves of buckets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those openings and advantages dissipated. Boston&rsquo;s synergy, communication (led by Smart) and confrontation on switches stymied Golden State&rsquo;s half-court plans. The Celtics sport a substantial strength advantage on the perimeter, and leveraged that with off-ball physicality and top-locking screens. <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532767212531945472?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These</a> were perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532544577940299779?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their finest</a> possessions, but they&rsquo;re accompanied by many more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That plotline started from the Warriors&rsquo; opening touch of the game. Look how crisp those switches are. Nobody does it better this year.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jn7khf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Shout out to Jaylen Brown, by the way. He flourished tracking Thompson&rsquo;s motion and denying him passes. He helped stymie numerous possessions. That dude is playing stellar ball this postseason.)</p>
<p>In an aim to open up the offense and avoid playing multiple non-scoring threats (Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala), Steve Kerr elected to close with Poole over Looney. The upshot of that decision, though, left Golden State incredibly small on the interior.</p>
<p>Before both teams emptied their benches, Boston&rsquo;s closing lineup outscored Golden State&rsquo;s 10-2 in three minutes. Smart&rsquo;s corner three, which pushed the lead to 114-103, stemmed from the Warriors&rsquo; lack of size in the Curry-Poole-Thompson-Wiggins-Green quintet.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boston shuts down Golden State's offense, so the Warriors downsize and replace Looney with Poole, which allows Horford to snag this rebound and create a critical 3.<br /><br />Celtics seemed to win the adjustments battle in Game 1. <a href="https://t.co/ZNAaGKaTRZ">pic.twitter.com/ZNAaGKaTRZ</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532807044771639296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Three of the Celtics&rsquo; most critical two-way forces are Smart, White and Horford. All three are brilliant defenders and capable offensive players with mercurial jumpers. Both Smart (33.1%) and White (30.6%) are hovering in the low 30s beyond the arc these playoffs, while Horford&rsquo;s at a scorching 46.3% after 33.6% in the regular season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of their numbers, the Warriors clearly opened Game 1 content to let each of them fire away and prioritized helping elsewhere instead. By night&rsquo;s end, the Boston trio combined for 15 threes on 23 attempts and tangibly reshaped how Golden State guarded it.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s how those three were viewed as perimeter options early on.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/avmex4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry offers a tepid closeout on Smart. Horford is invited to toss up a pair of wide open looks. Poole leaves White alone to help on Brown&rsquo;s drive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Later, though, this dynamic evolved. All of them began to garner attention as shooters. The paint was no longer off-limits. Driving lanes populated. Boston&rsquo;s bevy of connective passers found easier space to maneuver and wield that trait.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://streamable.com/1jh0r5">https://streamable.com/1jh0r5</a></p>
<p>Some notes: Green closing out on Horford in the first clip simplified his passing route to Tatum. Williams&rsquo; vertical spacing kept Green at home on Smart&rsquo;s score; his lob threat was quite useful at times, despite his fickle outing.</p>
<p>Poole biting on White&rsquo;s shot fake after treating him like a non-shooter in their opening minutes together is a major shift. Brown had scored or assisted on 18 of Boston&rsquo;s 20 points of the fourth before Horford&rsquo;s 3, hence Thompson&rsquo;s conflicted decision-making.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart, White and Horford compose three of Boston&rsquo;s trustiest passers and decision-makers. Smart and White are two of its best drivers. How Golden State defends them and the impact of their outside shooting feels quite correlated with the Celtics&rsquo; offensive production moving forward.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If the threes are falling and the Warriors no longer sag off, the offense should be pretty crisp. If the three are falling, but they&rsquo;re allowed to keep firing, how they navigate that green light without a downhill opportunity is important. If they don&rsquo;t fall, Boston will likely encounter trouble (duh, missing shots is #notgood).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Summing up Game 1 by shooting variance ignores the process behind all that transpired. The Celtics&rsquo; adaptability and shot-making coalesced for victory. Adjustments will continue to manifest. Who they favor and who generates them is both a compelling mystery and essential to determining this year&rsquo;s champion. At least for a night, the answer to those unknowns was Boston.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Adjustments sit central to the outcome of virtually any playoff series. Choose a series, whichever you wish, and the result will, in some form, likely be dictated by adjustments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether that&rsquo;s a team crafting beneficial ones, another team failing to do so or the superior side forcing its opponent to deviate from its preferential style, adjustments are the secret sauce of postseason battles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&rsquo;re also among the most enjoyable components of the playoffs from a viewer&rsquo;s perspective. Watching a team decipher its counters, practice them and assess their success is invigorating. Even cosplaying as an armchair coach and dreaming up or anticipating potential adjustments gets the juices flowing.</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, adjustments persisted as the protagonist. Behind a zany, 17-0 fourth-quarter run, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, and ripped away home-court advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Broadly, the Celtics&rsquo; 21-of-41 night from deep was a leading factor in that conclusion. On an in-depth level, torrid shooting reflected Boston winning the war of adjustments and guiding Golden State toward places it does not wish to frequent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the alterations was how Boston responded to Stephen Curry lighting up the nylon for 21 first-quarter points, including six long balls. Early on, the Celtics operated in deep drop against his ball-screens and hastily saw why that tactic had to be extinguished. Couple the strategy with a few uncharacteristic miscommunications, and Curry&rsquo;s explosive prologue is deductible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Imperfect screen navigation and a big man parked below the arc was the recipe for Curry to cook &mdash; and cook he did.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ekoy4y" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Outside of the first frame, though, Boston&rsquo;s defense against Curry was superb. It maintained its ideal of drop coverage, but brought the big man much closer to the level of the pick. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are premier screen navigators and stayed tethered to him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart&rsquo;s presence was akin to a linebacker, cutting off driving angles and limiting space to rise for jumpers. White&rsquo;s was that of a gnat, locking onto Curry&rsquo;s hip and providing constant discomfort.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Each successfully ran him off the line and funneled him inside, where further irritants awaited. When a big man wasn&rsquo;t guarding the screener, Boston switched the action, often throwing size and range at the two-time MVP.</p>
<p>After hoisting eight triples in the first 12 minutes, Curry logged just six over his ensuing 26 minutes. Smart and White were the leading proponents behind that decline. Robert Williams III&rsquo;s length (7-foot-6 wingspan) and sprightly bounce navigated him away from threes. Al Horford&rsquo;s mobility, astute positioning and jazz hands perturbed Curry.</p>
<p>Twenty-one points on 9 shots in 12 minutes ended in 34 points on 25 shots in 38 minutes. That&rsquo;s a very good performance, but nowhere near the show-stopper his first quarter previewed. If this coverage holds, Curry's playmaking to prop up the offense will carry heightened value.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ccsqtq" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State followed its 32-point first quarter with 76 points over the final three. On the whole, it yielded an Offensive Rating of 90.1 (33rd percentile) in the half-court, per Cleaning The Glass. For contrast, Boston&rsquo;s was 114.1 (89th percentile). The crux of that disparity, at least from the Warriors&rsquo; standpoint, was the Celtics erasing their pindowns and Floppy actions all night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston directed shots into the hands of shaky scorers and denied off-ball screen after off-ball screen. Through three rounds, Golden State obliterated teams with dribble handoffs and wide pindowns for Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Subtle openings and advantages multiplied into waves of buckets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those openings and advantages dissipated. Boston&rsquo;s synergy, communication (led by Smart) and confrontation on switches stymied Golden State&rsquo;s half-court plans. The Celtics sport a substantial strength advantage on the perimeter, and leveraged that with off-ball physicality and top-locking screens. <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532767212531945472?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These</a> were perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532544577940299779?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their finest</a> possessions, but they&rsquo;re accompanied by many more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That plotline started from the Warriors&rsquo; opening touch of the game. Look how crisp those switches are. Nobody does it better this year.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jn7khf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Shout out to Jaylen Brown, by the way. He flourished tracking Thompson&rsquo;s motion and denying him passes. He helped stymie numerous possessions. That dude is playing stellar ball this postseason.)</p>
<p>In an aim to open up the offense and avoid playing multiple non-scoring threats (Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala), Steve Kerr elected to close with Poole over Looney. The upshot of that decision, though, left Golden State incredibly small on the interior.</p>
<p>Before both teams emptied their benches, Boston&rsquo;s closing lineup outscored Golden State&rsquo;s 10-2 in three minutes. Smart&rsquo;s corner three, which pushed the lead to 114-103, stemmed from the Warriors&rsquo; lack of size in the Curry-Poole-Thompson-Wiggins-Green quintet.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boston shuts down Golden State's offense, so the Warriors downsize and replace Looney with Poole, which allows Horford to snag this rebound and create a critical 3.<br /><br />Celtics seemed to win the adjustments battle in Game 1. <a href="https://t.co/ZNAaGKaTRZ">pic.twitter.com/ZNAaGKaTRZ</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532807044771639296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Three of the Celtics&rsquo; most critical two-way forces are Smart, White and Horford. All three are brilliant defenders and capable offensive players with mercurial jumpers. Both Smart (33.1%) and White (30.6%) are hovering in the low 30s beyond the arc these playoffs, while Horford&rsquo;s at a scorching 46.3% after 33.6% in the regular season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of their numbers, the Warriors clearly opened Game 1 content to let each of them fire away and prioritized helping elsewhere instead. By night&rsquo;s end, the Boston trio combined for 15 threes on 23 attempts and tangibly reshaped how Golden State guarded it.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s how those three were viewed as perimeter options early on.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/avmex4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry offers a tepid closeout on Smart. Horford is invited to toss up a pair of wide-open looks. Poole leaves White alone to help on Brown&rsquo;s drive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Later, though, this dynamic evolved. All of them began to garner attention as shooters. The paint was no longer off-limits. Driving lanes populated. Boston&rsquo;s bevy of connective passers found easier space to maneuver and wield that trait.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Some notes: Green closing out on Horford in the first clip simplified his passing route to Tatum. Williams&rsquo; vertical spacing kept Green at home on Smart&rsquo;s score; his lob threat was quite useful at times, despite his fickle outing.</p>
<p>Poole biting on White&rsquo;s shot fake after treating him like a non-shooter in their opening minutes together is a major shift. Brown had scored or assisted on 18 of Boston&rsquo;s 20 points of the fourth before Horford&rsquo;s 3, hence Thompson&rsquo;s conflicted decision-making.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart, White and Horford compose three of Boston&rsquo;s trustiest passers and decision-makers. Smart and White are two of its best drivers. How Golden State defends them and the impact of their outside shooting feels quite correlated with the Celtics&rsquo; offensive production moving forward.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If the threes are falling and the Warriors no longer sag off, the offense should be pretty crisp. If the three are falling, but they&rsquo;re allowed to keep firing, how they navigate that green light without a downhill opportunity is important. If they don&rsquo;t fall, Boston will likely encounter trouble (duh, missing shots is #notgood).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Summing up Game 1 by shooting variance ignores the process behind all that transpired. The Celtics&rsquo; adaptability and shot-making coalesced for victory. Adjustments will continue to manifest. Who they favor and who generates them is both a compelling mystery and essential to determining this year&rsquo;s champion. At least for a night, the answer to those unknowns was Boston.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Adjustments sit central to the outcome of virtually any playoff series. Choose a series, whichever you wish, and the result will, in some form, likely be dictated by adjustments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether that&rsquo;s a team crafting beneficial ones, another team failing to do so or the superior side forcing its opponent to deviate from its preferential style, adjustments are the secret sauce of postseason battles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&rsquo;re also among the most enjoyable components of the playoffs from a viewer&rsquo;s perspective. Watching a team decipher its counters, practice them and assess their success is invigorating. Even cosplaying as an armchair coach and dreaming up or anticipating potential adjustments gets the juices flowing.</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, adjustments persisted as the protagonist. Behind a zany, 17-0 fourth-quarter run, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, and ripped away home-court advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Broadly, the Celtics&rsquo; 21-of-41 night from deep was a leading factor in that conclusion. On an in-depth level, torrid shooting reflected Boston winning the war of adjustments and guiding Golden State toward places it does not wish to frequent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the alterations was how Boston responded to Stephen Curry lighting up the nylon for 21 first-quarter points, including six long balls. Early on, the Celtics operated in deep drop against his ball-screens and hastily saw why that tactic had to be extinguished. Couple the strategy with a few uncharacteristic miscommunications, and Curry&rsquo;s explosive prologue is deductible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Imperfect screen navigation and a big man parked below the arc was the recipe for Curry to cook &mdash; and cook he did.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ekoy4y" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Outside of the first frame, though, Boston&rsquo;s defense against Curry was superb. It maintained its ideal of drop coverage, but brought the big man much closer to the level of the pick. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are premier screen navigators and stayed tethered to him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart&rsquo;s presence was akin to a linebacker, cutting off driving angles and limiting space to rise for jumpers. White&rsquo;s was that of a gnat, locking onto Curry&rsquo;s hip and providing constant discomfort.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Each successfully ran him off the line and funneled him inside, where further irritants awaited. When a big man wasn&rsquo;t guarding the screener, Boston switched the action, often throwing size and range at the two-time MVP.</p>
<p>After hoisting eight triples in the first 12 minutes, Curry logged just six over his ensuing 26 minutes. Smart and White were the leading proponents behind that decline. Robert Williams III&rsquo;s length (7-foot-6 wingspan) and sprightly bounce navigated him away from threes. Al Horford&rsquo;s mobility, astute positioning and jazz hands perturbed Curry.</p>
<p>Twenty-one points on 9 shots in 12 minutes ended in 34 points on 25 shots in 38 minutes. That&rsquo;s a very good performance, but nowhere near the show-stopper his first quarter previewed. If this coverage holds, Curry's playmaking to prop up the offense will carry heightened value.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ccsqtq" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State followed its 32-point first quarter with 76 points over the final three. On the whole, it yielded an Offensive Rating of 90.1 (33rd percentile) in the half-court, per Cleaning The Glass. For contrast, Boston&rsquo;s was 114.1 (89th percentile). The crux of that disparity, at least from the Warriors&rsquo; standpoint, was the Celtics erasing their pindowns and Floppy actions all night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston directed shots into the hands of shaky scorers and denied off-ball screen after off-ball screen. Through three rounds, Golden State obliterated teams with dribble handoffs and wide pindowns for Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Subtle openings and advantages multiplied into waves of buckets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those openings and advantages dissipated. Boston&rsquo;s synergy, communication (led by Smart) and confrontation on switches stymied Golden State&rsquo;s half-court plans. The Celtics sport a substantial strength advantage on the perimeter, and leveraged that with off-ball physicality and top-locking screens. <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532767212531945472?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These</a> were perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532544577940299779?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their finest</a> possessions, but they&rsquo;re accompanied by many more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That plotline started from the Warriors&rsquo; opening touch of the game. Look how crisp those switches are. Nobody does it better this year.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jn7khf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Shout out to Jaylen Brown, by the way. He flourished tracking Thompson&rsquo;s motion and denying him passes. He helped stymie numerous possessions. That dude is playing stellar ball this postseason.)</p>
<p>In an aim to open up the offense and avoid playing multiple non-scoring threats (Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala), Steve Kerr elected to close with Poole over Looney. The upshot of that decision, though, left Golden State incredibly small on the interior.</p>
<p>Before both teams emptied their benches, Boston&rsquo;s closing lineup outscored Golden State&rsquo;s 10-2 in three minutes. Smart&rsquo;s corner three, which pushed the lead to 114-103, stemmed from the Warriors&rsquo; lack of size in the Curry-Poole-Thompson-Wiggins-Green quintet.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boston shuts down Golden State's offense, so the Warriors downsize and replace Looney with Poole, which allows Horford to snag this rebound and create a critical 3.<br /><br />Celtics seemed to win the adjustments battle in Game 1. <a href="https://t.co/ZNAaGKaTRZ">pic.twitter.com/ZNAaGKaTRZ</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532807044771639296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Three of the Celtics&rsquo; most critical two-way forces are Smart, White and Horford. All three are brilliant defenders and capable offensive players with mercurial jumpers. Both Smart (33.1%) and White (30.6%) are hovering in the low 30s beyond the arc these playoffs, while Horford&rsquo;s at a scorching 46.3% after 33.6% in the regular season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of their numbers, the Warriors clearly opened Game 1 content to let each of them fire away and prioritized helping elsewhere instead. By night&rsquo;s end, the Boston trio combined for 15 threes on 23 attempts and tangibly reshaped how Golden State guarded it.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s how those three were viewed as perimeter options early on.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/avmex4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry offers a tepid closeout on Smart. Horford is invited to toss up a pair of wide-open looks. Poole leaves White alone to help on Brown&rsquo;s drive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Later, though, this dynamic evolved. All of them began to garner attention as shooters. The paint was no longer off-limits. Driving lanes populated. Boston&rsquo;s bevy of connective passers found easier space to maneuver and wield that trait.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1jh0r5" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Some notes: Green closing out on Horford in the first clip simplified his passing route to Tatum. Williams&rsquo; vertical spacing kept Green at home on Smart&rsquo;s score; his lob threat was quite useful at times, despite his fickle outing.</p>
<p>Poole biting on White&rsquo;s shot fake after treating him like a non-shooter in their opening minutes together is a major shift. Brown had scored or assisted on 18 of Boston&rsquo;s 20 points of the fourth before Horford&rsquo;s 3, hence Thompson&rsquo;s conflicted decision-making.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart, White and Horford compose three of Boston&rsquo;s trustiest passers and decision-makers. Smart and White are two of its best drivers. How Golden State defends them and the impact of their outside shooting feels quite correlated with the Celtics&rsquo; offensive production moving forward.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If the threes are falling and the Warriors no longer sag off, the offense should be pretty crisp. If the three are falling, but they&rsquo;re allowed to keep firing, how they navigate that green light without a downhill opportunity is important. If they don&rsquo;t fall, Boston will likely encounter trouble (duh, missing shots is #notgood).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Summing up Game 1 by shooting variance ignores the process behind all that transpired. The Celtics&rsquo; adaptability and shot-making coalesced for victory. Adjustments will continue to manifest. Who they favor and who generates them is both a compelling mystery and essential to determining this year&rsquo;s champion. At least for a night, the answer to those unknowns was Boston.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Adjustments sit central to the outcome of virtually any playoff series. Choose a series, whichever you wish, and the result will, in some form, likely be dictated by adjustments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether that&rsquo;s a team crafting beneficial ones, another team failing to do so or the superior side forcing its opponent to deviate from its preferential style, adjustments are the secret sauce of postseason battles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&rsquo;re also among the most enjoyable components of the playoffs from a viewer&rsquo;s perspective. Watching a team decipher its counters, practice them and assess their success is invigorating. Even cosplaying as an armchair coach and dreaming up or anticipating potential adjustments gets the juices flowing.</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, adjustments persisted as the protagonist. Behind a zany, 17-0 fourth-quarter run, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, and ripped away home-court advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Broadly, the Celtics&rsquo; 21-of-41 night from deep was a leading factor in that conclusion. On an in-depth level, torrid shooting reflected Boston winning the war of adjustments and guiding Golden State toward places it does not wish to frequent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the alterations was how Boston responded to Stephen Curry lighting up the nylon for 21 first-quarter points, including six long balls. Early on, the Celtics operated in deep drop against his ball-screens and hastily saw why that tactic had to be extinguished. Couple the strategy with a few uncharacteristic miscommunications, and Curry&rsquo;s explosive prologue is deductible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Imperfect screen navigation and a big man parked below the arc was the recipe for Curry to cook &mdash; and cook he did.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ekoy4y" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Outside of the first frame, though, Boston&rsquo;s defense against Curry was superb. It maintained its ideal of drop coverage, but brought the big man much closer to the level of the pick. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are premier screen navigators and stayed tethered to him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart&rsquo;s presence was akin to a linebacker, cutting off driving angles and limiting space to rise for jumpers. White&rsquo;s was that of a gnat, locking onto Curry&rsquo;s hip and providing constant discomfort.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Each successfully ran him off the line and funneled him inside, where further irritants awaited. When a big man wasn&rsquo;t guarding the screener, Boston switched the action, often throwing size and range at the two-time MVP.</p>
<p>After hoisting eight triples in the first 12 minutes, Curry logged just six over his ensuing 26 minutes. Smart and White were the leading proponents behind that decline. Robert Williams III&rsquo;s length (7-foot-6 wingspan) and sprightly bounce navigated him away from threes. Al Horford&rsquo;s mobility, astute positioning and jazz hands perturbed Curry.</p>
<p>Twenty-one points on 9 shots in 12 minutes ended in 34 points on 25 shots in 38 minutes. That&rsquo;s a very good performance, but nowhere near the show-stopper his first quarter previewed. If this coverage holds, Curry's playmaking to prop up the offense will carry heightened value.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ccsqtq" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State followed its 32-point first quarter with 76 points over the final three. On the whole, it yielded an Offensive Rating of 90.1 (33rd percentile) in the half-court, per Cleaning The Glass. For contrast, Boston&rsquo;s was 114.1 (89th percentile). The crux of that disparity, at least from the Warriors&rsquo; standpoint, was the Celtics erasing their pindowns and Floppy actions all night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston directed shots into the hands of shaky scorers and denied off-ball screen after off-ball screen. Through three rounds, Golden State obliterated teams with dribble handoffs and wide pindowns for Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Subtle openings and advantages multiplied into waves of buckets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those openings and advantages dissipated. Boston&rsquo;s synergy, communication (led by Smart) and confrontation on switches stymied Golden State&rsquo;s half-court plans. The Celtics sport a substantial strength advantage on the perimeter, and leveraged that with off-ball physicality and top-locking screens. <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532767212531945472?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These</a> were perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532544577940299779?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their finest</a> possessions, but they&rsquo;re accompanied by many more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That plotline started from the Warriors&rsquo; opening touch of the game. Look how crisp those switches are. Nobody does it better this year.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jn7khf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Shout out to Jaylen Brown, by the way. He flourished tracking Thompson&rsquo;s motion and denying him passes. He helped stymie numerous possessions. That dude is playing stellar ball this postseason.)</p>
<p>In an aim to open up the offense and avoid playing multiple non-scoring threats (Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala), Steve Kerr elected to close with Poole over Looney. The upshot of that decision, though, left Golden State incredibly small on the interior.</p>
<p>Before both teams emptied their benches, Boston&rsquo;s closing lineup outscored Golden State&rsquo;s 10-2 in three minutes. Smart&rsquo;s corner three, which pushed the lead to 114-103, stemmed from the Warriors&rsquo; lack of size in the Curry-Poole-Thompson-Wiggins-Green quintet.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boston shuts down Golden State's offense, so the Warriors downsize and replace Looney with Poole, which allows Horford to snag this rebound and create a critical 3.<br /><br />Celtics seemed to win the adjustments battle in Game 1. <a href="https://t.co/ZNAaGKaTRZ">pic.twitter.com/ZNAaGKaTRZ</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532807044771639296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Three of the Celtics&rsquo; most critical two-way forces are Smart, White and Horford. All three are brilliant defenders and capable offensive players with mercurial jumpers. Both Smart (33.1%) and White (30.6%) are hovering in the low 30s beyond the arc these playoffs, while Horford&rsquo;s at a scorching 46.3% after 33.6% in the regular season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of their numbers, the Warriors clearly opened Game 1 content to let each of them fire away and prioritized helping elsewhere instead. By night&rsquo;s end, the Boston trio combined for 15 threes on 23 attempts and tangibly reshaped how Golden State guarded it.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s how those three were viewed as perimeter options early on.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/avmex4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry offers a tepid closeout on Smart. Horford is invited to toss up a pair of wide-open looks. Poole leaves White alone to help on Brown&rsquo;s drive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Later, though, this dynamic evolved. All of them began to garner attention as shooters. The paint was no longer off-limits. Driving lanes populated. Boston&rsquo;s bevy of connective passers found easier space to maneuver and wield that trait.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1jh0r5" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Some notes:</p>
<p>- Green closing out on Horford in the first clip simplified his passing route to Tatum. Williams&rsquo; vertical spacing kept Green at home on Smart&rsquo;s score; his lob threat was quite useful at times, despite his fickle outing.</p>
<p>- Poole biting on White&rsquo;s shot fake after treating him like a non-shooter in their opening minutes together is a major shift. Brown had scored or assisted on 18 of Boston&rsquo;s 20 points of the fourth before Horford&rsquo;s 3, hence Thompson&rsquo;s conflicted decision-making.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart, White and Horford compose three of Boston&rsquo;s trustiest passers and decision-makers. Smart and White are two of its best drivers. How Golden State defends them and the impact of their outside shooting feels quite correlated with the Celtics&rsquo; offensive production moving forward.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If the threes are falling and the Warriors no longer sag off, the offense should be pretty crisp. If the three are falling, but they&rsquo;re allowed to keep firing, how they navigate that green light without a downhill opportunity is important. If they don&rsquo;t fall, Boston will likely encounter trouble (duh, missing shots is #notgood).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Summing up Game 1 by shooting variance ignores the process behind all that transpired. The Celtics&rsquo; adaptability and shot-making coalesced for victory. Adjustments will continue to manifest. Who they favor and who generates them is both a compelling mystery and essential to determining this year&rsquo;s champion. At least for a night, the answer to those unknowns was Boston.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Adjustments sit central to the outcome of virtually any playoff series. Choose a series, whichever you wish, and the result will, in some form, likely be dictated by adjustments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether that&rsquo;s a team crafting beneficial ones, another team failing to do so or the superior side forcing its opponent to deviate from its preferential style, adjustments are the secret sauce of postseason battles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&rsquo;re also among the most enjoyable components of the playoffs from a viewer&rsquo;s perspective. Watching a team decipher its counters, practice them and assess their success is invigorating. Even cosplaying as an armchair coach and dreaming up or anticipating potential adjustments gets the juices flowing.</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, adjustments persisted as the protagonist. Behind a zany, 17-0 fourth-quarter run, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, and ripped away home-court advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Broadly, the Celtics&rsquo; 21-of-41 night from deep was a leading factor in that conclusion. On an in-depth level, torrid shooting reflected Boston winning the war of adjustments and guiding Golden State toward places it does not wish to frequent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the alterations was how Boston responded to Stephen Curry lighting up the nylon for 21 first-quarter points, including six long balls. Early on, the Celtics operated in deep drop against his ball-screens and hastily saw why that tactic had to be extinguished. Couple the strategy with a few uncharacteristic miscommunications, and Curry&rsquo;s explosive prologue is deductible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Imperfect screen navigation and a big man parked below the arc was the recipe for Curry to cook &mdash; and cook he did.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ekoy4y" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Outside of the first frame, though, Boston&rsquo;s defense against Curry was superb. It maintained its ideal of drop coverage, but brought the big man much closer to the level of the pick. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are premier screen navigators and stayed tethered to him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart&rsquo;s presence was akin to a linebacker, cutting off driving angles and limiting space to rise for jumpers. White&rsquo;s was that of a gnat, locking onto Curry&rsquo;s hip and providing constant discomfort.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Each successfully ran him off the line and funneled him inside, where further irritants awaited. When a big man wasn&rsquo;t guarding the screener, Boston switched the action, often throwing size and range at the two-time MVP.</p>
<p>After hoisting eight triples in the first 12 minutes, Curry logged just six over his ensuing 26 minutes. Smart and White were the leading proponents behind that decline. Robert Williams III&rsquo;s length (7-foot-6 wingspan) and sprightly bounce navigated him away from threes. Al Horford&rsquo;s mobility, astute positioning and jazz hands perturbed Curry.</p>
<p>Twenty-one points on 9 shots in 12 minutes ended in 34 points on 25 shots in 38 minutes. That&rsquo;s a very good performance, but nowhere near the show-stopper his first quarter previewed. If this coverage holds, Curry's playmaking to prop up the offense will carry heightened value.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ccsqtq" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State followed its 32-point first quarter with 76 points over the final three. On the whole, it yielded an Offensive Rating of 90.1 (33rd percentile) in the half-court, per Cleaning The Glass. For contrast, Boston&rsquo;s was 114.1 (89th percentile). The crux of that disparity, at least from the Warriors&rsquo; standpoint, was the Celtics erasing their pindowns and Floppy actions all night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston directed shots into the hands of shaky scorers and denied off-ball screen after off-ball screen. Through three rounds, Golden State obliterated teams with dribble handoffs and wide pindowns for Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Subtle openings and advantages multiplied into waves of buckets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those openings and advantages dissipated. Boston&rsquo;s synergy, communication (led by Smart) and confrontation on switches stymied Golden State&rsquo;s half-court plans. The Celtics sport a substantial strength advantage on the perimeter, and leveraged that with off-ball physicality and top-locking screens. <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532767212531945472?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These</a> were perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532544577940299779?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their finest</a> possessions, but they&rsquo;re accompanied by many more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That plotline started from the Warriors&rsquo; opening touch of the game. Look how crisp those switches are. Nobody does it better this year.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jn7khf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Shout out to Jaylen Brown, by the way. He flourished tracking Thompson&rsquo;s motion and denying him passes. He helped stymie numerous possessions. That dude is playing stellar ball this postseason.)</p>
<p>In an aim to open up the offense and avoid playing multiple non-scoring threats (Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala), Steve Kerr elected to close with Poole over Looney. The upshot of that decision, though, left Golden State incredibly small on the interior.</p>
<p>Before both teams emptied their benches, Boston&rsquo;s closing lineup outscored Golden State&rsquo;s 10-2 in three minutes. Smart&rsquo;s corner three, which pushed the lead to 114-103, stemmed from the Warriors&rsquo; lack of size in the Curry-Poole-Thompson-Wiggins-Green quintet.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boston shuts down Golden State's offense, so the Warriors downsize and replace Looney with Poole, which allows Horford to snag this rebound and create a critical 3.<br /><br />Celtics seemed to win the adjustments battle in Game 1. <a href="https://t.co/ZNAaGKaTRZ">pic.twitter.com/ZNAaGKaTRZ</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532807044771639296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Three of the Celtics&rsquo; most critical two-way forces are Smart, White and Horford. All three are brilliant defenders and capable offensive players with mercurial jumpers. Both Smart (33.1%) and White (30.6%) are hovering in the low 30s beyond the arc these playoffs, while Horford&rsquo;s at a scorching 46.3% after 33.6% in the regular season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of their numbers, the Warriors clearly opened Game 1 content to let each of them fire away and prioritized helping elsewhere instead. By night&rsquo;s end, the Boston trio combined for 15 threes on 23 attempts and tangibly reshaped how Golden State guarded it.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s how those three were viewed as perimeter options early on.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/avmex4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry offers a tepid closeout on Smart. Horford is invited to toss up a pair of wide-open looks. Poole leaves White alone to help on Brown&rsquo;s drive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Later, though, this dynamic evolved. All of them began to garner attention as shooters. The paint was no longer off-limits. Driving lanes populated. Boston&rsquo;s bevy of connective passers found easier space to maneuver and wield that trait.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1jh0r5" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Some notes:</p>
<p>- Green closing out on Horford in the first clip simplified his passing route to Tatum. Williams&rsquo; vertical spacing kept Green at home on Smart&rsquo;s score; his lob threat was quite useful at times, despite his fickle outing.</p>
<p>- Poole biting on White&rsquo;s shot fake after treating him like a non-shooter in their opening minutes together is a major shift. Brown had scored or assisted on 18 of Boston&rsquo;s 20 points of the fourth before Horford&rsquo;s 3, hence Thompson&rsquo;s conflicted decision-making.&nbsp;</p>
<p>- Smart, White and Horford compose three of Boston&rsquo;s trustiest passers and decision-makers. Smart and White are two of its best drivers. How Golden State defends them and the impact of their outside shooting feels quite correlated with the Celtics&rsquo; offensive production moving forward.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If the threes are falling and the Warriors no longer sag off, the offense should be pretty crisp. If the three are falling, but they&rsquo;re allowed to keep firing, how they navigate that green light without a downhill opportunity is important. If they don&rsquo;t fall, Boston will likely encounter trouble (duh, missing shots is #notgood).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Summing up Game 1 by shooting variance ignores the process behind all that transpired. The Celtics&rsquo; adaptability and shot-making coalesced for victory. Adjustments will continue to manifest. Who they favor and who generates them is both a compelling mystery and essential to determining this year&rsquo;s champion. At least for a night, the answer to those unknowns was Boston.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Adjustments sit central to the outcome of virtually any playoff series. Choose a series, whichever you wish, and the result will, in some form, likely be dictated by adjustments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether that&rsquo;s a team crafting beneficial ones, another team failing to do so or the superior side forcing its opponent to deviate from its preferential style, adjustments are the secret sauce of postseason battles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&rsquo;re also among the most enjoyable components of the playoffs from a viewer&rsquo;s perspective. Watching a team decipher its counters, practice them and assess their success is invigorating. Even cosplaying as an armchair coach and dreaming up or anticipating potential adjustments gets the juices flowing.</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, adjustments persisted as the protagonist. Behind a zany, 17-0 fourth-quarter run, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, and ripped away home-court advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Broadly, the Celtics&rsquo; 21-of-41 night from deep was a leading factor in that conclusion. On an in-depth level, torrid shooting reflected Boston winning the war of adjustments and guiding Golden State toward places it does not wish to frequent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the alterations was how Boston responded to Stephen Curry lighting up the nylon for 21 first-quarter points, including six long balls. Early on, the Celtics operated in deep drop against his ball-screens and hastily saw why that tactic had to be extinguished. Couple the strategy with a few uncharacteristic miscommunications, and Curry&rsquo;s explosive prologue is deductible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Imperfect screen navigation and a big man parked below the arc was the recipe for Curry to cook &mdash; and cook he did.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ekoy4y" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Outside of the first frame, though, Boston&rsquo;s defense against Curry was superb. It maintained its ideal of drop coverage, but brought the big man much closer to the level of the pick. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are premier screen navigators and stayed tethered to him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart&rsquo;s presence was akin to a linebacker, cutting off driving angles and limiting space to rise for jumpers. White&rsquo;s was that of a gnat, locking onto Curry&rsquo;s hip and providing constant discomfort.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Each successfully ran him off the line and funneled him inside, where further irritants awaited. When a big man wasn&rsquo;t guarding the screener, Boston switched the action, often throwing size and range at the two-time MVP.</p>
<p>After hoisting eight triples in the first 12 minutes, Curry logged just six over his ensuing 26 minutes. Smart and White were the leading proponents behind that decline. Robert Williams III&rsquo;s length (7-foot-6 wingspan) and sprightly bounce navigated him away from threes. Al Horford&rsquo;s mobility, astute positioning and jazz hands perturbed Curry.</p>
<p>Twenty-one points on 9 shots in 12 minutes ended in 34 points on 25 shots in 38 minutes. That&rsquo;s a very good performance, but nowhere near the show-stopper his first quarter previewed. If this coverage holds, Curry's playmaking to prop up the offense will carry heightened value.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ccsqtq" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State followed its 32-point first quarter with 76 points over the final three. On the whole, it yielded an Offensive Rating of 90.1 (33rd percentile) in the half-court, per Cleaning The Glass. For contrast, Boston&rsquo;s was 114.1 (89th percentile). The crux of that disparity, at least from the Warriors&rsquo; standpoint, was the Celtics erasing their pindowns and Floppy actions all night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston directed shots into the hands of shaky scorers and denied off-ball screen after off-ball screen. Through three rounds, Golden State obliterated teams with dribble handoffs and wide pindowns for Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Subtle openings and advantages multiplied into waves of buckets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those openings and advantages dissipated. Boston&rsquo;s synergy, communication (led by Smart) and confrontation on switches stymied Golden State&rsquo;s half-court plans. The Celtics sport a substantial strength advantage on the perimeter, and leveraged that with off-ball physicality and top-locking screens. <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532767212531945472?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These</a> were perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532544577940299779?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their finest</a> possessions, but they&rsquo;re accompanied by many more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That plotline started from the Warriors&rsquo; opening touch of the game. Look how crisp those switches are. Nobody does it better this year.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jn7khf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Shout out to Jaylen Brown, by the way. He flourished tracking Thompson&rsquo;s motion and denying him passes. He helped stymie numerous possessions. That dude is playing stellar ball this postseason.)</p>
<p>In an aim to open up the offense and avoid playing multiple non-scoring threats (Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala), Steve Kerr elected to close with Poole over Looney. The upshot of that decision, though, left Golden State incredibly small on the interior.</p>
<p>Before both teams emptied their benches, Boston&rsquo;s closing lineup outscored Golden State&rsquo;s 10-2 in three minutes. Smart&rsquo;s corner three, which pushed the lead to 114-103, stemmed from the Warriors&rsquo; lack of size in the Curry-Poole-Thompson-Wiggins-Green quintet.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boston shuts down Golden State's offense, so the Warriors downsize and replace Looney with Poole, which allows Horford to snag this rebound and create a critical 3.<br /><br />Celtics seemed to win the adjustments battle in Game 1. <a href="https://t.co/ZNAaGKaTRZ">pic.twitter.com/ZNAaGKaTRZ</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532807044771639296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Three of the Celtics&rsquo; most critical two-way forces are Smart, White and Horford. All three are brilliant defenders and capable offensive players with mercurial jumpers. Both Smart (33.1%) and White (30.6%) are hovering in the low 30s beyond the arc these playoffs, while Horford&rsquo;s at a scorching 46.3% after 33.6% in the regular season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of their numbers, the Warriors clearly opened Game 1 content to let each of them fire away and prioritized helping elsewhere instead. By night&rsquo;s end, the Boston trio combined for 15 threes on 23 attempts and tangibly reshaped how Golden State guarded it.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s how those three were viewed as perimeter options early on.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/avmex4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry offers a tepid closeout on Smart. Horford is invited to toss up a pair of wide-open looks. Poole leaves White alone to help on Brown&rsquo;s drive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Later, though, this dynamic evolved. All of them began to garner attention as shooters. The paint was no longer off-limits. Driving lanes populated. Boston&rsquo;s bevy of connective passers found easier space to maneuver and wield that trait.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1jh0r5" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Some notes:</p>
<p>- Green closing out on Horford in the first clip simplified his passing route to Tatum. Williams&rsquo; vertical spacing kept Green at home on Smart&rsquo;s score; his lob threat was quite useful at times, despite his fickle outing.</p>
<p>- Poole biting on White&rsquo;s shot fake after treating him like a non-shooter in their opening minutes together is a major shift. Brown had scored or assisted on 18 of Boston&rsquo;s 20 points of the fourth before Horford&rsquo;s three, hence Thompson&rsquo;s conflicted decision-making.&nbsp;</p>
<p>- Smart, White and Horford compose three of Boston&rsquo;s trustiest passers and decision-makers. Smart and White are two of its best drivers. How Golden State defends them and the impact of their outside shooting feels quite correlated with the Celtics&rsquo; offensive production moving forward.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If the threes are falling and the Warriors no longer sag off, the offense should be pretty crisp. If the three are falling, but they&rsquo;re allowed to keep firing, how they navigate that green light without a downhill opportunity is important. If they don&rsquo;t fall, Boston will likely encounter trouble (duh, missing shots is #notgood).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Summing up Game 1 by shooting variance ignores the process behind all that transpired. The Celtics&rsquo; adaptability and shot-making coalesced for victory. Adjustments will continue to manifest. Who they favor and who generates them is both a compelling mystery and essential to determining this year&rsquo;s champion. At least for a night, the answer to those unknowns was Boston.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Adjustments sit central to the outcome of virtually any playoff series. Choose a series, whichever you wish, and the result will, in some form, likely be dictated by adjustments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether that&rsquo;s a team crafting beneficial ones, another team failing to do so or the superior side forcing its opponent to deviate from its preferential style, adjustments are the secret sauce of postseason battles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&rsquo;re also among the most enjoyable components of the playoffs from a viewer&rsquo;s perspective. Watching a team decipher its counters, practice them and assess their success is invigorating. Even cosplaying as an armchair coach and dreaming up or anticipating potential adjustments gets the juices flowing.</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, adjustments persisted as the protagonist. Behind a zany, 17-0 fourth-quarter run, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, and ripped away home-court advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Broadly, the Celtics&rsquo; 21-of-41 night from deep was a leading factor in that conclusion. On an in-depth level, torrid shooting reflected Boston winning the war of adjustments and guiding Golden State toward places it does not wish to frequent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the alterations was how Boston responded to Stephen Curry lighting up the nylon for 21 first-quarter points, including six long balls. Early on, the Celtics operated in deep drop against his ball-screens and hastily saw why that tactic had to be extinguished. Couple the strategy with a few uncharacteristic miscommunications, and Curry&rsquo;s explosive prologue is deductible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Imperfect screen navigation and a big man parked below the arc was the recipe for Curry to cook &mdash; and cook he did.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ekoy4y" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Outside of the first frame, though, Boston&rsquo;s defense against Curry was superb. It maintained its ideal of drop coverage, but brought the big man much closer to the level of the pick. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are premier screen navigators and stayed tethered to him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart&rsquo;s presence was akin to a linebacker, cutting off driving angles and limiting space to rise for jumpers. White&rsquo;s was that of a gnat, locking onto Curry&rsquo;s hip and providing constant discomfort.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Each successfully ran him off the line and funneled him inside, where further irritants awaited. When a big man wasn&rsquo;t guarding the screener, Boston switched the action, often throwing size and range at the two-time MVP.</p>
<p>After hoisting eight triples in the first 12 minutes, Curry logged just six over his ensuing 26 minutes. Smart and White were the leading proponents behind that decline. Robert Williams III&rsquo;s length (7-foot-6 wingspan) and sprightly bounce navigated him away from threes. Al Horford&rsquo;s mobility, astute positioning and jazz hands perturbed Curry.</p>
<p>Twenty-one points on 9 shots in 12 minutes ended in 34 points on 25 shots in 38 minutes. That&rsquo;s a very good performance, but nowhere near the show-stopper his first quarter previewed. If this coverage holds, Curry's playmaking to prop up the offense will carry heightened value.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ccsqtq" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State followed its 32-point first quarter with 76 points over the final three. On the whole, it yielded an Offensive Rating of 90.1 (33rd percentile) in the half-court, per Cleaning The Glass. For contrast, Boston&rsquo;s was 114.1 (89th percentile). The crux of that disparity, at least from the Warriors&rsquo; standpoint, was the Celtics erasing their pindowns and Floppy actions all night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston directed shots into the hands of shaky scorers and denied off-ball screen after off-ball screen. Through three rounds, Golden State obliterated teams with dribble handoffs and wide pindowns for Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Subtle openings and advantages multiplied into waves of buckets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those openings and advantages dissipated. Boston&rsquo;s synergy, communication (led by Smart) and confrontation on switches stymied Golden State&rsquo;s half-court plans. The Celtics sport a substantial strength advantage on the perimeter, and leveraged that with off-ball physicality and top-locking screens. <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532767212531945472?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These</a> were perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532544577940299779?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their finest</a> possessions, but they&rsquo;re accompanied by many more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That plotline started from the Warriors&rsquo; opening touch of the game. Look how crisp those switches are. Nobody does it better this year.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jn7khf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Shout out to Jaylen Brown, by the way. He flourished tracking Thompson&rsquo;s motion and denying him passes. He helped stymie numerous possessions. That dude is playing stellar ball this postseason.)</p>
<p>In an aim to open up the offense and avoid playing multiple non-scoring threats (Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala), Steve Kerr elected to close with Poole over Looney. The upshot of that decision, though, left Golden State incredibly small on the interior.</p>
<p>Before both teams emptied their benches, Boston&rsquo;s closing lineup outscored Golden State&rsquo;s 10-2 in three minutes. Smart&rsquo;s corner three, which pushed the lead to 114-103, stemmed from the Warriors&rsquo; lack of size in the Curry-Poole-Thompson-Wiggins-Green quintet.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boston shuts down Golden State's offense, so the Warriors downsize and replace Looney with Poole, which allows Horford to snag this rebound and create a critical 3.<br /><br />Celtics seemed to win the adjustments battle in Game 1. <a href="https://t.co/ZNAaGKaTRZ">pic.twitter.com/ZNAaGKaTRZ</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532807044771639296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Three of the Celtics&rsquo; most critical two-way forces are Smart, White and Horford. All three are brilliant defenders and capable offensive players with mercurial jumpers. Both Smart (33.1%) and White (30.6%) are hovering in the low 30s beyond the arc these playoffs, while Horford&rsquo;s at a scorching 46.3% after 33.6% in the regular season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of their numbers, the Warriors clearly opened Game 1 content to let each of them fire away and prioritized helping elsewhere instead. By night&rsquo;s end, the Boston trio combined for 15 threes on 23 attempts and tangibly reshaped how Golden State guarded it.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s how those three were viewed as perimeter options early on.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/avmex4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry offers a tepid closeout on Smart. Horford is invited to toss up a pair of wide-open looks. Poole leaves White alone to help on Brown&rsquo;s drive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Later, though, this dynamic evolved. All of them began to garner attention as shooters. The paint was no longer off-limits. Driving lanes populated. Boston&rsquo;s bevy of connective passers found easier space to maneuver and wield that trait.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1jh0r5" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Some notes:</p>
<p>- Green closing out on Horford in the first clip simplified his passing route to Tatum. Williams&rsquo; vertical spacing kept Green at home on Smart&rsquo;s score; his lob threat was quite useful at times, despite his fickle outing.</p>
<p>- Poole biting on White&rsquo;s shot fake after treating him like a non-shooter in their opening minutes together is a major shift. Brown had scored or assisted on 18 of Boston&rsquo;s 20 points of the fourth before Horford&rsquo;s three, hence Thompson&rsquo;s conflicted decision-making.&nbsp;</p>
<p>- Smart, White and Horford compose three of Boston&rsquo;s trustiest passers and decision-makers. Smart and White are two of its best drivers. How Golden State defends them and the impact of their outside shooting feels quite correlated with the Celtics&rsquo; offensive production moving forward.&nbsp;</p>
<p>- If the threes are falling and the Warriors no longer sag off, the offense should be pretty crisp. If the three are falling, but they&rsquo;re allowed to keep firing, how they navigate that green light without a downhill opportunity is important. If they don&rsquo;t fall, Boston will likely encounter trouble (duh, missing shots is #notgood).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Summing up Game 1 by shooting variance ignores the process behind all that transpired. The Celtics&rsquo; adaptability and shot-making coalesced for victory. Adjustments will continue to manifest. Who they favor and who generates them is both a compelling mystery and essential to determining this year&rsquo;s champion. At least for a night, the answer to those unknowns was Boston.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Adjustments sit central to the outcome of virtually any playoff series. Choose a series, whichever you wish, and the result will, in some form, likely be dictated by adjustments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether that&rsquo;s a team crafting beneficial ones, another team failing to do so or the superior side forcing its opponent to deviate from its preferential style, adjustments are the secret sauce of postseason battles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&rsquo;re also among the most enjoyable components of the playoffs from a viewer&rsquo;s perspective. Watching a team decipher its counters, practice them and assess their success is invigorating. Even cosplaying as an armchair coach and dreaming up or anticipating potential adjustments gets the juices flowing.</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, adjustments persisted as the protagonist. Behind a zany, 17-0 fourth-quarter run, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, and ripped away home-court advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Broadly, the Celtics&rsquo; 21-of-41 night from deep was a leading factor in that conclusion. On an in-depth level, torrid shooting reflected Boston winning the war of adjustments and guiding Golden State toward places it does not wish to frequent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the alterations was how Boston responded to Stephen Curry lighting up the nylon for 21 first-quarter points, including six long balls. Early on, the Celtics operated in deep drop against his ball-screens and hastily saw why that tactic had to be extinguished. Couple the strategy with a few uncharacteristic miscommunications, and Curry&rsquo;s explosive prologue is deductible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Imperfect screen navigation and a big man parked below the arc was the recipe for Curry to cook &mdash; and cook he did.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ekoy4y" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Outside of the first frame, though, Boston&rsquo;s defense against Curry was superb. It maintained its ideal of drop coverage, but brought the big man much closer to the level of the pick. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are premier screen navigators and stayed tethered to him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart&rsquo;s presence was akin to a linebacker, cutting off driving angles and limiting space to rise for jumpers. White&rsquo;s was that of a gnat, locking onto Curry&rsquo;s hip and providing constant discomfort.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Each successfully ran him off the line and funneled him inside, where further irritants awaited. When a big man wasn&rsquo;t guarding the screener, Boston switched the action, often throwing size and range at the two-time MVP.</p>
<p>After hoisting eight triples in the first 12 minutes, Curry logged just six over his ensuing 26 minutes. Smart and White were the leading proponents behind that decline. Robert Williams III&rsquo;s length (7-foot-6 wingspan) and sprightly bounce navigated him away from threes. Al Horford&rsquo;s mobility, astute positioning and jazz hands perturbed Curry.</p>
<p>Twenty-one points on 9 shots in 12 minutes ended in 34 points on 25 shots in 38 minutes. That&rsquo;s a very good performance, but nowhere near the show-stopper his first quarter previewed. If this coverage holds, Curry's playmaking to prop up the offense will carry heightened value.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ccsqtq" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State followed its 32-point first quarter with 76 points over the final three. On the whole, it yielded an Offensive Rating of 90.1 (33rd percentile) in the half-court, per Cleaning The Glass. For contrast, Boston&rsquo;s was 114.1 (89th percentile). The crux of that disparity, at least from the Warriors&rsquo; standpoint, was the Celtics erasing their pindowns and Floppy actions all night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston directed shots into the hands of shaky scorers and denied off-ball screen after off-ball screen. Through three rounds, Golden State obliterated teams with dribble handoffs and wide pindowns for Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Subtle openings and advantages multiplied into waves of buckets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those openings and advantages dissipated. Boston&rsquo;s synergy, communication (led by Smart) and confrontation on switches stymied Golden State&rsquo;s half-court plans. The Celtics sport a substantial strength advantage on the perimeter, and leveraged that with off-ball physicality and top-locking screens. <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532767212531945472?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These</a> were perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532544577940299779?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their finest</a> possessions, but they&rsquo;re accompanied by many more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That plotline started from the Warriors&rsquo; opening touch of the game. Look how crisp those switches are. Nobody does it better this year.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jn7khf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Shout out to Jaylen Brown, by the way. He flourished tracking Thompson&rsquo;s motion and denying him passes. He helped stymie numerous possessions. That dude is playing stellar ball this postseason.)</p>
<p>In an aim to open up the offense and avoid playing multiple non-scoring threats (Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala), Steve Kerr elected to close with Poole over Looney. The upshot of that decision, though, left Golden State incredibly small on the interior.</p>
<p>Before both teams emptied their benches, Boston&rsquo;s closing lineup outscored Golden State&rsquo;s 10-2 in three minutes. Smart&rsquo;s corner three, which pushed the lead to 114-103, stemmed from the Warriors&rsquo; lack of size in the Curry-Poole-Thompson-Wiggins-Green quintet.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boston shuts down Golden State's offense, so the Warriors downsize and replace Looney with Poole, which allows Horford to snag this rebound and create a critical 3.<br /><br />Celtics seemed to win the adjustments battle in Game 1. <a href="https://t.co/ZNAaGKaTRZ">pic.twitter.com/ZNAaGKaTRZ</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532807044771639296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Three of the Celtics&rsquo; most critical two-way forces are Smart, White and Horford. All three are brilliant defenders and capable offensive players with mercurial jumpers. Both Smart (33.1%) and White (30.6%) are hovering in the low 30s beyond the arc these playoffs, while Horford&rsquo;s at a scorching 46.3% after 33.6% in the regular season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of their numbers, the Warriors clearly opened Game 1 content to let each of them fire away and prioritized helping elsewhere instead. By night&rsquo;s end, the Boston trio combined for 15 threes on 23 attempts and tangibly reshaped how Golden State guarded it.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s how those three were viewed as perimeter options early on.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/avmex4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry offers a tepid closeout on Smart. Horford is invited to toss up a pair of wide-open looks. Poole leaves White alone to help on Brown&rsquo;s drive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Later, though, this dynamic evolved. All of them began to garner attention as shooters. The paint was no longer off-limits. Driving lanes populated. Boston&rsquo;s bevy of connective passers found easier space to maneuver and wield that trait.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1jh0r5" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Some notes:</p>
<p>- Green closing out on Horford in the first clip simplified his passing route to Tatum. Williams&rsquo; vertical spacing kept Green at home on Smart&rsquo;s score; his lob threat was quite useful at times, despite his fickle outing.</p>
<p>- Poole biting on White&rsquo;s shot fake after treating him like a non-shooter in their opening minutes together is a major shift. Brown had scored or assisted on 18 of Boston&rsquo;s 20 points of the fourth before Horford&rsquo;s three, hence Thompson&rsquo;s conflicted decision-making.&nbsp;</p>
<p>- Smart, White and Horford compose three of Boston&rsquo;s trustiest passers and decision-makers. Smart and White are two of its best drivers. How Golden State defends them and the impact of their outside shooting feels quite correlated with the Celtics&rsquo; offensive production moving forward.&nbsp;</p>
<p>- If the threes are falling and the Warriors no longer sag off, the offense should be pretty crisp. If the three are falling, but they&rsquo;re allowed to keep firing, how they navigate that green light without a downhill opportunity is important. If they don&rsquo;t fall, Boston will likely encounter trouble (duh, missing shots is #notgood).</p>
<p>Summing up Game 1 by shooting variance ignores the process behind all that transpired. The Celtics&rsquo; adaptability and shot-making coalesced for victory. Adjustments will continue to manifest. Who they favor and who generates them is both a compelling mystery and essential to determining this year&rsquo;s champion. At least for a night, the answer to those unknowns was Boston.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Adjustments sit central to the outcome of virtually any playoff series. Choose a series, whichever you wish, and the result will, in some form, likely be dictated by adjustments.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether that&rsquo;s a team crafting beneficial ones, another team failing to do so or the superior side forcing its opponent to deviate from its preferential style, adjustments are the secret sauce of postseason battles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&rsquo;re also among the most enjoyable components of the playoffs from a viewer&rsquo;s perspective. Watching a team decipher its counters, practice them and assess their success is invigorating. Even cosplaying as an armchair coach and dreaming up or anticipating potential adjustments gets the juices flowing.</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, adjustments persisted as the protagonist. Behind a zany, 17-0 fourth-quarter run, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Golden State Warriors, 120-108, and ripped away home-court advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Broadly, the Celtics&rsquo; 21-of-41 night from deep was a leading factor in that conclusion. On an in-depth level, torrid shooting reflected Boston winning the war of adjustments and guiding Golden State toward places it does not wish to frequent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the alterations was how Boston responded to Stephen Curry lighting up the nylon for 21 first-quarter points, including six long balls. Early on, the Celtics operated in deep drop against his ball-screens and hastily saw why that tactic had to be extinguished. Couple the strategy with a few uncharacteristic miscommunications, and Curry&rsquo;s explosive prologue is deductible.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Imperfect screen navigation and a big man parked below the arc was the recipe for Curry to cook &mdash; and cook he did.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ekoy4y" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Outside of the first frame, though, Boston&rsquo;s defense against Curry was superb. It maintained its ideal of drop coverage, but brought the big man much closer to the level of the pick. Marcus Smart and Derrick White are premier screen navigators and stayed tethered to him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Smart&rsquo;s presence was akin to a linebacker, cutting off driving angles and limiting space to rise for jumpers. White&rsquo;s was that of a gnat, locking onto Curry&rsquo;s hip and providing constant discomfort.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Each successfully ran him off the line and funneled him inside, where further irritants awaited. When a big man wasn&rsquo;t guarding the screener, Boston switched the action, often throwing size and range at the two-time MVP.</p>
<p>After hoisting eight triples in the first 12 minutes, Curry logged just six over his ensuing 26 minutes. Smart and White were the leading proponents behind that decline. Robert Williams III&rsquo;s length (7-foot-6 wingspan) and sprightly bounce navigated him away from threes. Al Horford&rsquo;s mobility, astute positioning and jazz hands perturbed Curry.</p>
<p>Twenty-one points on 9 shots in 12 minutes ended in 34 points on 25 shots in 38 minutes. That&rsquo;s a very good performance, but nowhere near the show-stopper his first quarter previewed. If this coverage holds, Curry's playmaking to prop up the offense will carry heightened value.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/ccsqtq" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Golden State followed its 32-point first quarter with 76 points over the final three. On the whole, it yielded an Offensive Rating of 90.1 (33rd percentile) in the half-court, per Cleaning The Glass. For contrast, Boston&rsquo;s was 114.1 (89th percentile). The crux of that disparity, at least from the Warriors&rsquo; standpoint, was the Celtics erasing their pindowns and Floppy actions all night.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Boston directed shots into the hands of shaky scorers and denied off-ball screen after off-ball screen. Through three rounds, Golden State obliterated teams with dribble handoffs and wide pindowns for Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole. Subtle openings and advantages multiplied into waves of buckets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Those openings and advantages dissipated. Boston&rsquo;s synergy, communication (led by Smart) and confrontation on switches stymied Golden State&rsquo;s half-court plans. The Celtics sport a substantial strength advantage on the perimeter, and leveraged that with off-ball physicality and top-locking screens. <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532767212531945472?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These</a> were perhaps <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532544577940299779?s=20&amp;t=z_CKu1iDtaxYEpmWAdC1rQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their finest</a> possessions, but they&rsquo;re accompanied by many more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That plotline started from the Warriors&rsquo; opening touch of the game. Look how crisp those switches are. Nobody does it better this year.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/jn7khf" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>(Shout out to Jaylen Brown, by the way. He flourished tracking Thompson&rsquo;s motion and denying him passes. He helped stymie numerous possessions. That dude is playing stellar ball this postseason.)</p>
<p>In an aim to open up the offense and avoid playing multiple non-scoring threats (Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Andre Iguodala), Steve Kerr elected to close with Poole over Looney. The upshot of that decision, though, left Golden State incredibly small on the interior.</p>
<p>Before both teams emptied their benches, Boston&rsquo;s closing lineup outscored Golden State&rsquo;s 10-2 in three minutes. Smart&rsquo;s corner three, which pushed the lead to 114-103, stemmed from the Warriors&rsquo; lack of size in the Curry-Poole-Thompson-Wiggins-Green quintet.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boston shuts down Golden State's offense, so the Warriors downsize and replace Looney with Poole, which allows Horford to snag this rebound and create a critical 3.<br /><br />Celtics seemed to win the adjustments battle in Game 1. <a href="https://t.co/ZNAaGKaTRZ">pic.twitter.com/ZNAaGKaTRZ</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1532807044771639296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Three of the Celtics&rsquo; most critical two-way forces are Smart, White and Horford. All three are brilliant defenders and capable offensive players with mercurial jumpers. Both Smart (33.1%) and White (30.6%) are hovering in the low 30s beyond the arc these playoffs, while Horford&rsquo;s at a scorching 46.3% after 33.6% in the regular season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of their numbers, the Warriors clearly opened Game 1 content to let each of them fire away and prioritized helping elsewhere instead. By night&rsquo;s end, the Boston trio combined for 15 threes on 23 attempts and tangibly reshaped how Golden State guarded it.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here&rsquo;s how those three were viewed as perimeter options early on.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/avmex4" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry offers a tepid closeout on Smart. Horford is invited to toss up a pair of wide-open looks. Poole leaves White alone to help on Brown&rsquo;s drive.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Later, though, this dynamic evolved. All of them began to garner attention as shooters. The paint was no longer off-limits. Driving lanes populated. Boston&rsquo;s bevy of connective passers found easier space to maneuver and wield that trait.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1jh0r5" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Some notes:</p>
<p>- Green closing out on Horford in the first clip simplified his passing route to Tatum. Williams&rsquo; vertical spacing kept Green at home on Smart&rsquo;s score; his lob threat was quite useful at times, despite his fickle outing.</p>
<p>- Poole biting on White&rsquo;s shot fake after treating him like a non-shooter in their opening minutes together is a major shift. Brown had scored or assisted on 18 of Boston&rsquo;s 20 points of the fourth before Horford&rsquo;s three, hence Thompson&rsquo;s conflicted decision-making.&nbsp;</p>
<p>- Smart, White and Horford compose three of Boston&rsquo;s trustiest passers and decision-makers. Smart and White are two of its best drivers. How Golden State defends them and the impact of their outside shooting feels quite correlated with the Celtics&rsquo; offensive production moving forward.&nbsp;</p>
<p>- If the threes are falling and the Warriors no longer sag off, the offense should be pretty crisp. If the three are falling, but they&rsquo;re allowed to keep firing, how they navigate that green light without a downhill opportunity is important. If they don&rsquo;t fall, Boston will likely encounter trouble (duh, missing shots is #notgood).</p>
<p>Summing up Game 1 by shooting variance ignores the process behind all that transpired. The Celtics&rsquo; adaptability and shot-making coalesced for victory. Adjustments will continue to manifest. Who they favor and who generates them is both a compelling mystery and essential to determining this year&rsquo;s champion.</p>
<p>At least for a night, the answer to those unknowns was Boston.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

Jackson Frank dives into the Celtics' adjustments on both ends and how it ultimately led to victory over the Warriors in Game 1.

How the Celtics won the battle of adjustments in NBA Finals Game 1

<p>All year, it&rsquo;s been an abnormally frigid campaign beyond the arc for Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>He shot 38% from deep during the regular season, a career-low and the first time he&rsquo;s ever dipped below 41% (his five-game 2019-20 season notwithstanding). Through 12 playoff games, he&rsquo;s at 35.7% from three-point range &mdash; the worst mark of his eight postseason appearances.</p>
<p>Given his volume and degree of difficulty, neither mark is truly <em>bad</em>. But they are low based on his standard, and that&rsquo;s the barometer here. As a reminder, &ldquo;bad&rdquo; for Curry still means 26.4 points per game on 60% True Shooting. Just don&rsquo;t forget that. The decline is from supernova scorer to very good scorer.</p>
<p>Where Curry has maintained a widely rosy outlook, and what&rsquo;s helping him carry on as a superstar, is his playmaking and defense. Bouts of sloppy passes still arise intermittently. However, he&rsquo;s thrived as a facilitator and defender this season, perhaps enjoying the top campaign of his career in each regard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Due to a month-long hiatus, the passing required a little rust to be shaken off before he began cooking again in the playoffs. What required virtually zero buffer period is his defense. Since Game 1 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, Curry&rsquo;s defensive exploits have amplified the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; championship pursuits.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steph Curry had the perfect reaction to being called a two-way player. 😅<br /><br />(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)<br /><a href="https://t.co/PLHIgSGXk4">pic.twitter.com/PLHIgSGXk4</a></p>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1526349023728254977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The caliber of assignments have bounced around, but he&rsquo;s crafting a highly versatile impact. He&rsquo;s often hedging on ball-screens to avoid mismatches in isolation, yet he&rsquo;s also held his own on numerous occasions to stymie creation attempts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Will Barton, Austin Rivers and Monte Morris all struggled to commandeer offense against him in Round 1. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of which was hobbled by a back ailment for much of the series, also encountered difficulty. Even Luka Doncic didn&rsquo;t seamlessly chisel his way to the rim when Curry switched onto him in Game 1. The Warriors&rsquo; timely help contributed, but Curry offered notable resistance on Wednesday.</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s skinnying over screens to stay attached or prompting people to reject them altogether. Between his strength and lateral quickness, ball-handlers aren&rsquo;t turning the corner with routine success. Through two-plus rounds of playoff ball, he&rsquo;s absolutely been a very good on-ball defender.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/50lwhm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All of those clips don&rsquo;t even include his resume as a playmaker. Whether it&rsquo;s directly altering shots, ripping the ball from an opponent&rsquo;s clutches or poking the rock out of bounds, Curry&rsquo;s dexterity and stout center of gravity are flummoxing players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rivers and Brooks experienced the most significant issues, though they&rsquo;re hardly alone in this phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/k2lqwr" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>According to NBA.com, players are 46-of-117 for 122 points (49.7% TS) with 20 turnovers when Curry is the primary defender. On the 868.2 partial possessions he&rsquo;s been involved as a primary defender, the opposition has scored 882 points these playoffs (101.6 offensive rating).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite wielding his strength and hands to disrupt actions, Curry is largely staying out of foul trouble. He&rsquo;s averaging 3.4 fouls per 100 possessions and has just one outing among 12 with more than three fouls.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On-ball sequences are far from his sole talent in the postseason. He&rsquo;s also a terror off the ball. Although Bane was hampered early on by back injury last round, his foibles were exacerbated by Curry regularly detonating dribble handoffs or back-cuts to engulf the sweet-shooting wing.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Ball denial has been a reliable area of expertise for the three-time MVP, and his closeouts are following suit. He&rsquo;s scurrying to shooters under control and with high hands to delay, dissuade or influence jumpers. On help-the-helper scenarios inside, he&rsquo;s crashing down at the proper moment to eliminate passing angles.</p>
<p>His start-stop ability enables him to mirror off-ball motion and contain shooters off the catch; his strength complicates their aim to generate separation or an advantage. Fixate on Curry for a defensive possession off the ball this round and you&rsquo;ll likely witness a sound rotation, closeout or ball denial. His defense is superb across numerous contexts right now.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qj3lh7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry is reading offense like an elementary book these days. Not only is his honing in on his own assignments, his off-ball awareness is brilliant. He&rsquo;ll slide in to help on an unattended player in the paint and immediately toggle back to his responsibility when necessary. The timeliness with which he&rsquo;s functioning is laudable.</p>
<p>Truly absorb the impact of these clips and recognize what he&rsquo;s doing defensively. Look how many shots in the paint or potentially open 3s he prevents.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5gkueh" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Selecting a favorite among that compilation is rather arduous. But the last one stands out. Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. miscommunicate on a switch, leaving Dorian Finney-Smith open as he dives toward the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry, playing the weak-side corner, is lurking off a middling shooter in Frank Ntilikina. He&rsquo;s monitoring the on-ball event the entire way. Once Thompson and Porter commit their mistake, Doncic slings a one-handed bullet to Finney-Smith. But Curry is prepared. He instantly sees Doncic readying for the dime, darts in and breaks up the pass to save two points.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s how Curry is clicking defensively in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s not some All-Defensive stopper. Yet he&rsquo;s excellent nonetheless and doing a hell of a job for a defense that looks to be harmonizing at the ideal time.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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<p>All year, it&rsquo;s been an abnormally frigid campaign beyond the arc for Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>He shot 38% from deep during the regular season, a career-low and the first time he&rsquo;s ever dipped below 41% (his five-game 2019-20 season notwithstanding). Through 12 playoff games, he&rsquo;s at 35.7% from three-point range &mdash; the worst mark of his eight postseason appearances.</p>
<p>Given his volume and degree of difficulty, neither mark is truly <em>bad</em>. But they are low based on his standard, and that&rsquo;s the barometer here. As a reminder, &ldquo;bad&rdquo; for Curry still means 26.4 points per game on 60% True Shooting. Just don&rsquo;t forget that. The decline is from supernova scorer to very good scorer.</p>
<p>Where Curry has maintained a widely rosy outlook, and what&rsquo;s helping him carry on as a superstar, is his playmaking and defense. Bouts of sloppy passes still arise intermittently. However, he&rsquo;s thrived as a facilitator and defender this season, perhaps enjoying the top campaign of his career in each regard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Due to a month-long hiatus, the passing required a little rust to be shaken off before he began cooking again in the playoffs. What required virtually zero buffer period is his defense. Since Game 1 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, Curry&rsquo;s defensive exploits have amplified the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; championship pursuits.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steph Curry had the perfect reaction to being called a two-way player. 😅<br /><br />(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)<br /><a href="https://t.co/PLHIgSGXk4">pic.twitter.com/PLHIgSGXk4</a></p>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1526349023728254977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The caliber of assignments have bounced around, but he&rsquo;s crafting a highly versatile impact. He&rsquo;s often hedging on ball-screens to avoid mismatches in isolation, yet he&rsquo;s also held his own on numerous occasions to stymie creation attempts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Will Barton, Austin Rivers and Monte Morris all struggled to commandeer offense against him in Round 1. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of which was hobbled by a back ailment for much of the series, also encountered difficulty. Even Luka Doncic didn&rsquo;t seamlessly chisel his way to the rim when Curry switched onto him in Game 1. The Warriors&rsquo; timely help contributed, but Curry offered notable resistance on Wednesday.</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s skinnying over screens to stay attached or prompting people to reject them altogether. Between his strength and lateral quickness, ball-handlers aren&rsquo;t turning the corner with routine success. Through two-plus rounds of playoff ball, he&rsquo;s absolutely been a very good on-ball defender.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/50lwhm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All of those clips don&rsquo;t even include his resume as a playmaker. Whether it&rsquo;s directly altering shots, ripping the ball from an opponent&rsquo;s clutches or poking the rock out of bounds, Curry&rsquo;s dexterity and stout center of gravity are flummoxing players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rivers and Brooks experienced the most significant issues, though they&rsquo;re hardly alone in this phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/k2lqwr" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>According to NBA.com, players are 46-of-117 for 122 points (49.7% TS) with 20 turnovers when Curry is the primary defender. On the 868.2 partial possessions he&rsquo;s been involved in as a primary defender, the opposition has scored 882 points these playoffs (101.6 offensive rating).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite wielding his strength and hands to disrupt actions, Curry is largely staying out of foul trouble. He&rsquo;s averaging 3.4 fouls per 100 possessions and has just one outing among 12 with more than three fouls.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On-ball sequences are far from his sole talent in the postseason. He&rsquo;s also a terror off the ball. Although Bane was hampered early on by back injury last round, his foibles were exacerbated by Curry regularly detonating dribble handoffs or back-cuts to engulf the sweet-shooting wing.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Ball denial has been a reliable area of expertise for the three-time MVP, and his closeouts are following suit. He&rsquo;s scurrying to shooters under control and with high hands to delay, dissuade or influence jumpers. On help-the-helper scenarios inside, he&rsquo;s crashing down at the proper moment to eliminate passing angles.</p>
<p>His start-stop ability enables him to mirror off-ball motion and contain shooters off the catch; his strength complicates their aim to generate separation or an advantage. Fixate on Curry for a defensive possession off the ball this round and you&rsquo;ll likely witness a sound rotation, closeout or ball denial. His defense is superb across numerous contexts right now.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qj3lh7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry is reading offense like an elementary book these days. Not only is his honing in on his own assignments, his off-ball awareness is brilliant. He&rsquo;ll slide in to help on an unattended player in the paint and immediately toggle back to his responsibility when necessary. The timeliness with which he&rsquo;s functioning is laudable.</p>
<p>Truly absorb the impact of these clips and recognize what he&rsquo;s doing defensively. Look how many shots in the paint or potentially open 3s he prevents.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5gkueh" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Selecting a favorite among that compilation is rather arduous. But the last one stands out. Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. miscommunicate on a switch, leaving Dorian Finney-Smith open as he dives toward the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry, playing the weak-side corner, is lurking off a middling shooter in Frank Ntilikina. He&rsquo;s monitoring the on-ball event the entire way. Once Thompson and Porter commit their mistake, Doncic slings a one-handed bullet to Finney-Smith. But Curry is prepared. He instantly sees Doncic readying for the dime, darts in and breaks up the pass to save two points.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s how Curry is clicking defensively in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s not some All-Defensive stopper. Yet he&rsquo;s excellent nonetheless and doing a hell of a job for a defense that looks to be harmonizing at the ideal time.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-13qz1uu">
<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-eqz5dr r-glunga r-13qz1uu">
<div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
</div>
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</div>

<p>All year, it&rsquo;s been an abnormally frigid campaign beyond the arc for Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>He shot 38% from deep during the regular season, a career-low and the first time he&rsquo;s ever dipped below 41% (his five-game 2019-20 season notwithstanding). Through 12 playoff games, he&rsquo;s at 35.7% from three-point range &mdash; the worst mark of his eight postseason appearances.</p>
<p>Given his volume and degree of difficulty, neither mark is truly <em>bad</em>. But they are low based on his standard, and that&rsquo;s the barometer here. As a reminder, &ldquo;bad&rdquo; for Curry still means 26.4 points per game on 60% True Shooting. Just don&rsquo;t forget that. The decline is from supernova scorer to very good scorer.</p>
<p>Where Curry has maintained a widely rosy outlook, and what&rsquo;s helping him carry on as a superstar, is his playmaking and defense. Bouts of sloppy passes still arise intermittently. However, he&rsquo;s thrived as a facilitator and defender this season, perhaps enjoying the top campaign of his career in each regard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Due to a month-long hiatus, the passing required a little rust to be shaken off before he began cooking again in the playoffs. What required virtually zero buffer period is his defense. Since Game 1 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, Curry&rsquo;s defensive exploits have amplified the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; championship pursuits.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steph Curry had the perfect reaction to being called a two-way player. 😅<br /><br />(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)<br /><a href="https://t.co/PLHIgSGXk4">pic.twitter.com/PLHIgSGXk4</a></p>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1526349023728254977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The caliber of assignments have bounced around, but he&rsquo;s crafting a highly versatile impact. He&rsquo;s often hedging on ball-screens to avoid mismatches in isolation, yet he&rsquo;s also held his own on numerous occasions to stymie creation attempts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Will Barton, Austin Rivers and Monte Morris all struggled to commandeer offense against him in Round 1. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of which was hobbled by a back ailment for much of the series, also encountered difficulty. Even Luka Doncic didn&rsquo;t seamlessly chisel his way to the rim when Curry switched onto him in Game 1. The Warriors&rsquo; timely help contributed, but Curry offered notable resistance on Wednesday.</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s skinnying over screens to stay attached or prompting people to reject them altogether. Between his strength and lateral quickness, ball-handlers aren&rsquo;t turning the corner with routine success. Through two-plus rounds of playoff ball, he&rsquo;s absolutely been a very good on-ball defender.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/50lwhm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All of those clips don&rsquo;t even include his resume as a playmaker. Whether it&rsquo;s directly altering shots, ripping the ball from an opponent&rsquo;s clutches or poking the rock out of bounds, Curry&rsquo;s dexterity and stout center of gravity are flummoxing players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rivers and Brooks experienced the most significant issues, though they&rsquo;re hardly alone in this phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/k2lqwr" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>According to NBA.com, players are 46-of-117 for 122 points (49.7% TS) with 20 turnovers when Curry is the primary defender. On the 868.2 partial possessions he&rsquo;s been involved in as a primary defender, the opposition has scored 882 points these playoffs (101.6 offensive rating).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite wielding his strength and hands to disrupt actions, Curry is largely staying out of foul trouble. He is averaging 3.4 fouls per 100 possessions and has just one outing among 12 with more than three fouls.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On-ball sequences are far from his sole talent in the postseason. He&rsquo;s also a terror off the ball. Although Bane was hampered early on by back injury last round, his foibles were exacerbated by Curry regularly detonating dribble handoffs or back-cuts to engulf the sweet-shooting wing.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Ball denial has been a reliable area of expertise for the three-time MVP, and his closeouts are following suit. He&rsquo;s scurrying to shooters under control and with high hands to delay, dissuade or influence jumpers. On help-the-helper scenarios inside, he&rsquo;s crashing down at the proper moment to eliminate passing angles.</p>
<p>His start-stop ability enables him to mirror off-ball motion and contain shooters off the catch; his strength complicates their aim to generate separation or an advantage. Fixate on Curry for a defensive possession off the ball this round and you&rsquo;ll likely witness a sound rotation, closeout or ball denial. His defense is superb across numerous contexts right now.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qj3lh7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry is reading offense like an elementary book these days. Not only is his honing in on his own assignments, his off-ball awareness is brilliant. He&rsquo;ll slide in to help on an unattended player in the paint and immediately toggle back to his responsibility when necessary. The timeliness with which he&rsquo;s functioning is laudable.</p>
<p>Truly absorb the impact of these clips and recognize what he&rsquo;s doing defensively. Look how many shots in the paint or potentially open 3s he prevents.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5gkueh" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Selecting a favorite among that compilation is rather arduous. But the last one stands out. Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. miscommunicate on a switch, leaving Dorian Finney-Smith open as he dives toward the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry, playing the weak-side corner, is lurking off a middling shooter in Frank Ntilikina. He&rsquo;s monitoring the on-ball event the entire way. Once Thompson and Porter commit their mistake, Doncic slings a one-handed bullet to Finney-Smith. But Curry is prepared. He instantly sees Doncic readying for the dime, darts in and breaks up the pass to save two points.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s how Curry is clicking defensively in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s not some All-Defensive stopper. Yet he&rsquo;s excellent nonetheless and doing a hell of a job for a defense that looks to be harmonizing at the ideal time.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-13qz1uu">
<div class="css-1dbjc4n r-eqz5dr r-glunga r-13qz1uu">
<div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<p>All year, it&rsquo;s been an abnormally frigid campaign beyond the arc for Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>He shot 38% from deep during the regular season, a career-low and the first time he&rsquo;s ever dipped below 41% (his five-game 2019-20 season notwithstanding). Through 12 playoff games, he&rsquo;s at 35.7% from three-point range &mdash; the worst mark of his eight postseason appearances.</p>
<p>Given his volume and degree of difficulty, neither mark is truly <em>bad</em>. But they are low based on his standard, and that&rsquo;s the barometer here. As a reminder, &ldquo;bad&rdquo; for Curry still means 26.4 points per game on 60% True Shooting. Just don&rsquo;t forget that. The decline is from supernova scorer to very good scorer.</p>
<p>Where Curry has maintained a widely rosy outlook, and what&rsquo;s helping him carry on as a superstar, is his playmaking and defense. Bouts of sloppy passes still arise intermittently. However, he&rsquo;s thrived as a facilitator and defender this season, perhaps enjoying the top campaign of his career in each regard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Due to a month-long hiatus, the passing required a little rust to be shaken off before he began cooking again in the playoffs. What required virtually zero buffer period is his defense. Since Game 1 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, Curry&rsquo;s defensive exploits have amplified the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; championship pursuits.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steph Curry had the perfect reaction to being called a two-way player. 😅<br /><br />(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)<br /><a href="https://t.co/PLHIgSGXk4">pic.twitter.com/PLHIgSGXk4</a></p>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1526349023728254977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The caliber of assignments have bounced around, but he&rsquo;s crafting a highly versatile impact. He&rsquo;s often hedging on ball-screens to avoid mismatches in isolation, yet he&rsquo;s also held his own on numerous occasions to stymie creation attempts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Will Barton, Austin Rivers and Monte Morris all struggled to commandeer offense against him in Round 1. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of which was hobbled by a back ailment for much of the series, also encountered difficulty. Even Luka Doncic didn&rsquo;t seamlessly chisel his way to the rim when Curry switched onto him in Game 1. The Warriors&rsquo; timely help contributed, but Curry offered notable resistance on Wednesday.</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s skinnying over screens to stay attached or prompting people to reject them altogether. Between his strength and lateral quickness, ball-handlers aren&rsquo;t turning the corner with routine success. Through two-plus rounds of playoff ball, he&rsquo;s absolutely been a very good on-ball defender.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/50lwhm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All of those clips don&rsquo;t even include his resume as a playmaker. Whether it&rsquo;s directly altering shots, ripping the ball from an opponent&rsquo;s clutches or poking the rock out of bounds, Curry&rsquo;s dexterity and stout center of gravity are flummoxing players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rivers and Brooks experienced the most significant issues, though they&rsquo;re hardly alone in this phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/k2lqwr" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>According to NBA.com, players are 46-of-117 for 122 points (49.7% TS) with 20 turnovers when Curry is the primary defender. On the 868.2 partial possessions he&rsquo;s been involved in as a primary defender, the opposition has scored 882 points these playoffs (101.6 offensive rating).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite wielding his strength and hands to disrupt actions, Curry is largely staying out of foul trouble. He is averaging 3.4 fouls per 100 possessions and, through 12 games, he has just one outing with more than three fouls.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On-ball sequences are far from his sole talent in the postseason. He&rsquo;s also a terror off the ball. Although Bane was hampered early on by back injury last round, his foibles were exacerbated by Curry regularly detonating dribble handoffs or back-cuts to engulf the sweet-shooting wing.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Ball denial has been a reliable area of expertise for the three-time MVP, and his closeouts are following suit. He&rsquo;s scurrying to shooters under control and with high hands to delay, dissuade or influence jumpers. On help-the-helper scenarios inside, he&rsquo;s crashing down at the proper moment to eliminate passing angles.</p>
<p>His start-stop ability enables him to mirror off-ball motion and contain shooters off the catch; his strength complicates their aim to generate separation or an advantage. Fixate on Curry for a defensive possession off the ball this round and you&rsquo;ll likely witness a sound rotation, closeout or ball denial. His defense is superb across numerous contexts right now.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qj3lh7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry is reading offense like an elementary book these days. Not only is his honing in on his own assignments, his off-ball awareness is brilliant. He&rsquo;ll slide in to help on an unattended player in the paint and immediately toggle back to his responsibility when necessary. The timeliness with which he&rsquo;s functioning is laudable.</p>
<p>Truly absorb the impact of these clips and recognize what he&rsquo;s doing defensively. Look how many shots in the paint or potentially open 3s he prevents.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5gkueh" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Selecting a favorite among that compilation is rather arduous. But the last one stands out. Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. miscommunicate on a switch, leaving Dorian Finney-Smith open as he dives toward the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry, playing the weak-side corner, is lurking off a middling shooter in Frank Ntilikina. He&rsquo;s monitoring the on-ball event the entire way. Once Thompson and Porter commit their mistake, Doncic slings a one-handed bullet to Finney-Smith. But Curry is prepared. He instantly sees Doncic readying for the dime, darts in and breaks up the pass to save two points.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s how Curry is clicking defensively in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s not some All-Defensive stopper. Yet he&rsquo;s excellent nonetheless and doing a hell of a job for a defense that looks to be harmonizing at the ideal time.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>All year, it&rsquo;s been an abnormally frigid campaign beyond the arc for Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>He shot 38% from deep during the regular season, a career-low and the first time he&rsquo;s ever dipped below 41% (his five-game 2019-20 season notwithstanding). Through 12 playoff games, he&rsquo;s at 35.7% from three-point range &mdash; the worst mark of his eight postseason appearances.</p>
<p>Given his volume and degree of difficulty, neither mark is truly <em>bad</em>. But they are low based on his standard, and that&rsquo;s the barometer here. As a reminder, &ldquo;bad&rdquo; for Curry still means 26.4 points per game on 60% True Shooting. Just don&rsquo;t forget that. The decline is from supernova scorer to very good scorer.</p>
<p>Where Curry has maintained a widely rosy outlook, and what&rsquo;s helping him carry on as a superstar, is his playmaking and defense. Bouts of sloppy passes still arise intermittently. However, he&rsquo;s thrived as a facilitator and defender this season, perhaps enjoying the top campaign of his career in each regard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Due to a month-long hiatus, the passing required a little rust to be shaken off before he began cooking again in the playoffs. What required virtually zero buffer period is his defense. Since Game 1 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, Curry&rsquo;s defensive exploits have amplified the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; championship pursuits.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steph Curry had the perfect reaction to being called a two-way player. 😅<br /><br />(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)<br /><a href="https://t.co/PLHIgSGXk4">pic.twitter.com/PLHIgSGXk4</a></p>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1526349023728254977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The caliber of assignments have bounced around, but he&rsquo;s crafting a highly versatile impact. He&rsquo;s often hedging on ball-screens to avoid mismatches in isolation, yet he&rsquo;s also held his own on numerous occasions to stymie creation attempts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Will Barton, Austin Rivers and Monte Morris all struggled to commandeer offense against him in Round 1. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of which was hobbled by a back ailment for much of the series, also encountered difficulty. Even Luka Doncic didn&rsquo;t seamlessly chisel his way to the rim when Curry switched onto him in Game 1. The Warriors&rsquo; timely help contributed, but Curry offered notable resistance on Wednesday.</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s skinnying over screens to stay attached or prompting people to reject them altogether. Between his strength and lateral quickness, ball-handlers aren&rsquo;t turning the corner with routine success. Through two-plus rounds of playoff ball, he&rsquo;s absolutely been a very good on-ball defender.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/50lwhm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All of those clips don&rsquo;t even include his resume as a playmaker. Whether it&rsquo;s directly altering shots, ripping the ball from an opponent&rsquo;s clutches or poking the rock out of bounds, Curry&rsquo;s dexterity and stout center of gravity are flummoxing players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rivers and Brooks experienced the most significant issues, though they&rsquo;re hardly alone in this phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/k2lqwr" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>According to NBA.com, players are 46-of-117 for 122 points (49.7% TS) with 20 turnovers when Curry is the primary defender. On the 868.2 partial possessions he&rsquo;s been involved in as a primary defender, the opposition has scored 882 points these playoffs (101.6 offensive rating).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite wielding his strength and hands to disrupt actions, Curry is largely staying out of foul trouble. He is averaging 3.4 fouls per 100 possessions and, through 12 games, he has just one outing with more than three fouls.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On-ball sequences are far from his sole talent in the postseason. He&rsquo;s also a terror off the ball. Although Bane was hampered early on by a back injury last round, his foibles were exacerbated by Curry regularly detonating dribble handoffs or back-cuts to engulf the sweet-shooting wing.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Ball denial has been a reliable area of expertise for the three-time MVP, and his closeouts are following suit. He&rsquo;s scurrying to shooters under control and with high hands to delay, dissuade or influence jumpers. On help-the-helper scenarios inside, he&rsquo;s crashing down at the proper moment to eliminate passing angles.</p>
<p>His start-stop ability enables him to mirror off-ball motion and contain shooters off the catch; his strength complicates their aim to generate separation or an advantage. Fixate on Curry for a defensive possession off the ball this round and you&rsquo;ll likely witness a sound rotation, closeout or ball denial. His defense is superb across numerous contexts right now.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qj3lh7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry is reading offense like an elementary book these days. Not only is his honing in on his own assignments, his off-ball awareness is brilliant. He&rsquo;ll slide in to help on an unattended player in the paint and immediately toggle back to his responsibility when necessary. The timeliness with which he&rsquo;s functioning is laudable.</p>
<p>Truly absorb the impact of these clips and recognize what he&rsquo;s doing defensively. Look how many shots in the paint or potentially open 3s he prevents.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5gkueh" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Selecting a favorite among that compilation is rather arduous. But the last one stands out. Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. miscommunicate on a switch, leaving Dorian Finney-Smith open as he dives toward the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry, playing the weak-side corner, is lurking off a middling shooter in Frank Ntilikina. He&rsquo;s monitoring the on-ball event the entire way. Once Thompson and Porter commit their mistake, Doncic slings a one-handed bullet to Finney-Smith. But Curry is prepared. He instantly sees Doncic readying for the dime, darts in and breaks up the pass to save two points.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s how Curry is clicking defensively in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s not some All-Defensive stopper. Yet he&rsquo;s excellent nonetheless and doing a hell of a job for a defense that looks to be harmonizing at the ideal time.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>All year, it&rsquo;s been an abnormally frigid campaign beyond the arc for Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>He shot 38% from deep during the regular season, a career-low and the first time he&rsquo;s ever dipped below 41% (his five-game 2019-20 season notwithstanding). Through 12 playoff games, he&rsquo;s at 35.7% from three-point range &mdash; the worst mark of his eight postseason appearances.</p>
<p>Given his volume and degree of difficulty, neither mark is truly <em>bad</em>. But they are low based on his standard, and that&rsquo;s the barometer here. As a reminder, &ldquo;bad&rdquo; for Curry still means 26.4 points per game on 60% True Shooting. Just don&rsquo;t forget that. The decline is from supernova scorer to very good scorer.</p>
<p>Where Curry has maintained a widely rosy outlook, and what&rsquo;s helping him carry on as a superstar, is his playmaking and defense. Bouts of sloppy passes still arise intermittently. However, he&rsquo;s thrived as a facilitator and defender this season, perhaps enjoying the top campaign of his career in each regard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Due to a month-long hiatus, the passing required a little rust to be shaken off before he began cooking again in the playoffs. What required virtually zero buffer period is his defense. Since Game 1 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, Curry&rsquo;s defensive exploits have amplified the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; championship pursuits.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steph Curry had the perfect reaction to being called a two-way player. 😅<br /><br />(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)<br /><a href="https://t.co/PLHIgSGXk4">pic.twitter.com/PLHIgSGXk4</a></p>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1526349023728254977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The caliber of assignments have bounced around, but he&rsquo;s crafting a highly versatile impact. He&rsquo;s often hedging on ball-screens to avoid mismatches in isolation, yet he&rsquo;s also held his own on numerous occasions to stymie creation attempts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Will Barton, Austin Rivers and Monte Morris all struggled to commandeer offense against him in Round 1. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of which was hobbled by a back ailment for much of the series, also encountered difficulty. Even Luka Doncic didn&rsquo;t seamlessly chisel his way to the rim when Curry switched onto him in Game 1. The Warriors&rsquo; timely help contributed, but Curry offered notable resistance on Wednesday.</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s skinnying over screens to stay attached or prompting people to reject them altogether. Between his strength and lateral quickness, ball-handlers aren&rsquo;t turning the corner with routine success. Through two-plus rounds of playoff ball, he&rsquo;s absolutely been a very good on-ball defender.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/50lwhm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All of those clips don&rsquo;t even include his resume as a playmaker. Whether it&rsquo;s directly altering shots, ripping the ball from an opponent&rsquo;s clutches or poking the rock out of bounds, Curry&rsquo;s dexterity and stout center of gravity are flummoxing players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rivers and Brooks experienced the most significant issues, though they&rsquo;re hardly alone in this phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/k2lqwr" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>According to NBA.com, players are 46-of-117 for 122 points (49.7% TS) with 20 turnovers when Curry is the primary defender. On the 868.2 partial possessions he&rsquo;s been involved in as a primary defender, the opposition has scored 882 points these playoffs (101.6 offensive rating).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite wielding his strength and hands to disrupt actions, Curry is largely staying out of foul trouble. He is averaging 3.4 fouls per 100 possessions and, through 12 games, he has just one outing with more than three fouls.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On-ball sequences are far from his sole talent in the postseason. He&rsquo;s also a terror off the ball. Although Bane was hampered early on by a back injury last round, his foibles were exacerbated by Curry regularly detonating dribble handoffs or back-cuts to engulf the sweet-shooting wing.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Ball denial has been a reliable area of expertise for the three-time MVP, and his closeouts are following suit. He&rsquo;s scurrying to shooters under control and with high hands to delay, dissuade or influence jumpers. On help-the-helper scenarios inside, he&rsquo;s crashing down at the proper moment to eliminate passing angles.</p>
<p>His start-stop ability enables him to mirror off-ball motion and contain shooters off the catch; his strength complicates their aim to generate separation or an advantage.</p>
<p>Fixate on Curry for a defensive possession off the ball this round and you&rsquo;ll likely witness a sound rotation, closeout or ball denial. His defense is superb across numerous contexts right now.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qj3lh7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry is reading offense like an elementary book these days. Not only is his honing in on his own assignments, his off-ball awareness is brilliant. He&rsquo;ll slide in to help on an unattended player in the paint and immediately toggle back to his responsibility when necessary. The timeliness with which he&rsquo;s functioning is laudable.</p>
<p>Truly absorb the impact of these clips and recognize what he&rsquo;s doing defensively. Look how many shots in the paint or potentially open 3s he prevents.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5gkueh" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Selecting a favorite among that compilation is rather arduous. But the last one stands out. Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. miscommunicate on a switch, leaving Dorian Finney-Smith open as he dives toward the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry, playing the weak-side corner, is lurking off a middling shooter in Frank Ntilikina. He&rsquo;s monitoring the on-ball event the entire way. Once Thompson and Porter commit their mistake, Doncic slings a one-handed bullet to Finney-Smith. But Curry is prepared. He instantly sees Doncic readying for the dime, darts in and breaks up the pass to save two points.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s how Curry is clicking defensively in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s not some All-Defensive stopper. Yet he&rsquo;s excellent nonetheless and doing a hell of a job for a defense that looks to be harmonizing at the ideal time.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
</div>
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<p>All year, it&rsquo;s been an abnormally frigid campaign beyond the arc for Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>He shot 38% from deep during the regular season, a career-low and the first time he&rsquo;s ever dipped below 41% (his five-game 2019-20 season notwithstanding). Through 12 playoff games, he&rsquo;s at 35.7% from three-point range &mdash; the worst mark of his eight postseason appearances.</p>
<p>Given his volume and degree of difficulty, neither mark is truly <em>bad</em>. But they are low based on his standard, and that&rsquo;s the barometer here. As a reminder, &ldquo;bad&rdquo; for Curry still means 26.4 points per game on 60% True Shooting. Just don&rsquo;t forget that. The decline is from supernova scorer to very good scorer.</p>
<p>Where Curry has maintained a widely rosy outlook, and what&rsquo;s helping him carry on as a superstar, is his playmaking and defense. Bouts of sloppy passes still arise intermittently. However, he&rsquo;s thrived as a facilitator and defender this season, perhaps enjoying the top campaign of his career in each regard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Due to a month-long hiatus, the passing required a little rust to be shaken off before he began cooking again in the playoffs. What required virtually zero buffer period is his defense. Since Game 1 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, Curry&rsquo;s defensive exploits have amplified the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; championship pursuits.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steph Curry had the perfect reaction to being called a two-way player. 😅<br /><br />(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)<br /><a href="https://t.co/PLHIgSGXk4">pic.twitter.com/PLHIgSGXk4</a></p>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1526349023728254977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The caliber of assignments have bounced around, but he&rsquo;s crafting a highly versatile impact. He&rsquo;s often hedging on ball-screens to avoid mismatches in isolation, yet he&rsquo;s also held his own on numerous occasions to stymie creation attempts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Will Barton, Austin Rivers and Monte Morris all struggled to commandeer offense against him in Round 1. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of which was hobbled by a back ailment for much of the series, also encountered difficulty. Even Luka Doncic didn&rsquo;t seamlessly chisel his way to the rim when Curry switched onto him in Game 1. The Warriors&rsquo; timely help contributed, but Curry offered notable resistance on Wednesday.</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s skinnying over screens to stay attached or prompting people to reject them altogether. Between his strength and lateral quickness, ball-handlers aren&rsquo;t turning the corner with routine success. Through two-plus rounds of playoff ball, he&rsquo;s absolutely been a very good on-ball defender.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/50lwhm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All of those clips don&rsquo;t even include his resume as a playmaker. Whether it&rsquo;s directly altering shots, ripping the ball from an opponent&rsquo;s clutches or poking the rock out of bounds, Curry&rsquo;s dexterity and stout center of gravity are flummoxing players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rivers and Brooks experienced the most significant issues, though they&rsquo;re hardly alone in this phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/k2lqwr" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>According to NBA.com, players are 46-of-117 for 122 points (49.7% TS) with 20 turnovers when Curry is the primary defender. On the 868.2 partial possessions he&rsquo;s been involved in as a primary defender, the opposition has scored 882 points these playoffs (101.6 offensive rating).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite wielding his strength and hands to disrupt actions, Curry is largely staying out of foul trouble. He is averaging 3.4 fouls per 100 possessions and, through 12 games, he has just one outing with more than three fouls.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On-ball sequences are far from his sole talent in the postseason. He&rsquo;s also a terror off the ball. Although Bane was hampered early on by a back injury last round, his foibles were exacerbated by Curry regularly detonating dribble handoffs or back-cuts to engulf the sweet-shooting wing.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Ball denial has been a reliable area of expertise for the three-time MVP, and his closeouts are following suit. He&rsquo;s scurrying to shooters under control and with high hands to delay, dissuade or influence jumpers. On help-the-helper scenarios inside, he&rsquo;s crashing down at the proper moment to eliminate passing angles.</p>
<p>His start-stop ability enables him to mirror off-ball motion and contain shooters off the catch; his strength complicates their aim to generate separation or an advantage.</p>
<p>Fixate on Curry for a defensive possession off the ball this round and you&rsquo;ll likely witness a sound rotation, closeout or ball denial. His defense is superb across numerous contexts right now.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qj3lh7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry is reading offenses like an elementary-school book these days. Not only is his honing in on his own assignments, his off-ball awareness is brilliant. He&rsquo;ll slide in to help on an unattended player in the paint and immediately toggle back to his responsibility when necessary. The timeliness with which he&rsquo;s functioning is laudable.</p>
<p>Truly absorb the impact of these clips and recognize what he&rsquo;s doing defensively. Look how many shots in the paint or potentially open 3s he prevents.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5gkueh" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Selecting a favorite among that compilation is rather arduous. But the last one stands out. Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. miscommunicate on a switch, leaving Dorian Finney-Smith open as he dives toward the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry, playing the weak-side corner, is lurking off a middling shooter in Frank Ntilikina. He&rsquo;s monitoring the on-ball event the entire way. Once Thompson and Porter commit their mistake, Doncic slings a one-handed bullet to Finney-Smith. But Curry is prepared. He instantly sees Doncic readying for the dime, darts in and breaks up the pass to save two points.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s how Curry is clicking defensively in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s not some All-Defensive stopper. Yet he&rsquo;s excellent nonetheless and doing a hell of a job for a defense that looks to be harmonizing at the ideal time.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p>All year, it&rsquo;s been an abnormally frigid campaign beyond the arc for Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>He shot 38% from deep during the regular season, a career-low and the first time he&rsquo;s ever dipped below 41% (his five-game 2019-20 season notwithstanding). Through 12 playoff games, he&rsquo;s at 35.7% from three-point range &mdash; the worst mark of his eight postseason appearances.</p>
<p>Given his volume and degree of difficulty, neither mark is truly <em>bad</em>. But they are low based on his standard, and that&rsquo;s the barometer here. As a reminder, &ldquo;bad&rdquo; for Curry still means 26.4 points per game on 60% True Shooting. Just don&rsquo;t forget that. The decline is from supernova scorer to very good scorer.</p>
<p>Where Curry has maintained a widely rosy outlook, and what&rsquo;s helping him carry on as a superstar, is his playmaking and defense. Bouts of sloppy passes still arise intermittently. However, he&rsquo;s thrived as a facilitator and defender this season, perhaps enjoying the top campaign of his career in each regard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Due to a month-long hiatus, the passing required a little rust to be shaken off before he began cooking again in the playoffs. What required virtually zero buffer period is his defense. Since Game 1 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, Curry&rsquo;s defensive exploits have amplified the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; championship pursuits.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steph Curry had the perfect reaction to being called a two-way player. 😅<br /><br />(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)<br /><a href="https://t.co/PLHIgSGXk4">pic.twitter.com/PLHIgSGXk4</a></p>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1526349023728254977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The caliber of assignments have bounced around, but he&rsquo;s crafting a highly versatile impact. He&rsquo;s often hedging on ball-screens to avoid mismatches in isolation, yet he&rsquo;s also held his own on numerous occasions to stymie creation attempts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Will Barton, Austin Rivers and Monte Morris all struggled to commandeer offense against him in Round 1. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of which was hobbled by a back ailment for much of the series, also encountered difficulty. Even Luka Doncic didn&rsquo;t seamlessly chisel his way to the rim when Curry switched onto him in Game 1. The Warriors&rsquo; timely help contributed, but Curry offered notable resistance on Wednesday.</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s skinnying over screens to stay attached or prompting people to reject them altogether. Between his strength and lateral quickness, ball-handlers aren&rsquo;t turning the corner with routine success. Through two-plus rounds of playoff ball, he&rsquo;s absolutely been a very good on-ball defender.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/50lwhm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All of those clips don&rsquo;t even include his resume as a playmaker. Whether it&rsquo;s directly altering shots, ripping the ball from an opponent&rsquo;s clutches or poking the rock out of bounds, Curry&rsquo;s dexterity and stout center of gravity are flummoxing players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rivers and Brooks experienced the most significant issues, though they&rsquo;re hardly alone in this phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/k2lqwr" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>According to NBA.com, players are 46-of-117 for 122 points (49.7% TS) with 20 turnovers when Curry is the primary defender. On the 868.2 partial possessions he&rsquo;s been involved in as a primary defender, the opposition has scored 882 points these playoffs (101.6 offensive rating).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite wielding his strength and hands to disrupt actions, Curry is largely staying out of foul trouble. He is averaging 3.4 fouls per 100 possessions and, through 12 games, he has just one outing with more than three fouls.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On-ball sequences are far from his sole talent in the postseason. He&rsquo;s also a terror off the ball. Although Bane was hampered early on by a back injury last round, his foibles were exacerbated by Curry regularly detonating dribble handoffs or back-cuts to engulf the sweet-shooting wing.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Ball denial has been a reliable area of expertise for the three-time MVP, and his closeouts are following suit. He&rsquo;s scurrying to shooters under control and with high hands to delay, dissuade or influence jumpers. On help-the-helper scenarios inside, he&rsquo;s crashing down at the proper moment to eliminate passing angles.</p>
<p>His start-stop ability enables him to mirror off-ball motion and contain shooters off the catch; his strength complicates their aim to generate separation or an advantage.</p>
<p>Fixate on Curry for a defensive possession off the ball this round and you&rsquo;ll likely witness a sound rotation, closeout or ball denial. His defense is superb across numerous contexts right now.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qj3lh7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry is reading offenses like an elementary book these days. Not only is his honing in on his own assignments, his off-ball awareness is brilliant. He&rsquo;ll slide in to help on an unattended player in the paint and immediately toggle back to his responsibility when necessary. The timeliness with which he&rsquo;s functioning is laudable.</p>
<p>Truly absorb the impact of these clips and recognize what he&rsquo;s doing defensively. Look how many shots in the paint or potentially open 3s he prevents.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5gkueh" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Selecting a favorite among that compilation is rather arduous. But the last one stands out. Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. miscommunicate on a switch, leaving Dorian Finney-Smith open as he dives toward the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry, playing the weak-side corner, is lurking off a middling shooter in Frank Ntilikina. He&rsquo;s monitoring the on-ball event the entire way. Once Thompson and Porter commit their mistake, Doncic slings a one-handed bullet to Finney-Smith. But Curry is prepared. He instantly sees Doncic readying for the dime, darts in and breaks up the pass to save two points.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s how Curry is clicking defensively in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s not some All-Defensive stopper. Yet he&rsquo;s excellent nonetheless and doing a hell of a job for a defense that looks to be harmonizing at the ideal time.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>All year, it&rsquo;s been an abnormally frigid campaign beyond the arc for Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>He shot 38% from deep during the regular season, a career-low and the first time he&rsquo;s ever dipped below 41% (his five-game 2019-20 season notwithstanding). Through 12 playoff games, he&rsquo;s at 35.7% from three-point range &mdash; the worst mark of his eight postseason appearances.</p>
<p>Given his volume and degree of difficulty, neither mark is truly <em>bad</em>. But they are low based on his standard, and that&rsquo;s the barometer here. As a reminder, &ldquo;bad&rdquo; for Curry still means 26.4 points per game on 60% True Shooting. Just don&rsquo;t forget that. The decline is from supernova scorer to very good scorer.</p>
<p>Where Curry has maintained a widely rosy outlook, and what&rsquo;s helping him carry on as a superstar, is his playmaking and defense. Bouts of sloppy passes still arise intermittently. However, he&rsquo;s thrived as a facilitator and defender this season, perhaps enjoying the top campaign of his career in each regard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Due to a month-long hiatus, the passing required a little rust to be shaken off before he began cooking again in the playoffs. What required virtually zero buffer period is his defense. Since Game 1 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, Curry&rsquo;s defensive exploits have amplified the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; championship pursuits.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steph Curry had the perfect reaction to being called a two-way player. 😅<br /><br />(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)<br /><a href="https://t.co/PLHIgSGXk4">pic.twitter.com/PLHIgSGXk4</a></p>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1526349023728254977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The caliber of assignments have bounced around, but he&rsquo;s crafting a highly versatile impact. He&rsquo;s often hedging on ball-screens to avoid mismatches in isolation, yet he&rsquo;s also held his own on numerous occasions to stymie creation attempts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Will Barton, Austin Rivers and Monte Morris all struggled to commandeer offense against him in Round 1. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of which was hobbled by a back ailment for much of the series, also encountered difficulty. Even Luka Doncic didn&rsquo;t seamlessly chisel his way to the rim when Curry switched onto him in Game 1. The Warriors&rsquo; timely help contributed, but Curry offered notable resistance on Wednesday.</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s skinnying over screens to stay attached or prompting people to reject them altogether. Between his strength and lateral quickness, ball-handlers aren&rsquo;t turning the corner with routine success. Through two-plus rounds of playoff ball, he&rsquo;s absolutely been a very good on-ball defender.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/50lwhm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All of those clips don&rsquo;t even include his resume as a playmaker. Whether it&rsquo;s directly altering shots, ripping the ball from an opponent&rsquo;s clutches or poking the rock out of bounds, Curry&rsquo;s dexterity and stout center of gravity are flummoxing players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rivers and Brooks experienced the most significant issues, though they&rsquo;re hardly alone in this phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/k2lqwr" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>According to NBA.com, players are 46-of-117 for 122 points (49.7% TS) with 20 turnovers when Curry is the primary defender. On the 868.2 partial possessions he&rsquo;s been involved in as a primary defender, the opposition has scored 882 points these playoffs (101.6 offensive rating).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite wielding his strength and hands to disrupt actions, Curry is largely staying out of foul trouble. He is averaging 3.4 fouls per 100 possessions and, through 12 games, he has just one outing with more than three fouls.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On-ball sequences are far from his sole talent in the postseason. He&rsquo;s also a terror off the ball. Although Bane was hampered early on by a back injury last round, his foibles were exacerbated by Curry regularly detonating dribble handoffs or back-cuts to engulf the sweet-shooting wing.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Ball denial has been a reliable area of expertise for the three-time MVP, and his closeouts are following suit. He&rsquo;s scurrying to shooters under control and with high hands to delay, dissuade or influence jumpers. On help-the-helper scenarios inside, he&rsquo;s crashing down at the proper moment to eliminate passing angles.</p>
<p>His start-stop ability enables him to mirror off-ball motion and contain shooters off the catch; his strength complicates their aim to generate separation or an advantage.</p>
<p>Fixate on Curry for a defensive possession off the ball this round and you&rsquo;ll likely witness a sound rotation, closeout or ball denial. His defense is superb across numerous contexts right now.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qj3lh7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry is reading offenses like an elementary book these days. Not only is he honing in on his own assignments, his off-ball awareness is brilliant. He&rsquo;ll slide in to help on an unattended player in the paint and immediately toggle back to his responsibility when necessary. The timeliness with which he&rsquo;s functioning is laudable.</p>
<p>Truly absorb the impact of these clips and recognize what he&rsquo;s doing defensively. Look how many shots in the paint or potentially open 3s he prevents.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5gkueh" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Selecting a favorite among that compilation is rather arduous. But the last one stands out. Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. miscommunicate on a switch, leaving Dorian Finney-Smith open as he dives toward the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry, playing the weak-side corner, is lurking off a middling shooter in Frank Ntilikina. He&rsquo;s monitoring the on-ball event the entire way. Once Thompson and Porter commit their mistake, Doncic slings a one-handed bullet to Finney-Smith. But Curry is prepared. He instantly sees Doncic readying for the dime, darts in and breaks up the pass to save two points.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s how Curry is clicking defensively in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s not some All-Defensive stopper. Yet he&rsquo;s excellent nonetheless and doing a hell of a job for a defense that looks to be harmonizing at the ideal time.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>All year, it&rsquo;s been an abnormally frigid campaign beyond the arc for Stephen Curry.</p>
<p>He shot 38% from deep during the regular season, a career-low and the first time he&rsquo;s ever dipped below 41% (his five-game 2019-20 season notwithstanding). Through 12 playoff games, he&rsquo;s at 35.7% from three-point range &mdash; the worst mark of his eight postseason appearances.</p>
<p>Given his volume and degree of difficulty, neither mark is truly <em>bad</em>. But they are low based on his standard, and that&rsquo;s the barometer here. As a reminder, &ldquo;bad&rdquo; for Curry still means 26.4 points per game on 60% True Shooting. Just don&rsquo;t forget that. The decline is from supernova scorer to very good scorer.</p>
<p>Where Curry has maintained a widely rosy outlook, and what&rsquo;s helping him carry on as a superstar, is his playmaking and defense. Bouts of sloppy passes still arise intermittently. However, he&rsquo;s thrived as a facilitator and defender this season, perhaps enjoying the top campaign of his career in each regard.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Due to a month-long hiatus, the passing required a little rust to be shaken off before he began cooking again in the playoffs. What required virtually zero buffer period is his defense. Since Game 1 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets, Curry&rsquo;s defensive exploits have amplified the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; championship pursuits.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Steph Curry had the perfect reaction to being called a two-way player. 😅<br /><br />(🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCSWarriors</a>)<br /><a href="https://t.co/PLHIgSGXk4">pic.twitter.com/PLHIgSGXk4</a></p>
&mdash; theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1526349023728254977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>The caliber of assignments have bounced around, but he&rsquo;s crafting a highly versatile impact. He&rsquo;s often hedging on ball-screens to avoid mismatches in isolation, yet he&rsquo;s also held his own on numerous occasions to stymie creation attempts.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Will Barton, Austin Rivers and Monte Morris all struggled to commandeer offense against him in Round 1. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of which was hobbled by a back ailment for much of the series, also encountered difficulty. Even Luka Doncic didn&rsquo;t seamlessly chisel his way to the rim when Curry switched onto him in Game 1. The Warriors&rsquo; timely help contributed, but Curry offered notable resistance on Wednesday.</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s skinnying over screens to stay attached or prompting people to reject them altogether. Between his strength and lateral quickness, ball-handlers aren&rsquo;t turning the corner with routine success. Through two-plus rounds of playoff ball, he&rsquo;s absolutely been a very good on-ball defender.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/50lwhm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All of those clips don&rsquo;t even include his resume as a playmaker. Whether it&rsquo;s directly altering shots, ripping the ball from an opponent&rsquo;s clutches or poking the rock out of bounds, Curry&rsquo;s dexterity and stout center of gravity are flummoxing players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Rivers and Brooks experienced the most significant issues, though they&rsquo;re hardly alone in this phenomenon.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/k2lqwr" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>According to NBA.com, players are 46-of-117 for 122 points (49.7% TS) with 20 turnovers when Curry is the primary defender. On the 868.2 partial possessions he&rsquo;s been involved in as a primary defender, the opposition has scored 882 points these playoffs (101.6 offensive rating).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite wielding his strength and hands to disrupt actions, Curry is largely staying out of foul trouble. He is averaging 3.4 fouls per 100 possessions and, through 12 games, he has just one outing with more than three fouls.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On-ball sequences are far from his sole talent in the postseason. He&rsquo;s also a terror off the ball. Although Bane was hampered early on by a back injury last round, his foibles were exacerbated by Curry regularly detonating dribble handoffs or back-cuts to engulf the sweet-shooting wing.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Ball denial has been a reliable area of expertise for the three-time MVP, and his closeouts are following suit. He&rsquo;s scurrying to shooters under control and with high hands to delay, dissuade or influence jumpers. On help-the-helper scenarios inside, he&rsquo;s crashing down at the proper moment to eliminate passing angles.</p>
<p>His start-stop ability enables him to mirror off-ball motion and contain shooters off the catch; his strength complicates their aim to generate separation or an advantage.</p>
<p>Fixate on Curry for a defensive possession off the ball this round and you&rsquo;ll likely witness a sound rotation, closeout or ball denial. His defense is superb across numerous contexts right now.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qj3lh7" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Curry is reading offenses like an elementary book these days. Not only is he honing in on his own assignments, his off-ball awareness is brilliant. He&rsquo;ll slide in to help on an unattended player in the paint and immediately toggle back to his responsibility when necessary. The timeliness with which he&rsquo;s functioning is laudable.</p>
<p>Truly absorb the impact of these clips and recognize what he&rsquo;s doing defensively. Look how many shots in the paint or potentially open threes he prevents.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/5gkueh" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Selecting a favorite among that compilation is rather arduous. But the last one stands out. Klay Thompson and Otto Porter Jr. miscommunicate on a switch, leaving Dorian Finney-Smith open as he dives toward the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Curry, playing the weak-side corner, is lurking off a middling shooter in Frank Ntilikina. He&rsquo;s monitoring the on-ball event the entire way. Once Thompson and Porter commit their mistake, Doncic slings a one-handed bullet to Finney-Smith. But Curry is prepared. He instantly sees Doncic readying for the dime, darts in and breaks up the pass to save two points.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s how Curry is clicking defensively in the playoffs. He&rsquo;s not some All-Defensive stopper. Yet he&rsquo;s excellent nonetheless and doing a hell of a job for a defense that looks to be harmonizing at the ideal time.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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Jackson Frank breaks down Stephen Curry's film and the outstanding defense he's playing during the 2022 NBA Playoffs.

Stephen Curry's defense continues to shine for the Warriors

<p>Over the past few seasons, perhaps the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; favorite way to catalyze rhythm for star guard Devin Booker has been a Chicago action.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBv686s3kCc&amp;t=24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago action</a>, a player flows off a pindown screen into a dribble handoff and assesses the options from there.</p>
<p>With Booker flanked by viable spot-up shooters like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges, a lob threat in Deandre Ayton and a creation release valve in Chris Paul, most opponents struggle mightily to contain the Suns&rsquo; offense out of this play.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The &ldquo;pick your poison&rdquo; adage comes into focus. Sell out to slow Booker on the catch, and he&rsquo;ll deliver a feed to one of the surrounding marksmen. Load up against Ayton&rsquo;s dive and Booker can burrow his way toward a mid-range pull-up. Stay home against shooters, and Booker will loft a pass to Ayton at the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the second round, the Dallas Mavericks experienced this confounding spectrum. Booker only scored 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, but he dished 8 dimes to a single giveaway for a 121-114 victory. As Booker conducted possessions out of Chicago action, the Suns routinely carved up Dallas.</p>
<p>In Game 5, when Booker scored 28 points on 11 of 20 shooting in a 110-80 rout, the Mavericks endured similar troubles. Much of the series, whenever he faced single coverage or Dallas failed to neutralize Ayton on the roll, the Suns&rsquo; attack flourished. Letting Booker maneuver into space on those plays, particularly going to his right, is often a death knell for defenses.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0yj49q" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Although Booker&rsquo;s 30-point Game 2 arose more so out of pick-and-rolls, isolations and transition opportunities, Dallas&rsquo; ability (or lack thereof) to slow him in Chicago action proved to be somewhat of a bellwether for its collective success.</p>
<p>Sending a crowd in Booker&rsquo;s direction and mucking up his passing windows can consistently throw him for a loop. The Mavericks tout considerable size, length and mobility on the perimeter, which they applied to flummox the three-time All-Star (and his teammates). His worst outings of the series all stemmed from Dallas barricading the paint, bringing multiple bodies his way and coaxing improvisation out of him.</p>
<p>Utilizing his 6-foot-5 frame, snappy elevation for jumpers and feathery mid-range touch, Booker thrives against single coverage. He&rsquo;s also prone to predetermined reads as a facilitator. By limiting both of those scenarios, Dallas bottled him up. He&rsquo;s developed into a good passer, but a buffer period exists when the opening he seeks out is not there. The Mavericks reliably took away his anticipated choice, and cornered him and the Suns into resetting the offense.</p>
<p>If the lob to Ayton is readily available, he makes it look second-nature; when the lob isn&rsquo;t, possessions begin sticking. In Game 3, Booker took just 13 shots (18 points) throughout his 40 minutes and compiled 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Across Games 6 and 7, he scored 30 points on 40.9% True Shooting and had 5 assists to 12 turnovers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dallas extended his initial touch further from the paint, sagged off the shooter to his left and made him reverse course. Rarely did he locate the open teammate on the wing. The Mavericks know that read is a gap in his passing vision and exploited it. Paul&rsquo;s aversion to spot-up triples aided, and likely factored into, their game plan&nbsp; too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The scouting department and coaching staff deserve massive praise for those tweaks, as do Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith. The former two&rsquo;s mobility and dexterity agitated Booker on the catch and pushed him away from the hoop; the latter two constantly stayed connected amid his off-ball motion and shrunk open space.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xz1oai" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All this defensive precision is a subplot of fashioning an offense so reliant on Luka Doncic&rsquo;s superlatives. The risk is he falters down the stretch in crunch-time of a tight contest. Everyone acknowledges that, and has watched it occur at times.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The positive, though, is how Luka's heliocentric approach preserves energy for everyone else and enables them to play the hellacious defense they did for much of the second round (and this year). Had they been tasked with loftier offensive responsibilities, the defensive connectivity and timing may have suffered. Instead, their jobs were straightforward and the defensive nuances headlined their checklist each night.</p>
<p>In Game 7, Dallas allotted the kitchen sink to Booker (as well as at other points in this matchup). Paul clearly lacked the verve to boogie in ball-screens like he customarily would, so Booker emerged as Phoenix&rsquo;s primary offensive creator, a storyline that bubbled over the course of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To stymie the Suns&rsquo; offense, the Mavericks repeatedly blitzed or trapped him and funneled offense to unsuitable decision-makers. Players like Bridges, Crowder and Torrey Craig received passes with Dallas&rsquo; defense still slightly recovering after a show or double-team. None of them proved adept to burn the Mavericks for that gambit.</p>
<p>Booker is an excellent player and deserving All-Star. He will rightfully make his inaugural All-NBA appearance this season. But Phoenix&rsquo;s offense generally functions at its peak when Paul is orchestrating. Through increasingly applying full-court pressure against the Point God and targeting him on switches defensively, the Mavericks wore him down and disrupted the Suns&rsquo; offensive hierarchy.</p>
<p>Paul and Ayton have fostered delightful synergy in pick-and-rolls, while Paul&rsquo;s historically great passing wizardry sets up Bridges, Crowder and Cameron Johnson to work off advantages. Booker is, of course, the superior scorer, yet Dallas quelled his trademark play. In doing so, it thrust his shortcomings under the microscope and dared him to win as an elite decision-maker.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He couldn&rsquo;t, sending he and the 64-win, top-seeded Suns home far earlier than they envisioned this postseason.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Over the past few seasons, perhaps the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; favorite way to catalyze rhythm for star guard Devin Booker has been a Chicago action.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBv686s3kCc&amp;t=24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago action</a>, a player flows off a pindown screen into a dribble handoff and assesses the options from there.</p>
<p>With Booker flanked by viable spot-up shooters like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges, a lob threat in Deandre Ayton and a creation release valve in Chris Paul, most opponents struggle mightily to contain the Suns&rsquo; offense out of this play.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The &ldquo;pick your poison&rdquo; adage comes into focus. Sell out to slow Booker on the catch, and he&rsquo;ll deliver a feed to one of the surrounding marksmen. Load up against Ayton&rsquo;s dive and Booker can burrow his way toward a mid-range pull-up. Stay home against shooters, and Booker will loft a pass to Ayton at the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the second round, the Dallas Mavericks experienced this confounding spectrum. Booker only scored 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, but he dished 8 dimes to a single giveaway for a 121-114 victory. As Booker conducted possessions out of Chicago action, the Suns routinely carved up Dallas.</p>
<p>In Game 5, when Booker scored 28 points on 11 of 20 shooting in a 110-80 rout, the Mavericks endured similar troubles. Much of the series, whenever he faced single coverage or Dallas failed to neutralize Ayton on the roll, the Suns&rsquo; attack flourished. Letting Booker maneuver into space on those plays, particularly going to his right, is often a death knell for defenses.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0yj49q" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Although Booker&rsquo;s 30-point Game 2 arose more so out of pick-and-rolls, isolations and transition opportunities, Dallas&rsquo; ability (or lack thereof) to slow him in Chicago action proved to be somewhat of a bellwether for its collective success.</p>
<p>Sending a crowd in Booker&rsquo;s direction and mucking up his passing windows can consistently throw him for a loop. The Mavericks tout considerable size, length and mobility on the perimeter, which they applied to flummox the three-time All-Star (and his teammates). His worst outings of the series all stemmed from Dallas barricading the paint, bringing multiple bodies his way and coaxing improvisation out of him.</p>
<p>Utilizing his 6-foot-5 frame, snappy elevation for jumpers and feathery mid-range touch, Booker thrives against single coverage. He&rsquo;s also prone to predetermined reads as a facilitator. By limiting both of those scenarios, Dallas bottled him up. He&rsquo;s developed into a good passer, but a buffer period exists when the opening he seeks out is not there. The Mavericks reliably took away his anticipated choice, and cornered him and the Suns into resetting the offense.</p>
<p>If the lob to Ayton is readily available, he makes it look second-nature; when the lob isn&rsquo;t, possessions begin sticking. In Game 3, Booker took just 13 shots (18 points) throughout his 40 minutes and compiled 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Across Games 6 and 7, he scored 30 points on 40.9% True Shooting and had 5 assists to 12 turnovers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dallas extended his initial touch further from the paint, sagged off the shooter to his left and made him reverse course. Rarely did he locate the open teammate on the wing. The Mavericks know that read is a gap in his passing vision and exploited it. Paul&rsquo;s aversion to spot-up triples aided, and likely factored into, their game plan&nbsp; too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The scouting department and coaching staff deserve massive praise for those tweaks, as do Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith. The former two&rsquo;s mobility and dexterity agitated Booker on the catch and pushed him away from the hoop; the latter two constantly stayed connected amid his off-ball motion and shrunk open space.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xz1oai" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All this defensive precision is a subplot of fashioning an offense so reliant on Luka Doncic&rsquo;s superlatives. The risk is he falters down the stretch in crunch-time of a tight contest. Everyone acknowledges that, and has watched it occur at times.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The positive, though, is how Luka's heliocentric approach preserves energy for everyone else and enables the Mavericks to play the hellacious defense they did for much of the second round (and this year). Had they been tasked with loftier offensive responsibilities, the defensive connectivity and timing may have suffered. Instead, their jobs were straightforward and the defensive nuances headlined their checklist each night.</p>
<p>In Game 7, Dallas allotted the kitchen sink to Booker (as well as at other points in this matchup). Paul clearly lacked the verve to boogie in ball-screens like he customarily would, so Booker emerged as Phoenix&rsquo;s primary offensive creator, a storyline that bubbled over the course of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To stymie the Suns&rsquo; offense, the Mavericks repeatedly blitzed or trapped him and funneled offense to unsuitable decision-makers. Players like Bridges, Crowder and Torrey Craig received passes with Dallas&rsquo; defense still slightly recovering after a show or double-team. None of them proved adept to burn the Mavericks for that gambit.</p>
<p>Booker is an excellent player and deserving All-Star. He will rightfully make his inaugural All-NBA appearance this season. But Phoenix&rsquo;s offense generally functions at its peak when Paul is orchestrating. Through increasingly applying full-court pressure against the Point God and targeting him on switches defensively, the Mavericks wore him down and disrupted the Suns&rsquo; offensive hierarchy.</p>
<p>Paul and Ayton have fostered delightful synergy in pick-and-rolls, while Paul&rsquo;s historically great passing wizardry sets up Bridges, Crowder and Cameron Johnson to work off advantages. Booker is, of course, the superior scorer, yet Dallas quelled his trademark play. In doing so, it thrust his shortcomings under the microscope and dared him to win as an elite decision-maker.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He couldn&rsquo;t, sending he and the 64-win, top-seeded Suns home far earlier than they envisioned this postseason.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Over the past few seasons, perhaps the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; favorite way to catalyze rhythm for star guard Devin Booker has been a Chicago action.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBv686s3kCc&amp;t=24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago action</a>, a player flows off a pindown screen into a dribble handoff and assesses the options from there.</p>
<p>With Booker flanked by viable spot-up shooters like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges, a lob threat in Deandre Ayton and a creation release valve in Chris Paul, most opponents struggle mightily to contain the Suns&rsquo; offense out of this play.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The &ldquo;pick your poison&rdquo; adage comes into focus. Sell out to slow Booker on the catch, and he&rsquo;ll deliver a feed to one of the surrounding marksmen. Load up against Ayton&rsquo;s dive and Booker can burrow his way toward a mid-range pull-up. Stay home against shooters, and Booker will loft a pass to Ayton at the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the second round, the Dallas Mavericks experienced this confounding spectrum. Booker only scored 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, but he dished 8 dimes to a single giveaway for a 121-114 victory. As Booker conducted possessions out of Chicago action, the Suns routinely carved up Dallas.</p>
<p>In Game 5, when Booker scored 28 points on 11 of 20 shooting in a 110-80 rout, the Mavericks endured similar troubles. Much of the series, whenever he faced single coverage or Dallas failed to neutralize Ayton on the roll, the Suns&rsquo; attack flourished. Letting Booker maneuver into space on those plays, particularly going to his right, is often a death knell for defenses.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0yj49q" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Although Booker&rsquo;s 30-point Game 2 arose more so out of pick-and-rolls, isolations and transition opportunities, Dallas&rsquo; ability (or lack thereof) to slow him in Chicago action proved to be somewhat of a bellwether for its collective success.</p>
<p>Sending a crowd in Booker&rsquo;s direction and mucking up his passing windows can consistently throw him for a loop. The Mavericks tout considerable size, length and mobility on the perimeter, which they applied to flummox the three-time All-Star (and his teammates). His worst outings of the series all stemmed from Dallas barricading the paint, bringing multiple bodies his way and coaxing improvisation out of him.</p>
<p>Utilizing his 6-foot-5 frame, snappy elevation for jumpers and feathery mid-range touch, Booker thrives against single coverage. He&rsquo;s also prone to predetermined reads as a facilitator. By limiting both of those scenarios, Dallas bottled him up. He&rsquo;s developed into a good passer, but a buffer period exists when the opening he seeks out is not there. The Mavericks reliably took away his anticipated choice, and cornered him and the Suns into resetting the offense.</p>
<p>If the lob to Ayton is readily available, he makes it look second-nature; when the lob isn&rsquo;t, possessions begin sticking. In Game 3, Booker took just 13 shots (18 points) throughout his 40 minutes and compiled 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Across Games 6 and 7, he scored 30 points on 40.9% True Shooting and had 5 assists to 12 turnovers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dallas extended his initial touch further from the paint, sagged off the shooter to his left and made him reverse course. Rarely did he locate the open teammate on the wing. The Mavericks know that read is a gap in his passing vision and exploited it. Paul&rsquo;s aversion to spot-up triples aided, and likely factored into, their game plan&nbsp; too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The scouting department and coaching staff deserve massive praise for those tweaks, as do Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith. The former two&rsquo;s mobility and dexterity agitated Booker on the catch and pushed him away from the hoop; the latter two constantly stayed connected amid his off-ball motion and shrunk open space.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xz1oai" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All this defensive precision is a subplot of fashioning an offense so reliant on Luka Doncic&rsquo;s superlatives. The risk is he falters down the stretch in crunch-time of a tight contest. Everyone acknowledges that, and has watched it occur at times.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The positive, though, is how Luka's heliocentric approach preserves energy for everyone else and enables the Mavericks to play the hellacious defense they did for much of the second round (and this year). Had they been tasked with loftier offensive responsibilities, the defensive connectivity and timing may have suffered. Instead, their jobs were straightforward, and the defensive nuances headlined their checklist each night.</p>
<p>In Game 7, Dallas allotted the kitchen sink to Booker (as well as at other points in this matchup). Paul clearly lacked the verve to boogie in ball-screens like he customarily would, so Booker emerged as Phoenix&rsquo;s primary offensive creator, a storyline that bubbled over the course of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To stymie the Suns&rsquo; offense, the Mavericks repeatedly blitzed or trapped him and funneled offense to unsuitable decision-makers. Players like Bridges, Crowder and Torrey Craig received passes with Dallas&rsquo; defense still slightly recovering after a show or double-team. None of them proved adept to burn the Mavericks for that gambit.</p>
<p>Booker is an excellent player and deserving All-Star. He will rightfully make his inaugural All-NBA appearance this season. But Phoenix&rsquo;s offense generally functions at its peak when Paul is orchestrating. Through increasingly applying full-court pressure against the Point God and targeting him on switches defensively, the Mavericks wore him down and disrupted the Suns&rsquo; offensive hierarchy.</p>
<p>Paul and Ayton have fostered delightful synergy in pick-and-rolls, while Paul&rsquo;s historically great passing wizardry sets up Bridges, Crowder and Cameron Johnson to work off advantages. Booker is, of course, the superior scorer, yet Dallas quelled his trademark play. In doing so, it thrust his shortcomings under the microscope and dared him to win as an elite decision-maker.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He couldn&rsquo;t, sending he and the 64-win, top-seeded Suns home far earlier than they envisioned this postseason.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Over the past few seasons, perhaps the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; favorite way to catalyze rhythm for star guard Devin Booker has been a Chicago action.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBv686s3kCc&amp;t=24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago action</a>, a player flows off a pindown screen into a dribble handoff and assesses the options from there.</p>
<p>With Booker flanked by viable spot-up shooters like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges, a lob threat in Deandre Ayton and a creation release valve in Chris Paul, most opponents struggle mightily to contain the Suns&rsquo; offense out of this play.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The &ldquo;pick your poison&rdquo; adage comes into focus. Sell out to slow Booker on the catch, and he&rsquo;ll deliver a feed to one of the surrounding marksmen. Load up against Ayton&rsquo;s dive and Booker can burrow his way toward a mid-range pull-up. Stay home against shooters, and Booker will loft a pass to Ayton at the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the second round, the Dallas Mavericks experienced this confounding spectrum. Booker only scored 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, but he dished 8 dimes to a single giveaway for a 121-114 victory. As Booker conducted possessions out of Chicago action, the Suns routinely carved up Dallas.</p>
<p>In Game 5, when Booker scored 28 points on 11 of 20 shooting in a 110-80 rout, the Mavericks endured similar troubles. Much of the series, whenever he faced single coverage or Dallas failed to neutralize Ayton on the roll, the Suns&rsquo; attack flourished. Letting Booker maneuver into space on those plays, particularly going to his right, is often a death knell for defenses.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0yj49q" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Although Booker&rsquo;s 30-point Game 2 arose more so out of pick-and-rolls, isolations and transition opportunities, Dallas&rsquo; ability (or lack thereof) to slow him in Chicago action proved to be somewhat of a bellwether for its collective success.</p>
<p>Sending a crowd in Booker&rsquo;s direction and mucking up his passing windows can consistently throw him for a loop. The Mavericks tout considerable size, length and mobility on the perimeter, which they applied to flummox the three-time All-Star (and his teammates). His worst outings of the series all stemmed from Dallas barricading the paint, bringing multiple bodies his way and coaxing improvisation out of him.</p>
<p>Utilizing his 6-foot-5 frame, snappy elevation for jumpers and feathery mid-range touch, Booker thrives against single coverage. He&rsquo;s also prone to predetermined reads as a facilitator. By limiting both of those scenarios, Dallas bottled him up. He&rsquo;s developed into a good passer, but a buffer period exists when the opening he seeks out is not there. The Mavericks reliably took away his anticipated choice, and cornered him and the Suns into resetting the offense.</p>
<p>If the lob to Ayton is readily available, he makes it look second-nature; when the lob isn&rsquo;t, possessions begin sticking. In Game 3, Booker took just 13 shots (18 points) throughout his 40 minutes and compiled 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Across Games 6 and 7, he scored 30 points on 40.9% True Shooting and had 5 assists to 12 turnovers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dallas extended his initial touch further from the paint, sagged off the shooter to his left and made him reverse course. Rarely did he locate the open teammate on the wing. The Mavericks know that read is a gap in his passing vision and exploited it. Paul&rsquo;s aversion to spot-up triples aided, and likely factored into, their game plan&nbsp; too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The scouting department and coaching staff deserve massive praise for those tweaks, as do Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith. The former two&rsquo;s mobility and dexterity agitated Booker on the catch and pushed him away from the hoop; the latter two constantly stayed connected amid his off-ball motion and shrunk open space.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xz1oai" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All this defensive precision is a subplot of fashioning an offense so reliant on Luka Doncic&rsquo;s superlatives. The risk is he falters down the stretch in crunch-time of a tight contest. Everyone acknowledges that, and has watched it occur at times.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The positive, though, is how Luka's heliocentric approach preserves energy for everyone else and enables the Mavericks to play the hellacious defense they did for much of the second round (and this year). Had they been tasked with loftier offensive responsibilities, the defensive connectivity and timing may have suffered. Instead, their jobs were straightforward, and the defensive nuances headlined their checklist each night.</p>
<p>In Game 7, Dallas threw the kitchen sink at Booker (as well as at other points in this matchup). Paul clearly lacked the verve to boogie in ball-screens like he customarily would, so Booker emerged as Phoenix&rsquo;s primary offensive creator, a storyline that bubbled over the course of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To stymie the Suns&rsquo; offense, the Mavericks repeatedly blitzed or trapped him and funneled offense to unsuitable decision-makers. Players like Bridges, Crowder and Torrey Craig received passes with Dallas&rsquo; defense still slightly recovering after a show or double-team. None of them proved adept to burn the Mavericks for that gambit.</p>
<p>Booker is an excellent player and deserving All-Star. He will rightfully make his inaugural All-NBA appearance this season. But Phoenix&rsquo;s offense generally functions at its peak when Paul is orchestrating. Through increasingly applying full-court pressure against the Point God and targeting him on switches defensively, the Mavericks wore him down and disrupted the Suns&rsquo; offensive hierarchy.</p>
<p>Paul and Ayton have fostered delightful synergy in pick-and-rolls, while Paul&rsquo;s historically great passing wizardry sets up Bridges, Crowder and Cameron Johnson to work off advantages. Booker is, of course, the superior scorer, yet Dallas quelled his trademark play. In doing so, it thrust his shortcomings under the microscope and dared him to win as an elite decision-maker.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He couldn&rsquo;t, sending he and the 64-win, top-seeded Suns home far earlier than they envisioned this postseason.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Over the past few seasons, perhaps the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; favorite way to catalyze rhythm for star guard Devin Booker has been a Chicago action.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBv686s3kCc&amp;t=24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago action</a>, a player flows off a pindown screen into a dribble handoff and assesses the options from there.</p>
<p>With Booker flanked by viable spot-up shooters like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges, a lob threat in Deandre Ayton and a creation release valve in Chris Paul, most opponents struggle mightily to contain the Suns&rsquo; offense out of this play.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The &ldquo;pick your poison&rdquo; adage comes into focus. Sell out to slow Booker on the catch, and he&rsquo;ll deliver a feed to one of the surrounding marksmen. Load up against Ayton&rsquo;s dive and Booker can burrow his way toward a mid-range pull-up. Stay home against shooters, and Booker will loft a pass to Ayton at the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the second round, the Dallas Mavericks experienced this confounding spectrum. Booker only scored 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, but he dished 8 dimes to a single giveaway for a 121-114 victory. As Booker conducted possessions out of Chicago action, the Suns routinely carved up Dallas.</p>
<p>In Game 5, when Booker scored 28 points on 11 of 20 shooting in a 110-80 rout, the Mavericks endured similar troubles. Much of the series, whenever he faced single coverage or Dallas failed to neutralize Ayton on the roll, the Suns&rsquo; attack flourished. Letting Booker maneuver into space on those plays, particularly going to his right, is often a death knell for defenses.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0yj49q" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Although Booker&rsquo;s 30-point Game 2 arose more so out of pick-and-rolls, isolations and transition opportunities, Dallas&rsquo; ability (or lack thereof) to slow him in Chicago action proved to be somewhat of a bellwether for its collective success.</p>
<p>Sending a crowd in Booker&rsquo;s direction and mucking up his passing windows can consistently throw him for a loop. The Mavericks tout considerable size, length and mobility on the perimeter, which they applied to flummox the three-time All-Star (and his teammates). His worst outings of the series all stemmed from Dallas barricading the paint, bringing multiple bodies his way and coaxing improvisation out of him.</p>
<p>Utilizing his 6-foot-5 frame, snappy elevation for jumpers and feathery mid-range touch, Booker thrives against single coverage. He&rsquo;s also prone to predetermined reads as a facilitator. By limiting both of those scenarios, Dallas bottled him up. He&rsquo;s developed into a good passer, but a buffer period exists when the opening he seeks out is not there. The Mavericks reliably took away his anticipated choice, and cornered him and the Suns into resetting the offense.</p>
<p>If the lob to Ayton is readily available, he makes it look second-nature; when the lob isn&rsquo;t, possessions begin sticking. In Game 3, Booker took just 13 shots (18 points) throughout his 40 minutes and compiled 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Across Games 6 and 7, he scored 30 points on 40.9% True Shooting and had 5 assists to 12 turnovers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dallas extended his initial touch further from the paint, sagged off the shooter to his left and made him reverse course. Rarely did he locate the open teammate on the wing. The Mavericks know that read is a gap in his passing vision and exploited it. Paul&rsquo;s aversion to spot-up triples aided, and likely factored into, their game plan&nbsp; too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The scouting department and coaching staff deserve massive praise for those tweaks, as do Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith. The former two&rsquo;s mobility and dexterity agitated Booker on the catch and pushed him away from the hoop; the latter two constantly stayed connected amid his off-ball motion and shrunk open space.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xz1oai" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All this defensive precision is a subplot of fashioning an offense so reliant on Luka Doncic&rsquo;s superlatives. The risk is he falters down the stretch in crunch-time of a tight contest. Everyone acknowledges that, and has watched it occur at times.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The positive, though, is how Luka's heliocentric approach preserves energy for everyone else and enables the Mavericks to play the hellacious defense they did for much of the second round (and this year). Had they been tasked with loftier offensive responsibilities, the defensive connectivity and timing may have suffered. Instead, their jobs were straightforward, and the defensive nuances headlined their checklist each night.</p>
<p>In Game 7, Dallas threw the kitchen sink at Booker (as well as at other points in this matchup). Paul clearly lacked the verve to boogie in ball-screens like he customarily would, so Booker emerged as Phoenix&rsquo;s primary offensive creator&nbsp; a storyline that bubbled over the course of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To stymie the Suns&rsquo; offense, the Mavericks repeatedly blitzed or trapped him and funneled offense to unsuitable decision-makers. Players like Bridges, Crowder and Torrey Craig received passes with Dallas&rsquo; defense still slightly recovering after a show or double-team. None of them proved adept to burn the Mavericks for that gambit.</p>
<p>Booker is an excellent player and deserving All-Star. He will rightfully make his inaugural All-NBA appearance this season. But Phoenix&rsquo;s offense generally functions at its peak when Paul is orchestrating. Through increasingly applying full-court pressure against the Point God and targeting him on switches defensively, the Mavericks wore him down and disrupted the Suns&rsquo; offensive hierarchy.</p>
<p>Paul and Ayton have fostered delightful synergy in pick-and-rolls, while Paul&rsquo;s historically great passing wizardry sets up Bridges, Crowder and Cameron Johnson to work off advantages. Booker is, of course, the superior scorer, yet Dallas quelled his trademark play. In doing so, it thrust his shortcomings under the microscope and dared him to win as an elite decision-maker.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He couldn&rsquo;t, sending he and the 64-win, top-seeded Suns home far earlier than they envisioned this postseason.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Over the past few seasons, perhaps the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; favorite way to catalyze rhythm for star guard Devin Booker has been a Chicago action.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBv686s3kCc&amp;t=24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago action</a>, a player flows off a pindown screen into a dribble handoff and assesses the options from there.</p>
<p>With Booker flanked by viable spot-up shooters like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges, a lob threat in Deandre Ayton and a creation release valve in Chris Paul, most opponents struggle mightily to contain the Suns&rsquo; offense out of this play.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The &ldquo;pick your poison&rdquo; adage comes into focus. Sell out to slow Booker on the catch, and he&rsquo;ll deliver a feed to one of the surrounding marksmen. Load up against Ayton&rsquo;s dive and Booker can burrow his way toward a mid-range pull-up. Stay home against shooters, and Booker will loft a pass to Ayton at the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the second round, the Dallas Mavericks experienced this confounding spectrum. Booker only scored 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, but he dished 8 dimes to a single giveaway for a 121-114 victory. As Booker conducted possessions out of Chicago action, the Suns routinely carved up Dallas.</p>
<p>In Game 5, when Booker scored 28 points on 11 of 20 shooting in a 110-80 rout, the Mavericks endured similar troubles. Much of the series, whenever he faced single coverage or Dallas failed to neutralize Ayton on the roll, the Suns&rsquo; attack flourished. Letting Booker maneuver into space on those plays, particularly going to his right, is often a death knell for defenses.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0yj49q" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Although Booker&rsquo;s 30-point Game 2 arose more so out of pick-and-rolls, isolations and transition opportunities, Dallas&rsquo; ability (or lack thereof) to slow him in Chicago action proved to be somewhat of a bellwether for its collective success.</p>
<p>Sending a crowd in Booker&rsquo;s direction and mucking up his passing windows can consistently throw him for a loop. The Mavericks tout considerable size, length and mobility on the perimeter, which they applied to flummox the three-time All-Star (and his teammates). His worst outings of the series all stemmed from Dallas barricading the paint, bringing multiple bodies his way and coaxing improvisation out of him.</p>
<p>Utilizing his 6-foot-5 frame, snappy elevation for jumpers and feathery mid-range touch, Booker thrives against single coverage. He&rsquo;s also prone to predetermined reads as a facilitator. By limiting both of those scenarios, Dallas bottled him up. He&rsquo;s developed into a good passer, but a buffer period exists when the opening he seeks out is not there. The Mavericks reliably took away his anticipated choice, and cornered him and the Suns into resetting the offense.</p>
<p>If the lob to Ayton is readily available, he makes it look second-nature; when the lob isn&rsquo;t, possessions begin sticking. In Game 3, Booker took just 13 shots (18 points) throughout his 40 minutes and compiled 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Across Games 6 and 7, he scored 30 points on 40.9% True Shooting and had 5 assists to 12 turnovers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dallas extended his initial touch further from the paint, sagged off the shooter to his left and made him reverse course. Rarely did he locate the open teammate on the wing. The Mavericks know that read is a gap in his passing vision and exploited it. Paul&rsquo;s aversion to spot-up triples aided, and likely factored into, their game plan&nbsp; too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The scouting department and coaching staff deserve massive praise for those tweaks, as do Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith. The former two&rsquo;s mobility and dexterity agitated Booker on the catch and pushed him away from the hoop; the latter two constantly stayed connected amid his off-ball motion and shrunk open space.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xz1oai" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All this defensive precision is a subplot of fashioning an offense so reliant on Luka Doncic&rsquo;s superlatives. The risk is he falters down the stretch in crunch-time of a tight contest. Everyone acknowledges that, and has watched it occur at times.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The positive, though, is how Luka's heliocentric approach preserves energy for everyone else and enables the Mavericks to play the hellacious defense they did for much of the second round (and this year). Had they been tasked with loftier offensive responsibilities, the defensive connectivity and timing may have suffered. Instead, their jobs were straightforward, and the defensive nuances headlined their checklist each night.</p>
<p>In Game 7, Dallas threw the kitchen sink at Booker (as well as at other points in this matchup). Paul clearly lacked the verve to boogie in ball-screens like he customarily would, so Booker emerged as Phoenix&rsquo;s primary offensive creator &mdash; a storyline that bubbled over the course of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To stymie the Suns&rsquo; offense, the Mavericks repeatedly blitzed or trapped Booker and funneled offense to unsuitable decision-makers. Players like Bridges, Crowder and Torrey Craig received passes with Dallas&rsquo; defense still slightly recovering after a show or double-team. None of them proved adept to burn the Mavericks for that gambit.</p>
<p>Booker is an excellent player and deserving All-Star. He will rightfully make his inaugural All-NBA appearance this season. But Phoenix&rsquo;s offense generally functions at its peak when Paul is orchestrating. Through increasingly applying full-court pressure against the Point God and targeting him on switches defensively, the Mavericks wore him down and disrupted the Suns&rsquo; offensive hierarchy.</p>
<p>Paul and Ayton have fostered delightful synergy in pick-and-rolls, while Paul&rsquo;s historically great passing wizardry sets up Bridges, Crowder and Cameron Johnson to work off advantages. Booker is, of course, the superior scorer, yet Dallas quelled his trademark play. In doing so, it thrust his shortcomings under the microscope and dared him to win as an elite decision-maker.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He couldn&rsquo;t, sending he and the 64-win, top-seeded Suns home far earlier than they envisioned this postseason.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Over the past few seasons, perhaps the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; favorite way to catalyze rhythm for star guard Devin Booker has been a Chicago action.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBv686s3kCc&amp;t=24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago action</a>, a player flows off a pindown screen into a dribble handoff and assesses the options from there.</p>
<p>With Booker flanked by viable spot-up shooters like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges, a lob threat in Deandre Ayton and a creation release valve in Chris Paul, most opponents struggle mightily to contain the Suns&rsquo; offense out of this play.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The &ldquo;pick your poison&rdquo; adage comes into focus. Sell out to slow Booker on the catch, and he&rsquo;ll deliver a feed to one of the surrounding marksmen. Load up against Ayton&rsquo;s dive and Booker can burrow his way toward a mid-range pull-up. Stay home against shooters, and Booker will loft a pass to Ayton at the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the second round, the Dallas Mavericks experienced this confounding spectrum. Booker only scored 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, but he dished 8 dimes to a single giveaway for a 121-114 victory. As Booker conducted possessions out of Chicago action, the Suns routinely carved up Dallas.</p>
<p>In Game 5, when Booker scored 28 points on 11 of 20 shooting in a 110-80 rout, the Mavericks endured similar troubles. Much of the series, whenever he faced single coverage or Dallas failed to neutralize Ayton on the roll, the Suns&rsquo; attack flourished. Letting Booker maneuver into space on those plays, particularly going to his right, is often a death knell for defenses.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0yj49q" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Although Booker&rsquo;s 30-point Game 2 arose more so out of pick-and-rolls, isolations and transition opportunities, Dallas&rsquo; ability (or lack thereof) to slow him in Chicago action proved to be somewhat of a bellwether for its collective success.</p>
<p>Sending a crowd in Booker&rsquo;s direction and mucking up his passing windows can consistently throw him for a loop. The Mavericks tout considerable size, length and mobility on the perimeter, which they applied to flummox the three-time All-Star (and his teammates). His worst outings of the series all stemmed from Dallas barricading the paint, bringing multiple bodies his way and coaxing improvisation out of him.</p>
<p>Utilizing his 6-foot-5 frame, snappy elevation for jumpers and feathery mid-range touch, Booker thrives against single coverage. He&rsquo;s also prone to predetermined reads as a facilitator. By limiting both of those scenarios, Dallas bottled him up. He&rsquo;s developed into a good passer, but a buffer period exists when the opening he seeks out is not there. The Mavericks reliably took away his anticipated choice, and cornered him and the Suns into resetting the offense.</p>
<p>If the lob to Ayton is readily available, he makes it look second-nature; when the lob isn&rsquo;t, possessions begin sticking. In Game 3, Booker took just 13 shots (18 points) throughout his 40 minutes and compiled 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Across Games 6 and 7, he scored 30 points on 40.9% True Shooting and had 5 assists to 12 turnovers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dallas extended his initial touch further from the paint, sagged off the shooter to his left and made him reverse course. Rarely did he locate the open teammate on the wing. The Mavericks know that read is a gap in his passing vision and exploited it. Paul&rsquo;s aversion to spot-up triples aided, and likely factored into, their game plan&nbsp; too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The scouting department and coaching staff deserve massive praise for those tweaks, as do Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith. The former two&rsquo;s mobility and dexterity agitated Booker on the catch and pushed him away from the hoop; the latter two constantly stayed connected amid his off-ball motion and shrunk open space.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xz1oai" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All this defensive precision is a subplot of fashioning an offense so reliant on Luka Doncic&rsquo;s superlatives. The risk is he falters down the stretch in crunch-time of a tight contest. Everyone acknowledges that, and has watched it occur at times.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The positive, though, is how Luka's heliocentric approach preserves energy for everyone else and enables the Mavericks to play the hellacious defense they did for much of the second round (and this year). Had they been tasked with loftier offensive responsibilities, the defensive connectivity and timing may have suffered. Instead, their jobs were straightforward, and the defensive nuances headlined their checklist each night.</p>
<p>In Game 7, Dallas threw the kitchen sink at Booker (as well as at other points in this matchup). Paul clearly lacked the verve to boogie in ball-screens like he customarily would, so Booker emerged as Phoenix&rsquo;s primary offensive creator &mdash; a storyline that bubbled over the course of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To stymie the Suns&rsquo; offense, the Mavericks repeatedly blitzed or trapped Booker and funneled offense to unsuitable decision-makers. Players like Bridges, Crowder and Torrey Craig received passes with Dallas&rsquo; defense still slightly recovering after a show or double-team. None of them proved adept to burn the Mavericks for that gambit.</p>
<p>Booker is an excellent player and a deserving All-Star. He will rightfully make his inaugural All-NBA appearance this season. But Phoenix&rsquo;s offense generally functions at its peak when Paul is orchestrating. Through increasingly applying full-court pressure against the Point God and targeting him on switches defensively, the Mavericks wore him down and disrupted the Suns&rsquo; offensive hierarchy.</p>
<p>Paul and Ayton have fostered delightful synergy in pick-and-rolls, while Paul&rsquo;s historically great passing wizardry sets up Bridges, Crowder and Cameron Johnson to work off advantages. Booker is, of course, the superior scorer, yet Dallas quelled his trademark play. In doing so, it thrust his shortcomings under the microscope and dared him to win as an elite decision-maker.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He couldn&rsquo;t, sending he and the 64-win, top-seeded Suns home far earlier than they envisioned this postseason.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Over the past few seasons, perhaps the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; favorite way to catalyze rhythm for star guard Devin Booker has been a Chicago action.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBv686s3kCc&amp;t=24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago action</a>, a player flows off a pindown screen into a dribble handoff and assesses the options from there.</p>
<p>With Booker flanked by viable spot-up shooters like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges, a lob threat in Deandre Ayton and a creation release valve in Chris Paul, most opponents struggle mightily to contain the Suns&rsquo; offense out of this play.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The &ldquo;pick your poison&rdquo; adage comes into focus. Sell out to slow Booker on the catch, and he&rsquo;ll deliver a feed to one of the surrounding marksmen. Load up against Ayton&rsquo;s dive and Booker can burrow his way toward a mid-range pull-up. Stay home against shooters, and Booker will loft a pass to Ayton at the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the second round, the Dallas Mavericks experienced this confounding spectrum. Booker only scored 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, but he dished 8 dimes to a single giveaway for a 121-114 victory. As Booker conducted possessions out of Chicago action, the Suns routinely carved up Dallas.</p>
<p>In Game 5, when Booker scored 28 points on 11 of 20 shooting in a 110-80 rout, the Mavericks endured similar troubles. Much of the series, whenever he faced single coverage or Dallas failed to neutralize Ayton on the roll, the Suns&rsquo; attack flourished. Letting Booker maneuver into space on those plays, particularly going to his right, is often a death knell for defenses.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0yj49q" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Although Booker&rsquo;s 30-point Game 2 arose more so out of pick-and-rolls, isolations and transition opportunities, Dallas&rsquo; ability (or lack thereof) to slow him in Chicago action proved to be somewhat of a bellwether for its collective success.</p>
<p>Sending a crowd in Booker&rsquo;s direction and mucking up his passing windows can consistently throw him for a loop. The Mavericks tout considerable size, length and mobility on the perimeter, which they applied to flummox the three-time All-Star (and his teammates). His worst outings of the series all stemmed from Dallas barricading the paint, bringing multiple bodies his way and coaxing improvisation out of him.</p>
<p>Utilizing his 6-foot-5 frame, snappy elevation for jumpers and feathery mid-range touch, Booker thrives against single coverage. He&rsquo;s also prone to predetermined reads as a facilitator. By limiting both of those scenarios, Dallas bottled him up. He&rsquo;s developed into a good passer, but a buffer period exists when the opening he seeks out is not there. The Mavericks reliably took away his anticipated choice, and cornered him and the Suns into resetting the offense.</p>
<p>If the lob to Ayton is readily available, he makes it look second-nature; when the lob isn&rsquo;t, possessions begin sticking. In Game 3, Booker took just 13 shots (18 points) throughout his 40 minutes and compiled 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Across Games 6 and 7, he scored 30 points on 40.9% True Shooting and had 5 assists to 12 turnovers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dallas extended his initial touch further from the paint, sagged off the shooter to his left and made him reverse course. Rarely did he locate the open teammate on the wing. The Mavericks know that read is a gap in his passing vision and exploited it. Paul&rsquo;s aversion to spot-up triples aided, and likely factored into, their game plan&nbsp; too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The scouting department and coaching staff deserve massive praise for those tweaks, as do Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith. The former two&rsquo;s mobility and dexterity agitated Booker on the catch and pushed him away from the hoop; the latter two constantly stayed connected amid his off-ball motion and shrunk open space.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xz1oai" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All this defensive precision is a subplot of fashioning an offense so reliant on Luka Doncic&rsquo;s superlatives. The risk is he falters down the stretch in crunch-time of a tight contest. Everyone acknowledges that, and has watched it occur at times.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The positive, though, is how Luka's heliocentric approach preserves energy for everyone else and enables the Mavericks to play the hellacious defense they did for much of the second round (and this year). Had they been tasked with loftier offensive responsibilities, the defensive connectivity and timing may have suffered. Instead, their jobs were straightforward, and the defensive nuances headlined their checklist each night.</p>
<p>In Game 7, Dallas threw the kitchen sink at Booker (as well as at other points in this matchup). Paul clearly lacked the verve to boogie in ball-screens like he customarily would, so Booker emerged as Phoenix&rsquo;s primary offensive creator &mdash; a storyline that bubbled over the course of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To stymie the Suns&rsquo; offense, the Mavericks repeatedly blitzed or trapped Booker and funneled offense to unsuitable decision-makers. Players like Bridges, Crowder and Torrey Craig received passes with Dallas&rsquo; defense still slightly recovering after a show or double-team. None of them proved adept to burn the Mavericks for that gambit.</p>
<p>Booker is an excellent player and a deserving All-Star. He will rightfully make his inaugural All-NBA appearance this season. But Phoenix&rsquo;s offense generally functions at its peak when Paul is orchestrating. Through increasingly applying full-court pressure against the Point God and targeting him on switches defensively, the Mavericks wore him down and disrupted the Suns&rsquo; offensive hierarchy.</p>
<p>Paul and Ayton have fostered <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/there-are-no-good-answers-for-the-chris-pauldeandre-ayton-duo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delightful synergy in pick-and-rolls</a>, while Paul&rsquo;s historically great passing wizardry sets up Bridges, Crowder and Cameron Johnson to work off advantages. Booker is, of course, the superior scorer, yet Dallas quelled his trademark play. In doing so, it thrust his shortcomings under the microscope and dared him to win as an elite decision-maker.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He couldn&rsquo;t, sending he and the 64-win, top-seeded Suns home far earlier than they envisioned this postseason.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Over the past few seasons, perhaps the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; favorite way to catalyze rhythm for star guard Devin Booker has been a Chicago action.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBv686s3kCc&amp;t=24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago action</a>, a player flows off a pindown screen into a dribble handoff and assesses the options from there.</p>
<p>With Booker flanked by viable spot-up shooters like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges, a lob threat in Deandre Ayton and a creation release valve in Chris Paul, most opponents struggle mightily to contain the Suns&rsquo; offense out of this play.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The &ldquo;pick your poison&rdquo; adage comes into focus. Sell out to slow Booker on the catch, and he&rsquo;ll deliver a feed to one of the surrounding marksmen. Load up against Ayton&rsquo;s dive and Booker can burrow his way toward a mid-range pull-up. Stay home against shooters, and Booker will loft a pass to Ayton at the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the second round, the Dallas Mavericks experienced this confounding spectrum. Booker only scored 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, but he dished 8 dimes to a single giveaway for a 121-114 victory. As Booker conducted possessions out of Chicago action, the Suns routinely carved up Dallas.</p>
<p>In Game 5, when Booker scored 28 points on 11 of 20 shooting in a 110-80 rout, the Mavericks endured similar troubles. Much of the series, whenever he faced single coverage or Dallas failed to neutralize Ayton on the roll, the Suns&rsquo; attack flourished. Letting Booker maneuver into space on those plays, particularly going to his right, is often a death knell for defenses.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0yj49q" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Although Booker&rsquo;s 30-point Game 2 arose more so out of pick-and-rolls, isolations and transition opportunities, Dallas&rsquo; ability (or lack thereof) to slow him in Chicago action proved to be somewhat of a bellwether for its collective success.</p>
<p>Sending a crowd in Booker&rsquo;s direction and mucking up his passing windows can consistently throw him for a loop. The Mavericks tout considerable size, length and mobility on the perimeter, which they applied to flummox the three-time All-Star (and his teammates). His worst outings of the series all stemmed from Dallas barricading the paint, bringing multiple bodies his way and coaxing improvisation out of him.</p>
<p>Utilizing his 6-foot-5 frame, snappy elevation for jumpers and feathery mid-range touch, Booker thrives against single coverage. He&rsquo;s also prone to predetermined reads as a facilitator. By limiting both of those scenarios, Dallas bottled him up. He&rsquo;s developed into a good passer, but a buffer period exists when the opening he seeks out is not there. The Mavericks reliably took away his anticipated choice, and cornered him and the Suns into resetting the offense.</p>
<p>If the lob to Ayton is readily available, he makes it look second-nature; when the lob isn&rsquo;t, possessions begin sticking. In Game 3, Booker took just 13 shots (18 points) throughout his 40 minutes and compiled 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Across Games 6 and 7, he scored 30 points on 40.9% True Shooting and had 5 assists to 12 turnovers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dallas extended his initial touch further from the paint, sagged off the shooter to his left and made him reverse course. Rarely did he locate the open teammate on the wing. The Mavericks know that read is a gap in his passing vision and exploited it. Paul&rsquo;s aversion to spot-up triples aided, and likely factored into, their game plan&nbsp; too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The scouting department and coaching staff deserve massive praise for those tweaks, as do Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith. The former two&rsquo;s mobility and dexterity agitated Booker on the catch and pushed him away from the hoop; the latter two constantly stayed connected amid his off-ball motion and shrunk open space.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xz1oai" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All this defensive precision is a subplot of fashioning an offense so reliant on Luka Doncic&rsquo;s superlatives. The risk is he falters down the stretch in crunch-time of a tight contest. Everyone acknowledges that, and has watched it occur at times.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The positive, though, is how Luka's heliocentric approach preserves energy for everyone else and enables the Mavericks to play the hellacious defense they did for much of the second round (and this year). Had they been tasked with loftier offensive responsibilities, the defensive connectivity and timing may have suffered. Instead, their jobs were straightforward, and the defensive nuances headlined their checklist each night.</p>
<p>In Game 7, Dallas threw the kitchen sink at Booker (as well as at other points in this matchup). Paul clearly lacked the verve to boogie in ball-screens like he customarily would, so Booker emerged as Phoenix&rsquo;s primary offensive creator &mdash; a storyline that bubbled over the course of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To stymie the Suns&rsquo; offense, the Mavericks repeatedly blitzed or trapped Booker and funneled offense to unsuitable decision-makers. Players like Bridges, Crowder and Torrey Craig received passes with Dallas&rsquo; defense still slightly recovering after a show or double-team. None of them proved adept to burn the Mavericks for that gambit.</p>
<p>Booker is an excellent player and a deserving All-Star. He will rightfully make his inaugural All-NBA appearance this season. But Phoenix&rsquo;s offense generally functions at its peak when Paul is orchestrating. Through increasingly applying full-court pressure against the Point God and targeting him on switches defensively, the Mavericks wore him down and disrupted the Suns&rsquo; offensive hierarchy.</p>
<p>Paul and Ayton have fostered <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/there-are-no-good-answers-for-the-chris-pauldeandre-ayton-duo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delightful synergy in pick-and-rolls</a>, while Paul&rsquo;s historically great passing wizardry sets up Bridges, Crowder and Cameron Johnson to work off advantages. Booker is, of course, the superior scorer, yet Dallas quelled his trademark play. In doing so, it thrust his shortcomings under the microscope and dared him to win as an elite decision-maker.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He couldn&rsquo;t, and Booker, along with the 64-win, top-seeded Suns home far earlier than they envisioned this postseason.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Over the past few seasons, perhaps the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; favorite way to catalyze rhythm for star guard Devin Booker has been a Chicago action.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBv686s3kCc&amp;t=24s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago action</a>, a player flows off a pindown screen into a dribble handoff and assesses the options from there.</p>
<p>With Booker flanked by viable spot-up shooters like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges, a lob threat in Deandre Ayton and a creation release valve in Chris Paul, most opponents struggle mightily to contain the Suns&rsquo; offense out of this play.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The &ldquo;pick your poison&rdquo; adage comes into focus. Sell out to slow Booker on the catch, and he&rsquo;ll deliver a feed to one of the surrounding marksmen. Load up against Ayton&rsquo;s dive and Booker can burrow his way toward a mid-range pull-up. Stay home against shooters, and Booker will loft a pass to Ayton at the rim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Game 1 of the second round, the Dallas Mavericks experienced this confounding spectrum. Booker only scored 23 points on 7 of 20 shooting, but he dished 8 dimes to a single giveaway for a 121-114 victory. As Booker conducted possessions out of Chicago action, the Suns routinely carved up Dallas.</p>
<p>In Game 5, when Booker scored 28 points on 11 of 20 shooting in a 110-80 rout, the Mavericks endured similar troubles. Much of the series, whenever he faced single coverage or Dallas failed to neutralize Ayton on the roll, the Suns&rsquo; attack flourished. Letting Booker maneuver into space on those plays, particularly going to his right, is often a death knell for defenses.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/0yj49q" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Although Booker&rsquo;s 30-point Game 2 arose more so out of pick-and-rolls, isolations and transition opportunities, Dallas&rsquo; ability (or lack thereof) to slow him in Chicago action proved to be somewhat of a bellwether for its collective success.</p>
<p>Sending a crowd in Booker&rsquo;s direction and mucking up his passing windows can consistently throw him for a loop. The Mavericks tout considerable size, length and mobility on the perimeter, which they applied to flummox the three-time All-Star (and his teammates). His worst outings of the series all stemmed from Dallas barricading the paint, bringing multiple bodies his way and coaxing improvisation out of him.</p>
<p>Utilizing his 6-foot-5 frame, snappy elevation for jumpers and feathery mid-range touch, Booker thrives against single coverage. He&rsquo;s also prone to predetermined reads as a facilitator. By limiting both of those scenarios, Dallas bottled him up. He&rsquo;s developed into a good passer, but a buffer period exists when the opening he seeks out is not there. The Mavericks reliably took away his anticipated choice, and cornered him and the Suns into resetting the offense.</p>
<p>If the lob to Ayton is readily available, he makes it look second-nature; when the lob isn&rsquo;t, possessions begin sticking. In Game 3, Booker took just 13 shots (18 points) throughout his 40 minutes and compiled 6 assists to 5 turnovers. Across Games 6 and 7, he scored 30 points on 40.9% True Shooting and had 5 assists to 12 turnovers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dallas extended his initial touch further from the paint, sagged off the shooter to his left and made him reverse course. Rarely did he locate the open teammate on the wing. The Mavericks know that read is a gap in his passing vision and exploited it. Paul&rsquo;s aversion to spot-up triples aided, and likely factored into, their game plan&nbsp; too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The scouting department and coaching staff deserve massive praise for those tweaks, as do Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith. The former two&rsquo;s mobility and dexterity agitated Booker on the catch and pushed him away from the hoop; the latter two constantly stayed connected amid his off-ball motion and shrunk open space.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/xz1oai" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>All this defensive precision is a subplot of fashioning an offense so reliant on Luka Doncic&rsquo;s superlatives. The risk is he falters down the stretch in crunch-time of a tight contest. Everyone acknowledges that, and has watched it occur at times.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The positive, though, is how Luka's heliocentric approach preserves energy for everyone else and enables the Mavericks to play the hellacious defense they did for much of the second round (and this year). Had they been tasked with loftier offensive responsibilities, the defensive connectivity and timing may have suffered. Instead, their jobs were straightforward, and the defensive nuances headlined their checklist each night.</p>
<p>In Game 7, Dallas threw the kitchen sink at Booker (as well as at other points in this matchup). Paul clearly lacked the verve to boogie in ball-screens like he customarily would, so Booker emerged as Phoenix&rsquo;s primary offensive creator &mdash; a storyline that bubbled over the course of the series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To stymie the Suns&rsquo; offense, the Mavericks repeatedly blitzed or trapped Booker and funneled offense to unsuitable decision-makers. Players like Bridges, Crowder and Torrey Craig received passes with Dallas&rsquo; defense still slightly recovering after a show or double-team. None of them proved adept to burn the Mavericks for that gambit.</p>
<p>Booker is an excellent player and a deserving All-Star. He will rightfully make his inaugural All-NBA appearance this season. But Phoenix&rsquo;s offense generally functions at its peak when Paul is orchestrating. Through increasingly applying full-court pressure against the Point God and targeting him on switches defensively, the Mavericks wore him down and disrupted the Suns&rsquo; offensive hierarchy.</p>
<p>Paul and Ayton have fostered <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/there-are-no-good-answers-for-the-chris-pauldeandre-ayton-duo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delightful synergy in pick-and-rolls</a>, while Paul&rsquo;s historically great passing wizardry sets up Bridges, Crowder and Cameron Johnson to work off advantages. Booker is, of course, the superior scorer, yet Dallas quelled his trademark play. In doing so, it thrust his shortcomings under the microscope and dared him to win as an elite decision-maker.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He couldn&rsquo;t, and Booker, along with the 64-win, top-seeded Suns, were sent home far earlier than they envisioned this postseason.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

Jackson Frank digs into what the Mavericks did to stifle Devin Booker and the Suns' offense.

How the Mavericks slowed Devin Booker by forcing him to improvise

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the regular season, Jaren Jackson, Jr. fouled out three times in 78 games. Aside from his brief 2020-21 stint, those three foul-outs represented the lowest mark of his four-year career. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the first eight games of the 2021-22 playoffs, Jackson matched that number.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is not a random occurrence. Jackson improved his discipline and technique this year, but he also was the beneficiary of enjoying a ton of time alongside Steven Adams. The Kiwi center was benched after Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then entered health and safety protocols before returning in Game 4 of the second round.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; presence has rippled across Memphis&rsquo; entire team. Despite Ja Morant being sidelined for Games 4 and 5, the Grizzlies narrowly lost Game 4 in Oakland and rollicked the Warriors, 134-95, in Game 5 to extend their season. The grandest impact of Adams&rsquo; return, though, has been enabling Jackson to stay on the floor and wield his tantalizing two-way portfolio.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His 34 minutes in Game 4 matched a playoff career-high, while he only picked up three fouls in 25 Game-5 minutes, tying his low-water total of this postseason. His 21 points in back-to-back contests are his second- and third-highest scoring clips.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adams on the floor during the regular season, Jackson averaged 5.1 fouls per 100 possessions. Without his veteran running mate, that spiked to 6.9 fouls. The disparity has heightened in the playoffs, falling to 4.5 and then vaulting to 8.8, respectively. When Adams exits the floor in the playoffs, Jackson&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage tumbles from 61.1 to 52.9.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although the Grizzlies still typically flanked Jackson with a big in Adams&rsquo; absence, whether it was Xavier Tillman or Brandon Clarke, Adams is a dependable backstop defensively in ways the other two are not.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson thrives as a roamer, soaring into events with his mobility, length and awareness. Yet he also struggles to control his movements when only afforded a moment&rsquo;s notice, which leads to gaudy foul outputs.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; deterrence and delaying of actions, given the size and strength advantage he holds over the other two big men, provides Jackson the time he needs to properly diagnose plays and influence them without fouling. Precision is everything as a rim protector and helper. Adams helps ensure Jackson&rsquo;s rotations are precise.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In amplifying Jackson&rsquo;s defensive talents, Adams also invites him to play more. Because Jackson only had four fouls until 10 seconds remaining (after entered the fourth with two), Memphis closed with him at the 5 in Game 4. Golden State missed a ton of triples, but encountered mighty trouble targeting him on switches or attacking him around the basket much of the night.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whenever he&rsquo;s stayed on the court this postseason, his defense has been superb. Per NBA.com, opponents are shooting 12% worse than their average on shots within 6 feet of the rim against Jackson. The problem has been staying on the court. Adams is remedying that problem.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/exzobm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not only is Adams elongating Jackson&rsquo;s run of playing time and heightening his defensive value, he&rsquo;s unlocking his scoring chops. Draymond Green was generally toggling across frontcourt assignments whenever Clarke or Tillman shared the court with Jackson. During minutes with Adams, in an aim to neutralize him on the glass, Green has predominantly tethered himself to Adams rather than Jackson.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That&rsquo;s a welcomed plotline for Jackson. He is 4-of-18 for 14 points (35.4% TS) with Green on him, struggling to fire jumpers cleanly, finish in the paint or draw fouls. When any other member of the Warriors has guarded him, he&rsquo;s 28 of 64 for 89 points (59.3% TS), applying his length, touch and size to generate compelling shots.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s not a coincidence that his three best scoring performances of the series have occurred when Green was ejected early (Game 1) and Games 4-5, when Green isn&rsquo;t seeing many minutes against the fourth-year big.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson&rsquo;s long ball is more subject to variance than anything else, but in the three games Adams has suited up for rotation minutes, Jackson is 13 of 26 (50%) on 2-pointers. In eight games without Adams, Jackson is 15 of 46 (32.6%). Mismatch-hunting is his most reliable form of interior scoring, and Adams is best equipped among his frontcourt mates to produce those mismatches.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s0jr2y" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; mere existence as a slingshot for Jackson&rsquo;s game isn&rsquo;t the sole manner in which he&rsquo;s cast his shadow upon the series. His offensive rebounding, screening and high-post playmaking are all enhancing the Grizzlies, who have outscored the Warriors by 45 points during his 49 minutes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Memphis&rsquo; best traits is their ability to bounce between play styles with and without Morant. When he&rsquo;s unavailable, they scale up Tyus Jones&rsquo; role, increase dribble hand-offs for Desmond Bane and crash the offensive glass even more. Adams factors into all three components, and that&rsquo;s remained the case in Games 4 and 5. He has chiseled openings as a screener, preserved possessions on the boards and set up teammates with his facilitating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1baczm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also possesses an aura of deterrence and attention that the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Tillman does not. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Adams occupies substantial concern from offensive and defensive players. It&rsquo;s by no means the headlining facet of his value, but it&rsquo;s nonetheless apparent on both sides of the ball and a boon to the Grizzlies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Golden State is already a limited interior scoring team, and Adams exacerbates that flaw. When he&rsquo;s on the court, the Warriors are shooting 66.7% in the restricted area with a rim frequency of 11.8%. When he&rsquo;s off the court, they&rsquo;re shooting 73.7% with a rim frequency of 29%.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><a href="https://streamable.com/42aors"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://streamable.com/42aors</span></a></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every year, the playoffs reveal themselves to be matchup-dependent festivities. Round 1 against the Timberwolves, with the mobile, sweet-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, was not necessarily a favorable context for Adams. But Round 2, against the undersized Warriors short on rim pressure, has proven to be his platform.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By easing responsibilities for Jackson, complementing Memphis&rsquo; primary ball-handlers sans Morant and exploiting Golden State inside, he&rsquo;s quickly demonstrated why this is his matchup to flourish.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the regular season, Jaren Jackson, Jr. fouled out three times in 78 games. Aside from his brief 2020-21 stint, those three foul-outs represented the lowest mark of his four-year career. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the first eight games of the 2021-22 playoffs, Jackson matched that number.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is not a random occurrence. Jackson improved his discipline and technique this year, but he also was the beneficiary of enjoying a ton of time alongside Steven Adams. The Kiwi center was benched after Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then entered health and safety protocols before returning in Game 4 of the second round.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; presence has rippled across Memphis&rsquo; entire team. Despite Ja Morant being sidelined for Games 4 and 5, the Grizzlies narrowly lost Game 4 in Oakland and rollicked the Warriors, 134-95, in Game 5 to extend their season. The grandest impact of Adams&rsquo; return, though, has been enabling Jackson to stay on the floor and wield his tantalizing two-way portfolio.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His 34 minutes in Game 4 matched a playoff career-high, while he only picked up three fouls in 25 Game-5 minutes, tying his low-water total of this postseason. His 21 points in back-to-back contests are his second- and third-highest scoring clips.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adams on the floor during the regular season, Jackson averaged 5.1 fouls per 100 possessions. Without his veteran running mate, that spiked to 6.9 fouls. The disparity has heightened in the playoffs, falling to 4.5 and then vaulting to 8.8, respectively. When Adams exits the floor in the playoffs, Jackson&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage tumbles from 61.1 to 52.9.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although the Grizzlies still typically flanked Jackson with a big in Adams&rsquo; absence, whether it was Xavier Tillman or Brandon Clarke, Adams is a dependable backstop defensively in ways the other two are not.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson thrives as a roamer, soaring into events with his mobility, length and awareness. Yet he also struggles to control his movements when only afforded a moment&rsquo;s notice, which leads to gaudy foul outputs.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; deterrence and delaying of actions, given the size and strength advantage he holds over the other two big men, provides Jackson the time he needs to properly diagnose plays and influence them without fouling. Precision is everything as a rim protector and helper. Adams helps ensure Jackson&rsquo;s rotations are precise.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In amplifying Jackson&rsquo;s defensive talents, Adams also invites him to play more. Because Jackson only had four fouls until 10 seconds remaining (after entered the fourth with two), Memphis closed with him at the 5 in Game 4. Golden State missed a ton of triples, but encountered mighty trouble targeting him on switches or attacking him around the basket much of the night.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whenever he&rsquo;s stayed on the court this postseason, his defense has been superb. Per NBA.com, opponents are shooting 12% worse than their average on shots within 6 feet of the rim against Jackson. The problem has been staying on the court. Adams is remedying that problem.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/exzobm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not only is Adams elongating Jackson&rsquo;s run of playing time and heightening his defensive value, he&rsquo;s unlocking his scoring chops. Draymond Green was generally toggling across frontcourt assignments whenever Clarke or Tillman shared the court with Jackson. During minutes with Adams, in an aim to neutralize him on the glass, Green has predominantly tethered himself to Adams rather than Jackson.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That&rsquo;s a welcomed plotline for Jackson. He is 4-of-18 for 14 points (35.4% TS) with Green on him, struggling to fire jumpers cleanly, finish in the paint or draw fouls. When any other member of the Warriors has guarded him, he&rsquo;s 28 of 64 for 89 points (59.3% TS), applying his length, touch and size to generate compelling shots.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s not a coincidence that his three best scoring performances of the series have occurred when Green was ejected early (Game 1) and Games 4-5, when Green isn&rsquo;t seeing many minutes against the fourth-year big.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson&rsquo;s long ball is more subject to variance than anything else, but in the three games Adams has suited up for rotation minutes, Jackson is 13 of 26 (50%) on 2-pointers. In eight games without Adams, Jackson is 15 of 46 (32.6%). Mismatch-hunting is his most reliable form of interior scoring, and Adams is best equipped among his frontcourt mates to produce those mismatches.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s0jr2y" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; mere existence as a slingshot for Jackson&rsquo;s game isn&rsquo;t the sole manner in which he&rsquo;s cast his shadow upon the series. His offensive rebounding, screening and high-post playmaking are all enhancing the Grizzlies, who have outscored the Warriors by 45 points during his 49 minutes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Memphis&rsquo; best traits is their ability to bounce between play styles with and without Morant. When he&rsquo;s unavailable, they scale up Tyus Jones&rsquo; role, increase dribble hand-offs for Desmond Bane and crash the offensive glass even more. Adams factors into all three components, and that&rsquo;s remained the case in Games 4 and 5. He has chiseled openings as a screener, preserved possessions on the boards and set up teammates with his facilitating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1baczm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also possesses an aura of deterrence and attention that the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Tillman does not. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Adams occupies substantial concern from offensive and defensive players. It&rsquo;s by no means the headlining facet of his value, but it&rsquo;s nonetheless apparent on both sides of the ball and a boon to the Grizzlies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Golden State is already a limited interior scoring team, and Adams exacerbates that flaw. When he&rsquo;s on the court, the Warriors are shooting 66.7% in the restricted area with a rim frequency of 11.8%. When he&rsquo;s off the court, they&rsquo;re shooting 73.7% with a rim frequency of 29%.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every year, the playoffs reveal themselves to be matchup-dependent festivities. Round 1 against the Timberwolves, with the mobile, sweet-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, was not necessarily a favorable context for Adams. But Round 2, against the undersized Warriors short on rim pressure, has proven to be his platform.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By easing responsibilities for Jackson, complementing Memphis&rsquo; primary ball-handlers sans Morant and exploiting Golden State inside, he&rsquo;s quickly demonstrated why this is his matchup to flourish.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the regular season, Jaren Jackson, Jr. fouled out three times in 78 games. Aside from his brief 2020-21 stint, those three foul-outs represented the lowest mark of his four-year career. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the first eight games of the 2021-22 playoffs, Jackson matched that number.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is not a random occurrence. Jackson improved his discipline and technique this year, but he also was the beneficiary of enjoying a ton of time alongside Steven Adams. The Kiwi center was benched after Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then entered health and safety protocols before returning in Game 4 of the second round.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; presence has rippled across Memphis&rsquo; entire team. Despite Ja Morant being sidelined for Games 4 and 5, the Grizzlies narrowly lost Game 4 in Oakland and rollicked the Warriors, 134-95, in Game 5 to extend their season. The grandest impact of Adams&rsquo; return, though, has been enabling Jackson to stay on the floor and wield his tantalizing two-way portfolio.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His 34 minutes in Game 4 matched a playoff career-high, while he only picked up three fouls in 25 Game-5 minutes, tying his low-water total of this postseason. His 21 points in back-to-back contests are his second- and third-highest scoring clips.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adams on the floor during the regular season, Jackson averaged 5.1 fouls per 100 possessions. Without his veteran running mate, that spiked to 6.9 fouls. The disparity has heightened in the playoffs, falling to 4.5 and then vaulting to 8.8, respectively. When Adams exits the floor in the playoffs, Jackson&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage tumbles from 61.1 to 52.9.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although the Grizzlies still typically flanked Jackson with a big in Adams&rsquo; absence, whether it was Xavier Tillman or Brandon Clarke, Adams is a dependable backstop defensively in ways the other two are not.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson thrives as a roamer, soaring into events with his mobility, length and awareness. Yet he also struggles to control his movements when only afforded a moment&rsquo;s notice, which leads to gaudy foul outputs.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; deterrence and delaying of actions, given the size and strength advantage he holds over the other two big men, provides Jackson the time he needs to properly diagnose plays and influence them without fouling. Precision is everything as a rim protector and helper. Adams helps ensure Jackson&rsquo;s rotations are precise.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In amplifying Jackson&rsquo;s defensive talents, Adams also invites him to play more. Because Jackson only had four fouls until 10 seconds remaining (after entered the fourth with two), Memphis closed with him at the 5 in Game 4. Golden State missed a ton of triples, but encountered mighty trouble targeting him on switches or attacking him around the basket much of the night.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whenever he&rsquo;s stayed on the court this postseason, his defense has been superb. Per NBA.com, opponents are shooting 12% worse than their average on shots within 6 feet of the rim against Jackson. The problem has been staying on the court. Adams is remedying that problem.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/exzobm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not only is Adams elongating Jackson&rsquo;s run of playing time and heightening his defensive value, he&rsquo;s unlocking his scoring chops. Draymond Green was generally toggling across frontcourt assignments whenever Clarke or Tillman shared the court with Jackson. During minutes with Adams, in an aim to neutralize him on the glass, Green has predominantly tethered himself to Adams rather than Jackson.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That&rsquo;s a welcomed plotline for Jackson. He is 4-of-18 for 14 points (35.4% TS) with Green on him, struggling to fire jumpers cleanly, finish in the paint or draw fouls. When any other member of the Warriors has guarded him, he&rsquo;s 28 of 64 for 89 points (59.3% TS), applying his length, touch and size to generate compelling shots.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s not a coincidence that his three best scoring performances of the series have occurred when Green was ejected early (Game 1) and Games 4-5, when Green isn&rsquo;t seeing many minutes against the fourth-year big.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson&rsquo;s long ball is more subject to variance than anything else, but in the three games Adams has suited up for rotation minutes, Jackson is 13 of 26 (50%) on 2-pointers. In eight games without Adams, Jackson is 15 of 46 (32.6%). Mismatch-hunting is his most reliable form of interior scoring, and Adams is best equipped among his frontcourt mates to produce those mismatches.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s0jr2y" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; mere existence as a slingshot for Jackson&rsquo;s game isn&rsquo;t the sole manner in which he&rsquo;s cast his shadow upon the series. His offensive rebounding, screening and high-post playmaking are all enhancing the Grizzlies, who have outscored the Warriors by 45 points during his 49 minutes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Memphis&rsquo; best traits is their ability to bounce between play styles with and without Morant. When he&rsquo;s unavailable, they scale up Tyus Jones&rsquo; role, increase dribble hand-offs for Desmond Bane and crash the offensive glass even more. Adams factors into all three components, and that&rsquo;s remained the case in Games 4 and 5. He has chiseled openings as a screener, preserved possessions on the boards and set up teammates with his facilitating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1baczm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also possesses an aura of deterrence and attention that the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Tillman does not. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Adams occupies substantial concern from offensive and defensive players. It&rsquo;s by no means the headlining facet of his value, but it&rsquo;s nonetheless apparent on both sides of the ball and a boon to the Grizzlies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Golden State is already a limited interior scoring team, and Adams exacerbates that flaw. When he&rsquo;s on the court, the Warriors are shooting 66.7% in the restricted area with a rim frequency of 11.8%. When he&rsquo;s off the court, they&rsquo;re shooting 73.7% with a rim frequency of 29%.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/42aors" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every year, the playoffs reveal themselves to be matchup-dependent festivities. Round 1 against the Timberwolves, with the mobile, sweet-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, was not necessarily a favorable context for Adams. But Round 2, against the undersized Warriors short on rim pressure, has proven to be his platform.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By easing responsibilities for Jackson, complementing Memphis&rsquo; primary ball-handlers sans Morant and exploiting Golden State inside, he&rsquo;s quickly demonstrated why this is his matchup to flourish.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the regular season, Jaren Jackson, Jr. fouled out three times in 78 games. Aside from his brief 2020-21 stint, those three foul-outs represented the lowest mark of his four-year career. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the first eight games of the 2021-22 playoffs, Jackson matched that number.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is not a random occurrence. Jackson improved his discipline and technique this year, but he also was the beneficiary of enjoying a ton of time alongside Steven Adams. The Kiwi center was benched after Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then entered health and safety protocols before returning in Game 4 of the second round.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; presence has rippled across Memphis&rsquo; entire team. Despite Ja Morant being sidelined for Games 4 and 5, the Grizzlies narrowly lost Game 4 in Oakland and rollicked the Warriors, 134-95, in Game 5 to extend their season. The grandest impact of Adams&rsquo; return, though, has been enabling Jackson to stay on the floor and wield his tantalizing two-way portfolio.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His 34 minutes in Game 4 matched a playoff career-high, while he only picked up three fouls in 25 Game-5 minutes, tying his low-water total of this postseason. His 21 points in back-to-back contests are his second- and third-highest scoring clips.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adams on the floor during the regular season, Jackson averaged 5.1 fouls per 100 possessions. Without his veteran running mate, that spiked to 6.9 fouls. The disparity has heightened in the playoffs, falling to 4.5 and then vaulting to 8.8, respectively. When Adams exits the floor in the playoffs, Jackson&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage tumbles from 61.1 to 52.9.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although the Grizzlies still typically flanked Jackson with a big in Adams&rsquo; absence, whether it was Xavier Tillman or Brandon Clarke, Adams is a dependable backstop defensively in ways the other two are not.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson thrives as a roamer, soaring into events with his mobility, length and awareness. Yet he also struggles to control his movements when only afforded a moment&rsquo;s notice, which leads to gaudy foul outputs.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; deterrence and delaying of actions, given the size and strength advantage he holds over the other two big men, provides Jackson the time he needs to properly diagnose plays and influence them without fouling. Precision is everything as a rim protector and helper. Adams helps ensure Jackson&rsquo;s rotations are precise.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In amplifying Jackson&rsquo;s defensive talents, Adams also invites him to play more. Because Jackson only had four fouls until 10 seconds remaining (after entered the fourth with two), Memphis closed with him at the 5 in Game 4. Golden State missed a ton of triples, but encountered mighty trouble targeting him on switches or attacking him around the basket much of the night.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whenever he&rsquo;s stayed on the court this postseason, his defense has been superb. Per NBA.com, opponents are shooting 12% worse than their average on shots within 6 feet of the rim against Jackson. The problem has been staying on the court. Adams is remedying that problem.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/exzobm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not only is Adams elongating Jackson&rsquo;s run of playing time and heightening his defensive value, he&rsquo;s unlocking his scoring chops. Draymond Green was generally toggling across frontcourt assignments whenever Clarke or Tillman shared the court with Jackson. During minutes with Adams, in an aim to neutralize him on the glass, Green has predominantly tethered himself to Adams rather than Jackson.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That&rsquo;s a welcomed plotline for Jackson. He is 4-of-18 for 14 points (35.4% TS) with Green on him, struggling to fire jumpers cleanly, finish in the paint or draw fouls. When any other member of the Warriors has guarded him, he&rsquo;s 28 of 64 for 89 points (59.3% TS), applying his length, touch and size to generate compelling shots.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s not a coincidence that his three best scoring performances of the series have occurred when Green was ejected early (Game 1) and Games 4-5, when Green isn&rsquo;t seeing many minutes against the fourth-year big.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson&rsquo;s long ball is more subject to variance than anything else, but in the three games Adams has suited up for rotation minutes, Jackson is 13 of 26 (50%) on 2-pointers. In eight games without Adams, Jackson is 15 of 46 (32.6%). Mismatch-hunting is his most reliable form of interior scoring, and Adams is best equipped among his frontcourt mates to produce those mismatches.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s0jr2y" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; mere existence as a slingshot for Jackson&rsquo;s game isn&rsquo;t the sole manner in which he&rsquo;s cast his shadow upon the series. His offensive rebounding, screening and high-post playmaking are all enhancing the Grizzlies, who have outscored the Warriors by 45 points during his 49 minutes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Memphis&rsquo; best traits is their ability to bounce between play styles with and without Morant. When he&rsquo;s unavailable, they scale up Tyus Jones&rsquo; role, increase dribble hand-offs for Desmond Bane and crash the offensive glass even more. Adams factors into all three components, and that&rsquo;s remained the case in Games 4 and 5. He has chiseled openings as a screener, preserved possessions on the boards and set up teammates with his facilitating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1baczm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also possesses an aura of deterrence and attention that the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Tillman does not. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Adams occupies substantial concern from offensive and defensive players. It&rsquo;s by no means the headlining facet of his value, but it&rsquo;s nonetheless apparent on both sides of the ball and a boon to the Grizzlies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Golden State is already a limited interior scoring team, and Adams exacerbates that flaw. When he&rsquo;s on the court, the Warriors are shooting 66.7% in the restricted area with a rim frequency of 11.8%. When he&rsquo;s off the court, they&rsquo;re shooting 73.7% with a rim frequency of 29%.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/42aors" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every year, the playoffs reveal themselves to be matchup-dependent festivities. Round 1 against the Timberwolves, with the mobile, sweet-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, was not necessarily a favorable context for Adams. But Round 2, against an undersized Warriors team short on rim pressure, has proven to be his platform.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By easing responsibilities for Jackson, complementing Memphis&rsquo; primary ball-handlers sans Morant and exploiting Golden State inside, he&rsquo;s quickly demonstrated why this is his matchup to flourish.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the regular season, Jaren Jackson, Jr. fouled out three times in 78 games. Aside from his brief 2020-21 stint, those three foul-outs represented the lowest mark of his four-year career. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the first eight games of the 2021-22 playoffs, Jackson matched that number.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is not a random occurrence. Jackson improved his discipline and technique this year, but he also was the beneficiary of enjoying a ton of time alongside Steven Adams. The Kiwi center was benched after Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then entered health and safety protocols before returning in Game 4 of the second round.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; presence has rippled across Memphis&rsquo; entire team. Despite Ja Morant being sidelined for Games 4 and 5, the Grizzlies narrowly lost Game 4 in San Francisco and rollicked the Warriors, 134-95, in Game 5 to extend their season. The grandest impact of Adams&rsquo; return, though, has been enabling Jackson to stay on the floor and wield his tantalizing two-way portfolio.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His 34 minutes in Game 4 matched a playoff career-high, while he only picked up three fouls in 25 Game-5 minutes, tying his low-water total of this postseason. His 21 points in back-to-back contests are his second- and third-highest scoring clips.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adams on the floor during the regular season, Jackson averaged 5.1 fouls per 100 possessions. Without his veteran running mate, that spiked to 6.9 fouls. The disparity has heightened in the playoffs, falling to 4.5 and then vaulting to 8.8, respectively. When Adams exits the floor in the playoffs, Jackson&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage tumbles from 61.1 to 52.9.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although the Grizzlies still typically flanked Jackson with a big in Adams&rsquo; absence, whether it was Xavier Tillman or Brandon Clarke, Adams is a dependable backstop defensively in ways the other two are not.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson thrives as a roamer, soaring into events with his mobility, length and awareness. Yet he also struggles to control his movements when only afforded a moment&rsquo;s notice, which leads to gaudy foul outputs.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; deterrence and delaying of actions, given the size and strength advantage he holds over the other two big men, provides Jackson the time he needs to properly diagnose plays and influence them without fouling. Precision is everything as a rim protector and helper. Adams helps ensure Jackson&rsquo;s rotations are precise.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In amplifying Jackson&rsquo;s defensive talents, Adams also invites him to play more. Because Jackson only had four fouls until 10 seconds remaining (after entered the fourth with two), Memphis closed with him at the 5 in Game 4. Golden State missed a ton of triples, but encountered mighty trouble targeting him on switches or attacking him around the basket much of the night.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whenever he&rsquo;s stayed on the court this postseason, his defense has been superb. Per NBA.com, opponents are shooting 12% worse than their average on shots within 6 feet of the rim against Jackson. The problem has been staying on the court. Adams is remedying that problem.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/exzobm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not only is Adams elongating Jackson&rsquo;s run of playing time and heightening his defensive value, he&rsquo;s unlocking his scoring chops. Draymond Green was generally toggling across frontcourt assignments whenever Clarke or Tillman shared the court with Jackson. During minutes with Adams, in an aim to neutralize him on the glass, Green has predominantly tethered himself to Adams rather than Jackson.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That&rsquo;s a welcomed plotline for Jackson. He is 4-of-18 for 14 points (35.4% TS) with Green on him, struggling to fire jumpers cleanly, finish in the paint or draw fouls. When any other member of the Warriors has guarded him, he&rsquo;s 28 of 64 for 89 points (59.3% TS), applying his length, touch and size to generate compelling shots.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s not a coincidence that his three best scoring performances of the series have occurred when Green was ejected early (Game 1) and Games 4-5, when Green isn&rsquo;t seeing many minutes against the fourth-year big.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson&rsquo;s long ball is more subject to variance than anything else, but in the three games Adams has suited up for rotation minutes, Jackson is 13 of 26 (50%) on 2-pointers. In eight games without Adams, Jackson is 15 of 46 (32.6%). Mismatch-hunting is his most reliable form of interior scoring, and Adams is best equipped among his frontcourt mates to produce those mismatches.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s0jr2y" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; mere existence as a slingshot for Jackson&rsquo;s game isn&rsquo;t the sole manner in which he&rsquo;s cast his shadow upon the series. His offensive rebounding, screening and high-post playmaking are all enhancing the Grizzlies, who have outscored the Warriors by 45 points during his 49 minutes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Memphis&rsquo; best traits is their ability to bounce between play styles with and without Morant. When he&rsquo;s unavailable, they scale up Tyus Jones&rsquo; role, increase dribble hand-offs for Desmond Bane and crash the offensive glass even more. Adams factors into all three components, and that&rsquo;s remained the case in Games 4 and 5. He has chiseled openings as a screener, preserved possessions on the boards and set up teammates with his facilitating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1baczm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also possesses an aura of deterrence and attention that the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Tillman does not. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Adams occupies substantial concern from offensive and defensive players. It&rsquo;s by no means the headlining facet of his value, but it&rsquo;s nonetheless apparent on both sides of the ball and a boon to the Grizzlies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Golden State is already a limited interior scoring team, and Adams exacerbates that flaw. When he&rsquo;s on the court, the Warriors are shooting 66.7% in the restricted area with a rim frequency of 11.8%. When he&rsquo;s off the court, they&rsquo;re shooting 73.7% with a rim frequency of 29%.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/42aors" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every year, the playoffs reveal themselves to be matchup-dependent festivities. Round 1 against the Timberwolves, with the mobile, sweet-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, was not necessarily a favorable context for Adams. But Round 2, against an undersized Warriors team short on rim pressure, has proven to be his platform.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By easing responsibilities for Jackson, complementing Memphis&rsquo; primary ball-handlers sans Morant and exploiting Golden State inside, he&rsquo;s quickly demonstrated why this is his matchup to flourish.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>During the regular season, Jaren Jackson, Jr. fouled out three times in 78 games. Aside from his brief 2020-21 stint, those three foul-outs represented the lowest mark of his four-year career.</p>
<p>During the first eight games of the 2021-22 playoffs, Jackson matched that number.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not a random occurrence. Jackson improved his discipline and technique this year, but he also was the beneficiary of enjoying a ton of time alongside Steven Adams. The Kiwi center was benched after Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then entered health and safety protocols before returning in Game 4 of the second round.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adams&rsquo; presence has rippled across Memphis&rsquo; entire team. Despite Ja Morant being sidelined for Games 4 and 5, the Grizzlies narrowly lost Game 4 in San Francisco and rollicked the Warriors, 134-95, in Game 5 to extend their season. The grandest impact of Adams&rsquo; return, though, has been enabling Jackson to stay on the floor and wield his tantalizing two-way portfolio.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His 34 minutes in Game 4 matched a playoff career-high, while he only picked up three fouls in 25 Game-5 minutes, tying his low-water total of this postseason. His 21 points in back-to-back contests are his second- and third-highest scoring clips.</p>
<p>With Adams on the floor during the regular season, Jackson averaged 5.1 fouls per 100 possessions. Without his veteran running mate, that spiked to 6.9 fouls. The disparity has heightened in the playoffs, falling to 4.5 and then vaulting to 8.8, respectively. When Adams exits the floor in the playoffs, Jackson&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage tumbles from 61.1 to 52.9.</p>
<p>Although the Grizzlies still typically flanked Jackson with a big in Adams&rsquo; absence, whether it was Xavier Tillman or Brandon Clarke, Adams is a dependable backstop defensively in ways the other two are not.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jackson thrives as a roamer, soaring into events with his mobility, length and awareness. Yet he also struggles to control his movements when only afforded a moment&rsquo;s notice, which leads to gaudy foul outputs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adams&rsquo; deterrence and delaying of actions, given the size and strength advantage he holds over the other two big men, provides Jackson the time he needs to properly diagnose plays and influence them without fouling. Precision is everything as a rim protector and helper. Adams helps ensure Jackson&rsquo;s rotations are precise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In amplifying Jackson&rsquo;s defensive talents, Adams also invites him to play more. Because Jackson only had four fouls until 10 seconds remaining (after entered the fourth with two), Memphis closed with him at the 5 in Game 4. Golden State missed a ton of triples, but encountered mighty trouble targeting him on switches or attacking him around the basket much of the night.</p>
<p>Whenever he&rsquo;s stayed on the court this postseason, his defense has been superb. Per NBA.com, opponents are shooting 12% worse than their average on shots within 6 feet of the rim against Jackson. The problem has been staying on the court. Adams is remedying that problem.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/exzobm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not only is Adams elongating Jackson&rsquo;s run of playing time and heightening his defensive value, he&rsquo;s unlocking his scoring chops. Draymond Green was generally toggling across frontcourt assignments whenever Clarke or Tillman shared the court with Jackson. During minutes with Adams, in an aim to neutralize him on the glass, Green has predominantly tethered himself to Adams rather than Jackson.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That&rsquo;s a welcomed plotline for Jackson. He is 4-of-18 for 14 points (35.4% TS) with Green on him, struggling to fire jumpers cleanly, finish in the paint or draw fouls. When any other member of the Warriors has guarded him, he&rsquo;s 28 of 64 for 89 points (59.3% TS), applying his length, touch and size to generate compelling shots.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s not a coincidence that his three best scoring performances of the series have occurred when Green was ejected early (Game 1) and Games 4-5, when Green isn&rsquo;t seeing many minutes against the fourth-year big.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jackson&rsquo;s long ball is more subject to variance than anything else, but in the three games Adams has suited up for rotation minutes, Jackson is 13 of 26 (50%) on 2-pointers. In eight games without Adams, Jackson is 15 of 46 (32.6%). Mismatch-hunting is his most reliable form of interior scoring, and Adams is best equipped among his frontcourt mates to produce those mismatches.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s0jr2y" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; mere existence as a slingshot for Jackson&rsquo;s game isn&rsquo;t the sole manner in which he&rsquo;s cast his shadow upon the series. His offensive rebounding, screening and high-post playmaking are all enhancing the Grizzlies, who have outscored the Warriors by 45 points during his 49 minutes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Memphis&rsquo; best traits is their ability to bounce between play styles with and without Morant. When he&rsquo;s unavailable, they scale up Tyus Jones&rsquo; role, increase dribble hand-offs for Desmond Bane and crash the offensive glass even more. Adams factors into all three components, and that&rsquo;s remained the case in Games 4 and 5. He has chiseled openings as a screener, preserved possessions on the boards and set up teammates with his facilitating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1baczm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also possesses an aura of deterrence and attention that the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Tillman does not. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Adams occupies substantial concern from offensive and defensive players. It&rsquo;s by no means the headlining facet of his value, but it&rsquo;s nonetheless apparent on both sides of the ball and a boon to the Grizzlies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Golden State is already a limited interior scoring team, and Adams exacerbates that flaw. When he&rsquo;s on the court, the Warriors are shooting 66.7% in the restricted area with a rim frequency of 11.8%. When he&rsquo;s off the court, they&rsquo;re shooting 73.7% with a rim frequency of 29%.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/42aors" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every year, the playoffs reveal themselves to be matchup-dependent festivities. Round 1 against the Timberwolves, with the mobile, sweet-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, was not necessarily a favorable context for Adams. But Round 2, against an undersized Warriors team short on rim pressure, has proven to be his platform.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By easing responsibilities for Jackson, complementing Memphis&rsquo; primary ball-handlers sans Morant and exploiting Golden State inside, he&rsquo;s quickly demonstrated why this is his matchup to flourish.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>During the regular season, Jaren Jackson, Jr. fouled out three times in 78 games. Aside from his brief 2020-21 stint, those three foul-outs represented the lowest mark of his four-year career.</p>
<p>During the first eight games of the 2021-22 playoffs, Jackson matched that number.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not a random occurrence. Jackson improved his discipline and technique this year, but he also was the beneficiary of enjoying a ton of time alongside Steven Adams. The Kiwi center was benched after Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then entered health and safety protocols before returning in Game 4 of the second round.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adams&rsquo; presence has rippled across Memphis&rsquo; entire team. Despite Ja Morant being sidelined for Games 4 and 5, the Grizzlies narrowly lost Game 4 in San Francisco and rollicked the Warriors, 134-95, in Game 5 to extend their season. The grandest impact of Adams&rsquo; return, though, has been enabling Jackson to stay on the floor and wield his tantalizing two-way portfolio.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His 34 minutes in Game 4 matched a playoff career-high, while he only picked up three fouls in 25 Game-5 minutes, tying his low-water total of this postseason. His 21 points in back-to-back contests are his second- and third-highest scoring clips.</p>
<p>With Adams on the floor during the regular season, Jackson averaged 5.1 fouls per 100 possessions. Without his veteran running mate, that spiked to 6.9 fouls. The disparity has heightened in the playoffs, falling to 4.5 and then vaulting to 8.8, respectively. When Adams exits the floor in the playoffs, Jackson&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage tumbles from 61.1 to 52.9.</p>
<p>Although the Grizzlies still typically flanked Jackson with a big in Adams&rsquo; absence, whether it was Xavier Tillman or Brandon Clarke, Adams is a dependable backstop defensively in ways the other two are not.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jackson thrives as a roamer, soaring into events with his mobility, length and awareness. Yet he also struggles to control his movements when only afforded a moment&rsquo;s notice, which leads to gaudy foul outputs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adams&rsquo; deterrence and delaying of actions, given the size and strength advantage he holds over the other two big men, provides Jackson the time he needs to properly diagnose plays and influence them without fouling. Precision is everything as a rim protector and helper. Adams helps ensure Jackson&rsquo;s rotations are precise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In amplifying Jackson&rsquo;s defensive talents, Adams also invites him to play more. Because Jackson only had four fouls until 10 seconds remaining (after entered the fourth with two), Memphis closed with him at the 5 in Game 4. Golden State missed a ton of triples, but encountered mighty trouble targeting him on switches or attacking him around the basket much of the night.</p>
<p>Whenever he&rsquo;s stayed on the court this postseason, his defense has been superb. Per NBA.com, opponents are shooting 12% worse than their average on shots within 6 feet of the rim against Jackson. The problem has been staying on the court. Adams is remedying that problem.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/exzobm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Not only is Adams elongating Jackson&rsquo;s run of playing time and heightening his defensive value, he&rsquo;s unlocking his scoring chops. Draymond Green was generally toggling across frontcourt assignments whenever Clarke or Tillman shared the court with Jackson. During minutes with Adams, in an aim to neutralize him on the glass, Green has predominantly tethered himself to Adams rather than Jackson.</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s a welcomed plotline for Jackson. He is 4-of-18 for 14 points (35.4% TS) with Green on him, struggling to fire jumpers cleanly, finish in the paint or draw fouls. When any other member of the Warriors has guarded him, he&rsquo;s 28 of 64 for 89 points (59.3% TS), applying his length, touch and size to generate compelling shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s not a coincidence that his three best scoring performances of the series have occurred when Green was ejected early (Game 1) and Games 4-5, when Green isn&rsquo;t seeing many minutes against the fourth-year big.</p>
<p>Jackson&rsquo;s long ball is more subject to variance than anything else, but in the three games Adams has suited up for rotation minutes, Jackson is 13 of 26 (50%) on 2-pointers. In eight games without Adams, Jackson is 15 of 46 (32.6%). Mismatch-hunting is his most reliable form of interior scoring, and Adams is best equipped among his frontcourt mates to produce those mismatches.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s0jr2y" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adams&rsquo; mere existence as a slingshot for Jackson&rsquo;s game isn&rsquo;t the sole manner in which he&rsquo;s cast his shadow upon the series. His offensive rebounding, screening and high-post playmaking are all enhancing the Grizzlies, who have outscored the Warriors by 45 points during his 49 minutes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of Memphis&rsquo; best traits is their ability to bounce between play styles with and without Morant. When he&rsquo;s unavailable, they scale up Tyus Jones&rsquo; role, increase dribble hand-offs for Desmond Bane and crash the offensive glass even more. Adams factors into all three components, and that&rsquo;s remained the case in Games 4 and 5. He has chiseled openings as a screener, preserved possessions on the boards and set up teammates with his facilitating.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1baczm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also possesses an aura of deterrence and attention that the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Tillman does not. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Adams occupies substantial concern from offensive and defensive players. It&rsquo;s by no means the headlining facet of his value, but it&rsquo;s nonetheless apparent on both sides of the ball and a boon to the Grizzlies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Golden State is already a limited interior scoring team, and Adams exacerbates that flaw. When he&rsquo;s on the court, the Warriors are shooting 66.7% in the restricted area with a rim frequency of 11.8%. When he&rsquo;s off the court, they&rsquo;re shooting 73.7% with a rim frequency of 29%.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/42aors" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every year, the playoffs reveal themselves to be matchup-dependent festivities. Round 1 against the Timberwolves, with the mobile, sweet-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, was not necessarily a favorable context for Adams. But Round 2, against an undersized Warriors team short on rim pressure, has proven to be his platform.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By easing responsibilities for Jackson, complementing Memphis&rsquo; primary ball-handlers sans Morant and exploiting Golden State inside, he&rsquo;s quickly demonstrated why this is his matchup to flourish.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>During the regular season, Jaren Jackson, Jr. fouled out three times in 78 games. Aside from his brief 2020-21 stint, those three foul-outs represented the lowest mark of his four-year career.</p>
<p>During the first eight games of the 2021-22 playoffs, Jackson matched that number.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not a random occurrence. Jackson improved his discipline and technique this year, but he also was the beneficiary of enjoying a ton of time alongside Steven Adams. The Kiwi center was benched after Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then entered health and safety protocols before returning in Game 4 of the second round.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adams&rsquo; presence has rippled across Memphis&rsquo; entire team. Despite Ja Morant being sidelined for Games 4 and 5, the Grizzlies narrowly lost Game 4 in San Francisco and rollicked the Warriors, 134-95, in Game 5 to extend their season. The grandest impact of Adams&rsquo; return, though, has been enabling Jackson to stay on the floor and wield his tantalizing two-way portfolio.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His 34 minutes in Game 4 matched a playoff career-high, while he only picked up three fouls in 25 Game-5 minutes, tying his low-water total of this postseason. His 21 points in back-to-back contests are his second- and third-highest scoring clips.</p>
<p>With Adams on the floor during the regular season, Jackson averaged 5.1 fouls per 100 possessions. Without his veteran running mate, that spiked to 6.9 fouls. The disparity has heightened in the playoffs, falling to 4.5 and then vaulting to 8.8, respectively. When Adams exits the floor in the playoffs, Jackson&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage tumbles from 61.1 to 52.9.</p>
<p>Although the Grizzlies still typically flanked Jackson with a big in Adams&rsquo; absence, whether it was Xavier Tillman or Brandon Clarke, Adams is a dependable backstop defensively in ways the other two are not.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jackson thrives as a roamer, soaring into events with his mobility, length and awareness. Yet he also struggles to control his movements when only afforded a moment&rsquo;s notice, which leads to gaudy foul outputs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adams&rsquo; deterrence and delaying of actions, given the size and strength advantage he holds over the other two big men, provides Jackson the time he needs to properly diagnose plays and influence them without fouling. Precision is everything as a rim protector and helper. Adams helps ensure Jackson&rsquo;s rotations are precise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In amplifying Jackson&rsquo;s defensive talents, Adams also invites him to play more. Because Jackson only had four fouls until 10 seconds remaining (after entered the fourth with two), Memphis closed with him at the 5 in Game 4. Golden State missed a ton of triples, but encountered mighty trouble targeting him on switches or attacking him around the basket much of the night.</p>
<p>Whenever he&rsquo;s stayed on the court this postseason, his defense has been superb. Per NBA.com, opponents are shooting 12% worse than their average on shots within 6 feet of the rim against Jackson. The problem has been staying on the court. Adams is remedying that problem.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/exzobm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Not only is Adams elongating Jackson&rsquo;s run of playing time and heightening his defensive value, he&rsquo;s unlocking his scoring chops. Draymond Green was generally toggling across frontcourt assignments whenever Clarke or Tillman shared the court with Jackson. During minutes with Adams, in an aim to neutralize him on the glass, Green has predominantly tethered himself to Adams rather than Jackson.</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s a welcomed plotline for Jackson. He is 4-of-18 for 14 points (35.4% TS) with Green on him, struggling to fire jumpers cleanly, finish in the paint or draw fouls. When any other member of the Warriors has guarded him, he&rsquo;s 28 of 64 for 89 points (59.3% TS), applying his length, touch and size to generate compelling shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s not a coincidence that his three best scoring performances of the series have occurred when Green was ejected early (Game 1) and Games 4-5, when Green isn&rsquo;t seeing many minutes against the fourth-year big.</p>
<p>Jackson&rsquo;s long ball is more subject to variance than anything else, but in the three games Adams has suited up for rotation minutes, Jackson is 13 of 26 (50%) on 2-pointers. In eight games without Adams, Jackson is 15 of 46 (32.6%). Mismatch-hunting is his most reliable form of interior scoring, and Adams is best equipped among his frontcourt mates to produce those mismatches.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s0jr2y" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Adams&rsquo; mere existence as a slingshot for Jackson&rsquo;s game isn&rsquo;t the sole manner in which he&rsquo;s cast his shadow upon the series. His offensive rebounding, screening and high-post playmaking are all enhancing the Grizzlies, who have outscored the Warriors by 45 points during his 49 minutes.&nbsp;</p>
<p>One of Memphis&rsquo; best traits is their ability to bounce between play styles with and without Morant. When he&rsquo;s unavailable, they scale up Tyus Jones&rsquo; role, increase dribble hand-offs for Desmond Bane and crash the offensive glass even more. Adams factors into all three components, and that&rsquo;s remained the case in Games 4 and 5. He has chiseled openings as a screener, preserved possessions on the boards and set up teammates with his facilitating.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1baczm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also possesses an aura of deterrence and attention that the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Tillman does not. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Adams occupies substantial concern from offensive and defensive players. It&rsquo;s by no means the headlining facet of his value, but it&rsquo;s nonetheless apparent on both sides of the ball and a boon to the Grizzlies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Golden State is already a limited interior scoring team, and Adams exacerbates that flaw. When he&rsquo;s on the court, the Warriors are shooting 66.7% in the restricted area with a rim frequency of 11.8%. When he&rsquo;s off the court, they&rsquo;re shooting 73.7% with a rim frequency of 29%.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/42aors" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every year, the playoffs reveal themselves to be matchup-dependent festivities. Round 1 against the Timberwolves, with the mobile, sweet-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, was not necessarily a favorable context for Adams. But Round 2, against an undersized Warriors team short on rim pressure, has proven to be his platform.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By easing responsibilities for Jackson, complementing Memphis&rsquo; primary ball-handlers sans Morant and exploiting Golden State inside, he&rsquo;s quickly demonstrated why this is his matchup to flourish.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>During the regular season, Jaren Jackson, Jr. fouled out three times in 78 games. Aside from his brief 2020-21 stint, those three foul-outs represented the lowest mark of his four-year career.</p>
<p>During the first eight games of the 2021-22 playoffs, Jackson matched that number.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not a random occurrence. Jackson improved his discipline and technique this year, but he also was the beneficiary of enjoying a ton of time alongside Steven Adams. The Kiwi center was benched after Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then entered health and safety protocols before returning in Game 4 of the second round.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adams&rsquo; presence has rippled across Memphis&rsquo; entire team. Despite Ja Morant being sidelined for Games 4 and 5, the Grizzlies narrowly lost Game 4 in San Francisco and rollicked the Warriors, 134-95, in Game 5 to extend their season. The grandest impact of Adams&rsquo; return, though, has been enabling Jackson to stay on the floor and wield his tantalizing two-way portfolio.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His 34 minutes in Game 4 matched a playoff career-high, while he only picked up three fouls in 25 Game-5 minutes, tying his low-water total of this postseason. His 21 points in back-to-back contests are his second- and third-highest scoring clips.</p>
<p>With Adams on the floor during the regular season, Jackson averaged 5.1 fouls per 100 possessions. Without his veteran running mate, that spiked to 6.9 fouls. The disparity has heightened in the playoffs, falling to 4.5 and then vaulting to 8.8, respectively. When Adams exits the floor in the playoffs, Jackson&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage tumbles from 61.1 to 52.9.</p>
<p>Although the Grizzlies still typically flanked Jackson with a big in Adams&rsquo; absence, whether it was Xavier Tillman or Brandon Clarke, Adams is a dependable backstop defensively in ways the other two are not.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jackson thrives as a roamer, soaring into events with his mobility, length and awareness. Yet he also struggles to control his movements when only afforded a moment&rsquo;s notice, which leads to gaudy foul outputs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adams&rsquo; deterrence and delaying of actions, given the size and strength advantage he holds over the other two big men, provides Jackson the time he needs to properly diagnose plays and influence them without fouling. Precision is everything as a rim protector and helper. Adams helps ensure Jackson&rsquo;s rotations are precise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In amplifying Jackson&rsquo;s defensive talents, Adams also invites him to play more. Because Jackson only had four fouls until 10 seconds remaining (after entered the fourth with two), Memphis closed with him at the 5 in Game 4. Golden State missed a ton of triples, but encountered mighty trouble targeting him on switches or attacking him around the basket much of the night.</p>
<p>Whenever he&rsquo;s stayed on the court this postseason, his defense has been superb. Per NBA.com, opponents are shooting 12% worse than their average on shots within 6 feet of the rim against Jackson. The problem has been staying on the court. Adams is remedying that problem.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/exzobm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Not only is Adams elongating Jackson&rsquo;s run of playing time and heightening his defensive value, he&rsquo;s unlocking his scoring chops. Draymond Green was generally toggling across frontcourt assignments whenever Clarke or Tillman shared the court with Jackson. During minutes with Adams, in an aim to neutralize him on the glass, Green has predominantly tethered himself to Adams rather than Jackson.</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s a welcomed plotline for Jackson. He is 4-of-18 for 14 points (35.4% TS) with Green on him, struggling to fire jumpers cleanly, finish in the paint or draw fouls. When any other member of the Warriors has guarded him, he&rsquo;s 28 of 64 for 89 points (59.3% TS), applying his length, touch and size to generate compelling shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s not a coincidence that his three best scoring performances of the series have occurred when Green was ejected early (Game 1) and Games 4-5, when Green isn&rsquo;t seeing many minutes against the fourth-year big.</p>
<p>Jackson&rsquo;s long ball is more subject to variance than anything else, but in the three games Adams has suited up for rotation minutes, Jackson is 13 of 26 (50%) on 2-pointers. In eight games without Adams, Jackson is 15 of 46 (32.6%). Mismatch-hunting is his most reliable form of interior scoring, and Adams is best equipped among his frontcourt mates to produce those mismatches.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s0jr2y" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Adams&rsquo; mere existence as a slingshot for Jackson&rsquo;s game isn&rsquo;t the sole manner in which he&rsquo;s cast his shadow upon the series. His offensive rebounding, screening and high-post playmaking are all enhancing the Grizzlies, who have outscored the Warriors by 45 points during his 49 minutes.&nbsp;</p>
<p>One of Memphis&rsquo; best traits is their ability to bounce between play styles with and without Morant. When he&rsquo;s unavailable, they scale up Tyus Jones&rsquo; role, increase dribble hand-offs for Desmond Bane and crash the offensive glass even more. Adams factors into all three components, and that&rsquo;s remained the case in Games 4 and 5. He has chiseled openings as a screener, preserved possessions on the boards and set up teammates with his facilitating.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1baczm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He also possesses an aura of deterrence and attention that the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Tillman does not. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Adams occupies substantial concern from offensive and defensive players. It&rsquo;s by no means the headlining facet of his value, but it&rsquo;s nonetheless apparent on both sides of the ball and a boon to the Grizzlies.</p>
<p>Golden State is already a limited interior scoring team, and Adams exacerbates that flaw. When he&rsquo;s on the court, the Warriors are shooting 66.7% in the restricted area with a rim frequency of 11.8%. When he&rsquo;s off the court, they&rsquo;re shooting 73.7% with a rim frequency of 29%.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/42aors" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every year, the playoffs reveal themselves to be matchup-dependent festivities. Round 1 against the Timberwolves, with the mobile, sweet-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, was not necessarily a favorable context for Adams. But Round 2, against an undersized Warriors team short on rim pressure, has proven to be his platform.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By easing responsibilities for Jackson, complementing Memphis&rsquo; primary ball-handlers sans Morant and exploiting Golden State inside, he&rsquo;s quickly demonstrated why this is his matchup to flourish.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p>During the regular season, Jaren Jackson, Jr. fouled out three times in 78 games. Aside from his brief 2020-21 stint, those three foul-outs represented the lowest mark of his four-year career.</p>
<p>During the first eight games of the 2021-22 playoffs, Jackson matched that number.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is not a random occurrence. Jackson improved his discipline and technique this year, but he also was the beneficiary of enjoying a ton of time alongside Steven Adams. The Kiwi center was benched after Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, then entered health and safety protocols before returning in Game 4 of the second round.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adams&rsquo; presence has rippled across Memphis&rsquo; entire team. Despite Ja Morant being sidelined for Games 4 and 5, the Grizzlies narrowly lost Game 4 in San Francisco and rollicked the Warriors, 134-95, in Game 5 to extend their season. The grandest impact of Adams&rsquo; return, though, has been enabling Jackson to stay on the floor and wield his tantalizing two-way portfolio.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His 34 minutes in Game 4 matched a playoff career-high, while he only picked up three fouls in 25 Game-5 minutes, tying his low-water total of this postseason. His 21 points in back-to-back contests are his second- and third-highest scoring clips.</p>
<p>With Adams on the floor during the regular season, Jackson averaged 5.1 fouls per 100 possessions. Without his veteran running mate, that spiked to 6.9 fouls. The disparity has heightened in the playoffs, falling to 4.5 and then vaulting to 8.8, respectively. When Adams exits the floor in the playoffs, Jackson&rsquo;s True Shooting percentage tumbles from 61.1 to 52.9.</p>
<p>Although the Grizzlies still typically flanked Jackson with a big in Adams&rsquo; absence, whether it was Xavier Tillman or Brandon Clarke, Adams is a dependable backstop defensively in ways the other two are not.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jackson thrives as a roamer, soaring into events with his mobility, length and awareness. Yet he also struggles to control his movements when only afforded a moment&rsquo;s notice, which leads to gaudy foul outputs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adams&rsquo; deterrence and delaying of actions, given the size and strength advantage he holds over the other two big men, provides Jackson the time he needs to properly diagnose plays and influence them without fouling. Precision is everything as a rim protector and helper. Adams helps ensure Jackson&rsquo;s rotations are precise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In amplifying Jackson&rsquo;s defensive talents, Adams also invites him to play more. Because Jackson only had four fouls until 10 seconds remaining (after entered the fourth with two), Memphis closed with him at the 5 in Game 4. Golden State missed a ton of triples, but encountered mighty trouble targeting him on switches or attacking him around the basket much of the night.</p>
<p>Whenever he&rsquo;s stayed on the court this postseason, his defense has been superb. Per NBA.com, opponents are shooting 12% worse than their average on shots within 6 feet of the rim against Jackson. The problem has been staying on the court. Adams is remedying that problem.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/exzobm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Not only is Adams elongating Jackson&rsquo;s run of playing time and heightening his defensive value, he&rsquo;s unlocking his scoring chops. Draymond Green was generally toggling across frontcourt assignments whenever Clarke or Tillman shared the court with Jackson. During minutes with Adams, in an aim to neutralize him on the glass, Green has predominantly tethered himself to Adams rather than Jackson.</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s a welcomed plotline for Jackson. He is 4-of-18 for 14 points (35.4% TS) with Green on him, struggling to fire jumpers cleanly, finish in the paint or draw fouls. When any other member of the Warriors has guarded him, he&rsquo;s 28 of 64 for 89 points (59.3% TS), applying his length, touch and size to generate compelling shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s not a coincidence that his three best scoring performances of the series have occurred when Green was ejected early (Game 1) and Games 4-5, when Green isn&rsquo;t seeing many minutes against the fourth-year big.</p>
<p>Jackson&rsquo;s long ball is more subject to variance than anything else, but in the three games Adams has suited up for rotation minutes, Jackson is 13 of 26 (50%) on 2-pointers. In eight games without Adams, Jackson is 15 of 46 (32.6%). Mismatch-hunting is his most reliable form of interior scoring, and Adams is best equipped among his frontcourt mates to produce those mismatches.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/s0jr2y" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Adams&rsquo; mere existence as a slingshot for Jackson&rsquo;s game isn&rsquo;t the sole manner in which he&rsquo;s cast his shadow upon the series. His offensive rebounding, screening and high-post playmaking are all enhancing the Grizzlies, who have outscored the Warriors by 45 points during his 49 minutes.&nbsp;</p>
<p>One of Memphis&rsquo; best traits is their ability to bounce between play styles with and without Morant. When he&rsquo;s unavailable, they scale up Tyus Jones&rsquo; role, increase dribble hand-offs for Desmond Bane and crash the offensive glass even more. Adams factors into all three components, and that&rsquo;s remained the case in Games 4 and 5. He has chiseled openings as a screener, preserved possessions on the boards and set up teammates with his facilitating.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/1baczm" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>He also possesses an aura of deterrence and attention that the 6-foot-8, 245-pound Tillman does not. At 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Adams occupies substantial concern from offensive and defensive players. It&rsquo;s by no means the headlining facet of his value, but it&rsquo;s nonetheless apparent on both sides of the ball and a boon to the Grizzlies.</p>
<p>Golden State is already a limited interior scoring team, and Adams exacerbates that flaw. When he&rsquo;s on the court, the Warriors are shooting 66.7% in the restricted area with a rim frequency of 11.8%. When he&rsquo;s off the court, they&rsquo;re shooting 73.7% with a rim frequency of 29%.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/42aors" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Every year, the playoffs reveal themselves to be matchup-dependent festivities. Round 1 against the Timberwolves, with the mobile, sweet-shooting Karl-Anthony Towns, was not necessarily a favorable context for Adams. But Round 2, against an undersized Warriors team short on rim pressure, has proven to be his platform.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By easing responsibilities for Jackson, complementing Memphis&rsquo; primary ball-handlers sans Morant and exploiting Golden State inside, he&rsquo;s quickly demonstrated why this is his matchup to flourish.&nbsp;</p>

Steven Adams has proven to be an important cog for Memphis in their series against Golden State, and will do so again in Game 6.

Steven Adams' return has upsized this series for the Grizzlies

<p>Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.</p>
<p>Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.</p>
<p>Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense. </p>
<p>Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.</p>
<p>Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v5wunn" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch up before possessions even migrate his way and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6&rsquo;6&rdquo;, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran&rsquo;s around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://streamable.com/kwx4sd">https://streamable.com/kwx4sd</a></p>
<p>During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved. He fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed fr<span style="font-weight: 400;">om him.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.</p>
<p>Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.</p>
<p>Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense. </p>
<p>Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.</p>
<p>Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v5wunn" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch up before possessions even migrate his way and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p84hn6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6&rsquo;6&rdquo;, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran&rsquo;s around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://streamable.com/kwx4sd">https://streamable.com/kwx4sd</a></p>
<p>During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved. He fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed fr<span style="font-weight: 400;">om him.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.</p>
<p>Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.</p>
<p>Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense. </p>
<p>Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.</p>
<p>Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v5wunn" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch-up before possessions even migrate his way, and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p84hn6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6&rsquo;6&rdquo;, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran&rsquo;s around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://streamable.com/kwx4sd">https://streamable.com/kwx4sd</a></p>
<p>During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved. He fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed fr<span style="font-weight: 400;">om him.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.</p>
<p>Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.</p>
<p>Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense. </p>
<p>Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.</p>
<p>Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v5wunn" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch-up before possessions even migrate his way, and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p84hn6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6&rsquo;6&rdquo;, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran&rsquo;s around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved. He fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed fr<span style="font-weight: 400;">om him.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.</p>
<p>Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.</p>
<p>Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense. </p>
<p>Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.</p>
<p>Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v5wunn" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch-up before possessions even migrate his way, and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p84hn6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6&rsquo;6&rdquo;, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran&rsquo;s around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwx4sd" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved. He fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed fr<span style="font-weight: 400;">om him.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.</p>
<p>Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.</p>
<p>Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense. </p>
<p>Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.</p>
<p>Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v5wunn" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch-up before possessions even migrate his way, and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p84hn6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail, and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran&rsquo;s around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwx4sd" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved. He fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed fr<span style="font-weight: 400;">om him.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.</p>
<p>Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.</p>
<p>Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense. </p>
<p>Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.</p>
<p>Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v5wunn" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch-up before possessions even migrate his way, and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p84hn6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail, and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Jalen Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran&rsquo;s around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwx4sd" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved. He fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed fr<span style="font-weight: 400;">om him.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.</p>
<p>Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.</p>
<p>Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense. </p>
<p>Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.</p>
<p>Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v5wunn" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch-up before possessions even migrate his way, and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p84hn6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail, and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Jalen Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran is around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwx4sd" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved. He fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed fr<span style="font-weight: 400;">om him.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.</p>
<p>Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.</p>
<p>Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense. </p>
<p>Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.</p>
<p>Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v5wunn" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch-up before possessions even migrate his way, and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p84hn6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail, and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Jalen Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran is around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwx4sd" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved.</p>
<p>Crowder fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed fr<span style="font-weight: 400;">om him.&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Among the many components integral to the Phoenix Suns&rsquo; dominant rise of the past two seasons is their multifaceted wing trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cameron Johnson.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Devin Booker and Chris Paul are the headlining stars, but those three forwards are trustworthy shooters, passers and defenders. While their skill- ets in those categories range across a wide spectrum, they all factor into the Suns forging a two-way approach predicated on versatility.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Bridges&rsquo; exploits are routinely and justifiably lauded. He finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting this season and is regarded as one of the NBA&rsquo;s best budding wings. Johnson shot 42.5% beyond the arc and was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year.</p>
<p>Perhaps sometimes lost in the shuffle of those two &mdash; along with Booker, Paul and Deandre Ayton&rsquo;s stardom &mdash; is the well-traveled swingman in Crowder. His arrival in Phoenix has coincided with the team's ascension. His services are a prominent reason that the Suns lead the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series ahead of Thursday&rsquo;s pivotal Game 6.</p>
<p>Through five games, the 31-year-old is averaging 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 66.9% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s shooting 46.7% (14 of 30) from deep and 57.1% (8 of 14) inside the arc.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Phoenix has entrusted him with a bevy of duties offensively, spanning from screener, to trigger man catalyzing sets, to off-ball shooter with a pop-gun release. The Mavericks have typically tried to hide lesser defenders like Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans on him. So, the Suns have countered by mildly increasing Crowder's offensive usage via pick-and-pops or other screening actions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Whether he&rsquo;s concluding the play with his own points, or merely facilitating a mismatch for someone else to flourish, his screens and capacity to operate off of them have greatly aided Phoenix&rsquo;s offense.</p>
<p>Crowder is comfortable attacking off the catch to feature his floater, is a perceptive off-ball nomad and brandishes a snappy jumper to burn tardy closeouts. Periodically, he&rsquo;s even displayed some on-ball juice. Dallas is already grappling and concerned with slowing Paul, Booker and Ayton. A fourth (or fifth) option as a release valve against its compromised defenders has proven burdensome to contain.</p>
<p>Unlike some fifth options, Crowder cannot be entirely neglected offensively, and teams must pay him some respect. Trying to fight through his screen or show against it may create an opening for the ball-handler to pounce. To avoid those scenarios, Dallas is mostly switching, which leaves Crowder and/or the primary scorer in a beneficial situation.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/v5wunn" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Much like his counterparts on the wings, Crowder provides ancillary traits (some of which are tied to scoring) that amplify his offensive value in a background setting. He&rsquo;s an adept connective passer and punctuality flows through his general decision-making ethos. In head coach Monty Williams&rsquo; <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/features/coach-williams-05-system-calls-faster-pace-and-quicker-decision-making">0.5 System</a> that emphasizes quick decision-making, Crowder fits snugly.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most of his passing opportunities are coming against a tilted defense where he can briefly survey the floor and proceed. Other times, he&rsquo;s catching the ball in space or on the move and extends an advantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Complementary offensive players who hammer home advantages enacted by initiators are critically important. Crowder&rsquo;s second-round showing embodies that. Dallas is repeatedly playing catch-up before possessions even migrate his way, and he&rsquo;s only furthering the divide. Historically, his shooting and playmaking ambitions intermittently grow overzealous, but he&rsquo;s been quite reliable in this series.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/p84hn6" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Similar to his offensive output, Crowder dips his quill in a number of inks defensively. He&rsquo;s frequently mucking up drives as a helper around the nail, and can curtail forays into the paint. At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, he&rsquo;s someone Phoenix sics on Jalen Brunson and contently sends Doncic&rsquo;s direction in a pinch.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Neither ball-handler is necessarily enduring a poor series, but they&rsquo;re both experiencing fewer profits than they did against Utah. The Suns&rsquo; collective upgrade on the wings defensively compared to the Jazz is a major reason for the discrepancy, and Crowder falls under that difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p>His strength, mobility and deft hands slyly bother Doncic, while Brunson&rsquo;s found tough sledding against Crowder&rsquo;s burly, durable frame. On and off the ball, the veteran is around to entangle himself in the Mavericks&rsquo; plans.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/kwx4sd" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>During Phoenix&rsquo;s first-round duel against the New Orleans Pelicans, Crowder couldn&rsquo;t toss a penny in a fountain. He shot 33.3% from the floor, buried just two triples and scored 45 points on 48 shots across six games. Yet his defense, primarily on Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, shined.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the offense has returned and the defense continues to elicit praise. As Bridges&rsquo; offense ebbs and flows in this round, Crowder&rsquo;s revival has been a welcomed addition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There&rsquo;s never one archetype necessary to construct a title team. But strong, defensively inclined wings who can cook a few different dishes offensively are a common thread among many recent Finals participants. Both with the Heat in 2020 and Suns a season ago, Crowder is among those teams.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Phoenix isn&rsquo;t this good without him. He&rsquo;s only missed the playoffs once in his 10-year career. Although he&rsquo;s fortunately been surrounded by numerous good coaches and stars, there&rsquo;s correlation involved.</p>
<p>Crowder fills a diverse secondary role and performs it well, which is all the Suns have ever needed fr<span style="font-weight: 400;">om him.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

Jackson Frank analyzes the crucial secondary role that Jae Crowder plays for the Suns and how he's thrived vs Dallas.

Jae Crowder's versatility has shined against the Mavericks

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the Miami Heat&rsquo;s first-round dispatching of the Atlanta Hawks, Bam Adebayo showcased precisely why he finished among the top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting this year. His perimeter mobility, length and wide-ranging ground coverage walled off drives for Trae Young and rendered a top-three regular-season offense untenable.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In three of those contests though, Adebayo took nine or fewer shots, including two games with a combined 11 shots and 15 points. Miami didn&rsquo;t encounter much trouble coasting past Atlanta, but Adebayo surely wasn&rsquo;t casting his holistic All-Star-caliber imprint upon the series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Adebayo has been the series&rsquo; best player en route to a pair of blowout victories. Through two games, the 24-year-old is tallying 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 80% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s averaging 10.5 shots and 9.5 free throws, notable leaps from the 8.4 shots and 4.4 free throws he averaged during Round 1.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers&rsquo; other options at center &mdash; DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Millsap and Tobias Harris &mdash; are ill-equipped to contain Adebayo offensively. Some are too slow to track him (Jordan, Millsap). Others are too small (Millsap, Harris). Another is too inexperienced as he garners his first extended trial of playoff basketball (Reed).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jordan&rsquo;s idle nature as a drop defender exposes him in pick-and-rolls. Harris lacks the length to alter the Heat center&rsquo;s finishes. Reed, prone to overzealous tendencies, has fallen for quite a few pump-fakes and has sent Adebayo to the foul line. Together, they&rsquo;ve all proven incapable of neutralizing or slowing his interior scoring prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adebayo isn&rsquo;t doing anything radically different to generate these heightened scoring numbers. He&rsquo;s just flourishing against a greatly beneficial matchup and amplifying Miami&rsquo;s leading perimeter duo of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/8s8wdq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His timing and discretion as a roller have been crucial, too. He routinely picks the optimal angle or path from which to begin his dives and sets hulking screens. Butler, Herro, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have all been recipients of his excellent screening, and his keen understanding of when to migrate toward the rim eases the burden for ball-handlers.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With seven screen assists through two second-round duels (per NBA.com), only Deandre Ayton (10), Giannis Antetokounmpo (10) and Dwight Powell (eight) have more. Scoff at that statistic to your heart&rsquo;s desire, but there&rsquo;s a degree of utility in it. Adebayo&rsquo;s screening is integral to the prosperity of Miami&rsquo;s half-court offense, which is not flooded with standstill creators and requires him to aid perimeter scorers in their quest for space.&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He&rsquo;s also snagged six offensive boards in two games while also occupying the attention of defenders to spring free teammates to gobble up second chances instead. Not only is Adebayo excelling in the glamor category of scoring, he&rsquo;s checking the boxes of grunge-work like screening and rebounding.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sixers likely want nothing to do with him the rest of the series. While they can&rsquo;t control how he imposes himself offensively, they&rsquo;ve quickly made evident their intention to avoid him defensively.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among the sporadic instances in which he&rsquo;s directly involved in a possession, the way he vibrantly and aggressively embraces switches has flustered Philadelphia. He&rsquo;s erased driving angles numerous times and omnisciently roamed in help. Tyrese Maxey has struggled to attack downhill against him (though Maxey, with 34 points, was stellar in Game 2). Adebayo consistently obstructs assignments from turning the corner against him.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i8eo5b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The All-Star&rsquo;s brightest defensive superlative in this series has been his deterrence. Philadelphia&rsquo;s clear preference is to exclude him from the action altogether. According to NBA.com, he&rsquo;s been a primary defender for ~184 possessions, and those players have only attempted 17 shots against him. As a team, the Sixers have scored 155 points, good for 84.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most often, when Adebayo switches onto someone, they hardly even look to create and remain far removed from any threatening scoring position. As such, he can retreat to a free safety role, complicating passing windows and disincentivizing driving lanes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wbp4kz" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it&rsquo;s Jordan, Reed, Millsap or Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia is playing someone (or multiple someones) that Miami feels comfortable disregarding to suppress whatever Maxey, Harris or James Harden are looking to do. Adebayo is the man often tasked as a helper to further suppress those efforts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During Adebayo&rsquo;s 67 minutes in this series, the Heat have outscored the Sixers, 166-125. During his 29 minutes on the pine, Philadelphia has outscored Miami, 70-59. He&rsquo;s the biggest (available) differentiator between a competitive pair of games and two double-digit wins for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Embiid&rsquo;s unfortunate absence pervades across various angles of this matchup. But it&rsquo;s perhaps been most pronounced in Adebayo&rsquo;s play, given the multifaceted manner in which he&rsquo;s overwhelming the Sixers. Until or if the big fella returns, these problems will likely persist for Philadelphia and continue to behoove Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adebayo at the heart of everything, the Heat are in control, two wins away from their second conference finals appearance in three seasons.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the Miami Heat&rsquo;s first-round dispatching of the Atlanta Hawks, Bam Adebayo showcased precisely why he finished among the top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting this year. His perimeter mobility, length and wide-ranging ground coverage walled off drives for Trae Young and rendered a top-three regular-season offense untenable.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In three of those contests though, Adebayo took nine or fewer shots, including two games with a combined 11 shots and 15 points. Miami didn&rsquo;t encounter much trouble coasting past Atlanta, but Adebayo surely wasn&rsquo;t casting his holistic All-Star-caliber imprint upon the series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Adebayo has been the series&rsquo; best player en route to a pair of blowout victories. Through two games, the 24-year-old is tallying 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 80% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s averaging 10.5 shots and 9.5 free throws, notable leaps from the 8.4 shots and 4.4 free throws he averaged during Round 1.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers&rsquo; other options at center &mdash; DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Millsap and Tobias Harris &mdash; are ill-equipped to contain Adebayo offensively. Some are too slow to track him (Jordan, Millsap). Others are too small (Millsap, Harris). Another is too inexperienced as he garners his first extended trial of playoff basketball (Reed).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jordan&rsquo;s idle nature as a drop defender exposes him in pick-and-rolls. Harris lacks the length to alter the Heat center&rsquo;s finishes. Reed, prone to overzealous tendencies, has fallen for quite a few pump-fakes and has sent Adebayo to the foul line. Together, they&rsquo;ve all proven incapable of neutralizing or slowing his interior scoring prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adebayo isn&rsquo;t doing anything radically different to generate these heightened scoring numbers. He&rsquo;s just flourishing against a greatly beneficial matchup and amplifying Miami&rsquo;s leading perimeter duo of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/8s8wdq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His timing and discretion as a roller have been crucial too. He routinely picks the optimal angle or path from which to begin his dives and sets hulking screens. Butler, Herro, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have all been recipients of his excellent screening, and his keen understanding of when to migrate toward the rim eases the burden for ball-handlers.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With seven screen assists through two second-round duels (per NBA.com), only Deandre Ayton (10), Giannis Antetokounmpo (10) and Dwight Powell (eight) have more. Scoff at that statistic to your heart&rsquo;s desire, but there&rsquo;s a degree of utility in it. Adebayo&rsquo;s screening is integral to the prosperity of Miami&rsquo;s half-court offense, which is not flooded with standstill creators and requires him to aid perimeter scorers in their quest for space.&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He&rsquo;s also snagged six offensive boards in two games while also occupying the attention of defenders to spring free teammates to gobble up second chances instead. Not only is Adebayo excelling in the glamor category of scoring, he&rsquo;s checking the boxes of grunge-work like screening and rebounding.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sixers likely want nothing to do with him the rest of the series. While they can&rsquo;t control how he imposes himself offensively, they&rsquo;ve quickly made evident their intention to avoid him defensively.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among the sporadic instances in which he&rsquo;s directly involved in a possession, the way he vibrantly and aggressively embraces switches has flustered Philadelphia. He&rsquo;s erased driving angles numerous times and omnisciently roamed in help. Tyrese Maxey has struggled to attack downhill against him (though Maxey, with 34 points, was stellar in Game 2). Adebayo consistently obstructs assignments from turning the corner against him.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i8eo5b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The All-Star&rsquo;s brightest defensive superlative in this series has been his deterrence. Philadelphia&rsquo;s clear preference is to exclude him from the action altogether. According to NBA.com, he&rsquo;s been a primary defender for ~184 possessions, and those players have only attempted 17 shots against him. As a team, the Sixers have scored 155 points, good for 84.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most often, when Adebayo switches onto someone, they hardly even look to create and remain far removed from any threatening scoring position. As such, he can retreat to a free safety role, complicating passing windows and disincentivizing driving lanes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wbp4kz" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it&rsquo;s Jordan, Reed, Millsap or Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia is playing someone (or multiple someones) that Miami feels comfortable disregarding to suppress whatever Maxey, Harris or James Harden are looking to do. Adebayo is the man often tasked as a helper to further suppress those efforts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During Adebayo&rsquo;s 67 minutes in this series, the Heat have outscored the Sixers, 166-125. During his 29 minutes on the pine, Philadelphia has outscored Miami, 70-59. He&rsquo;s the biggest (available) differentiator between a competitive pair of games and two double-digit wins for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Embiid&rsquo;s unfortunate absence pervades across various angles of this matchup. But it&rsquo;s perhaps been most pronounced in Adebayo&rsquo;s play, given the multifaceted manner in which he&rsquo;s overwhelming the Sixers. Until or if the big fella returns, these problems will likely persist for Philadelphia and continue to behoove Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adebayo at the heart of everything, the Heat are in control, two wins away from their second conference finals appearance in three seasons.</span></p>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the Miami Heat&rsquo;s first-round dispatching of the Atlanta Hawks, Bam Adebayo showcased precisely why he finished among the top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting this year. His perimeter mobility, length and wide-ranging ground coverage walled off drives for Trae Young and rendered a top-three regular-season offense untenable.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In three of those contests though, Adebayo took nine or fewer shots, including two games with a combined 11 shots and 15 points. Miami didn&rsquo;t encounter much trouble coasting past Atlanta, but Adebayo surely wasn&rsquo;t casting his holistic All-Star-caliber imprint upon the series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Adebayo has been the series&rsquo; best player en route to a pair of blowout victories. Through two games, the 24-year-old is tallying 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 80% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s averaging 10.5 shots and 9.5 free throws, notable leaps from the 8.4 shots and 4.4 free throws he averaged during Round 1.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers&rsquo; other options at center &mdash; DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Millsap and Tobias Harris &mdash; are ill-equipped to contain Adebayo offensively. Some are too slow to track him (Jordan, Millsap). Others are too small (Millsap, Harris). Another is too inexperienced as he garners his first extended trial of playoff basketball (Reed).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jordan&rsquo;s idle nature as a drop defender exposes him in pick-and-rolls. Harris lacks the length to alter the Heat center&rsquo;s finishes. Reed, prone to overzealous tendencies, has fallen for quite a few pump-fakes and has sent Adebayo to the foul line. Together, they&rsquo;ve all proven incapable of neutralizing or slowing his interior scoring prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adebayo isn&rsquo;t doing anything radically different to generate these heightened scoring numbers. He&rsquo;s just flourishing against a greatly beneficial matchup and amplifying Miami&rsquo;s leading perimeter duo of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/8s8wdq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His timing and discretion as a roller have been crucial too. He routinely picks the optimal angle or path from which to begin his dives and sets hulking screens. Butler, Herro, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have all been recipients of his excellent screening, and his keen understanding of when to migrate toward the rim eases the burden for ball-handlers.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With seven screen assists through two second-round duels (per NBA.com), only Deandre Ayton (10), Giannis Antetokounmpo (10) and Dwight Powell (8) have more. Scoff at that statistic to your heart&rsquo;s desire, but there&rsquo;s a degree of utility in it. Adebayo&rsquo;s screening is integral to the prosperity of Miami&rsquo;s half-court offense, which is not flooded with standstill creators and requires him to aid perimeter scorers in their quest for space.&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He&rsquo;s also snagged six offensive boards in two games while also occupying the attention of defenders to spring free teammates to gobble up second chances instead. Not only is Adebayo excelling in the glamor category of scoring, he&rsquo;s checking the boxes of grunge-work like screening and rebounding.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sixers likely want nothing to do with him the rest of the series. While they can&rsquo;t control how he imposes himself offensively, they&rsquo;ve quickly made evident their intention to avoid him defensively.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among the sporadic instances in which he&rsquo;s directly involved in a possession, the way he vibrantly and aggressively embraces switches has flustered Philadelphia. He&rsquo;s erased driving angles numerous times and omnisciently roamed in help. Tyrese Maxey has struggled to attack downhill against him (though Maxey, with 34 points, was stellar in Game 2). Adebayo consistently obstructs assignments from turning the corner against him.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i8eo5b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The All-Star&rsquo;s brightest defensive superlative in this series has been his deterrence. Philadelphia&rsquo;s clear preference is to exclude him from the action altogether. According to NBA.com, he&rsquo;s been a primary defender for ~184 possessions, and those players have only attempted 17 shots against him. As a team, the Sixers have scored 155 points, good for 84.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most often, when Adebayo switches onto someone, they hardly even look to create and remain far removed from any threatening scoring position. As such, he can retreat to a free safety role, complicating passing windows and disincentivizing driving lanes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wbp4kz" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it&rsquo;s Jordan, Reed, Millsap or Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia is playing someone (or multiple someones) that Miami feels comfortable disregarding to suppress whatever Maxey, Harris or James Harden are looking to do. Adebayo is the man often tasked as a helper to further suppress those efforts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During Adebayo&rsquo;s 67 minutes in this series, the Heat have outscored the Sixers, 166-125. During his 29 minutes on the pine, Philadelphia has outscored Miami, 70-59. He&rsquo;s the biggest (available) differentiator between a competitive pair of games and two double-digit wins for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Embiid&rsquo;s unfortunate absence pervades across various angles of this matchup. But it&rsquo;s perhaps been most pronounced in Adebayo&rsquo;s play, given the multifaceted manner in which he&rsquo;s overwhelming the Sixers. Until or if the big fella returns, these problems will likely persist for Philadelphia and continue to behoove Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adebayo at the heart of everything, the Heat are in control, two wins away from their second conference finals appearance in three seasons.</span></p>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the Miami Heat&rsquo;s first-round dispatching of the Atlanta Hawks, Bam Adebayo showcased precisely why he finished among the top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting this year. His perimeter mobility, length and wide-ranging ground coverage walled off drives for Trae Young and rendered a top-three regular-season offense untenable.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In three of those contests though, Adebayo took nine or fewer shots, including two games with a combined 11 shots and 15 points. Miami didn&rsquo;t encounter much trouble coasting past Atlanta, but Adebayo surely wasn&rsquo;t casting his holistic All-Star-caliber imprint upon the series.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Adebayo has been the series&rsquo; best player en route to a pair of blowout victories. Through two games, the 24-year-old is tallying 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 80% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s averaging 10.5 shots and 9.5 free throws, notable leaps from the 8.4 shots and 4.4 free throws he averaged during Round 1.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers&rsquo; other options at center &mdash; DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Millsap and Tobias Harris &mdash; are ill-equipped to contain Adebayo offensively. Some are too slow to track him (Jordan, Millsap). Others are too small (Millsap, Harris). Another is too inexperienced as he garners his first extended trial of playoff basketball (Reed).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jordan&rsquo;s idle nature as a drop defender exposes him in pick-and-rolls. Harris lacks the length to alter the Heat center&rsquo;s finishes. Reed, prone to overzealous tendencies, has fallen for quite a few pump-fakes and has sent Adebayo to the foul line. Together, they&rsquo;ve all proven incapable of neutralizing or slowing his interior scoring prowess.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adebayo isn&rsquo;t doing anything radically different to generate these heightened scoring numbers. He&rsquo;s just flourishing against a greatly beneficial matchup and amplifying Miami&rsquo;s leading perimeter duo of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/8s8wdq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His timing and discretion as a roller have been crucial too. He routinely picks the optimal angle or path from which to begin his dives and sets hulking screens. Butler, Herro, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have all been recipients of his excellent screening, and his keen understanding of when to migrate toward the rim eases the burden for ball-handlers.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With seven screen assists through two second-round duels (per NBA.com), only Deandre Ayton (10), Giannis Antetokounmpo (10) and Dwight Powell (8) have more. Scoff at that statistic to your heart&rsquo;s desire, but there&rsquo;s a degree of utility in it. Adebayo&rsquo;s screening is integral to the prosperity of Miami&rsquo;s half-court offense, which is not flooded with standstill creators and requires him to aid perimeter scorers in their quest for space.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He&rsquo;s also snagged six offensive boards in two games while also occupying the attention of defenders to spring free teammates to gobble up second chances instead. Not only is Adebayo excelling in the glamor category of scoring, he&rsquo;s checking the boxes of grunge-work like screening and rebounding.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sixers likely want nothing to do with him the rest of the series. While they can&rsquo;t control how he imposes himself offensively, they&rsquo;ve quickly made evident their intention to avoid him defensively.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among the sporadic instances in which he&rsquo;s directly involved in a possession, the way he vibrantly and aggressively embraces switches has flustered Philadelphia. He&rsquo;s erased driving angles numerous times and omnisciently roamed in help. Tyrese Maxey has struggled to attack downhill against him (though Maxey, with 34 points, was stellar in Game 2). Adebayo consistently obstructs assignments from turning the corner against him.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i8eo5b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The All-Star&rsquo;s brightest defensive superlative in this series has been his deterrence. Philadelphia&rsquo;s clear preference is to exclude him from the action altogether. According to NBA.com, he&rsquo;s been a primary defender for ~184 possessions, and those players have only attempted 17 shots against him. As a team, the Sixers have scored 155 points, good for 84.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most often, when Adebayo switches onto someone, they hardly even look to create and remain far removed from any threatening scoring position. As such, he can retreat to a free safety role, complicating passing windows and disincentivizing driving lanes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wbp4kz" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it&rsquo;s Jordan, Reed, Millsap or Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia is playing someone (or multiple someones) that Miami feels comfortable disregarding to suppress whatever Maxey, Harris or James Harden are looking to do. Adebayo is the man often tasked as a helper to further suppress those efforts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During Adebayo&rsquo;s 67 minutes in this series, the Heat have outscored the Sixers, 166-125. During his 29 minutes on the pine, Philadelphia has outscored Miami, 70-59. He&rsquo;s the biggest (available) differentiator between a competitive pair of games and two double-digit wins for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Embiid&rsquo;s unfortunate absence pervades across various angles of this matchup. But it&rsquo;s perhaps been most pronounced in Adebayo&rsquo;s play, given the multifaceted manner in which he&rsquo;s overwhelming the Sixers. Until or if the big fella returns, these problems will likely persist for Philadelphia and continue to behoove Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adebayo at the heart of everything, the Heat are in control, two wins away from their second conference finals appearance in three seasons.</span></p>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>During the Miami Heat&rsquo;s first-round dispatching of the Atlanta Hawks, Bam Adebayo showcased precisely why he finished among the top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting this year. His perimeter mobility, length and wide-ranging ground coverage walled off drives for Trae Young and rendered a top-three regular-season offense untenable.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In three of those contests though, Adebayo took nine or fewer shots, including two games with a combined 11 shots and 15 points. Miami didn&rsquo;t encounter much trouble coasting past Atlanta, but Adebayo surely wasn&rsquo;t casting his holistic All-Star-caliber imprint upon the series.</p>
<p>Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Adebayo has been the series&rsquo; best player en route to a pair of blowout victories. Through two games, the 24-year-old is tallying 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 80% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s averaging 10.5 shots and 9.5 free throws, notable leaps from the 8.4 shots and 4.4 free throws he averaged during Round 1.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers&rsquo; other options at center &mdash; DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Millsap and Tobias Harris &mdash; are ill-equipped to contain Adebayo offensively. Some are too slow to track him (Jordan, Millsap). Others are too small (Millsap, Harris). Another is too inexperienced as he garners his first extended trial of playoff basketball (Reed).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jordan&rsquo;s idle nature as a drop defender exposes him in pick-and-rolls. Harris lacks the length to alter the Heat center&rsquo;s finishes. Reed, prone to overzealous tendencies, has fallen for quite a few pump-fakes and has sent Adebayo to the foul line. Together, they&rsquo;ve all proven incapable of neutralizing or slowing his interior scoring prowess.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adebayo isn&rsquo;t doing anything radically different to generate these heightened scoring numbers. He&rsquo;s just flourishing against a greatly beneficial matchup and amplifying Miami&rsquo;s leading perimeter duo of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/8s8wdq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His timing and discretion as a roller have been crucial too. He routinely picks the optimal angle or path from which to begin his dives and sets hulking screens. Butler, Herro, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have all been recipients of his excellent screening, and his keen understanding of when to migrate toward the rim eases the burden for ball-handlers.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With seven screen assists through two second-round duels (per NBA.com), only Deandre Ayton (10), Giannis Antetokounmpo (10) and Dwight Powell (8) have more. Scoff at that statistic to your heart&rsquo;s desire, but there&rsquo;s a degree of utility in it. Adebayo&rsquo;s screening is integral to the prosperity of Miami&rsquo;s half-court offense, which is not flooded with standstill creators and requires him to aid perimeter scorers in their quest for space.</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He&rsquo;s also snagged six offensive boards in two games while also occupying the attention of defenders to spring free teammates to gobble up second chances instead. Not only is Adebayo excelling in the glamor category of scoring, he&rsquo;s checking the boxes of grunge-work like screening and rebounding.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sixers likely want nothing to do with him the rest of the series. While they can&rsquo;t control how he imposes himself offensively, they&rsquo;ve quickly made evident their intention to avoid him defensively.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among the sporadic instances in which he&rsquo;s directly involved in a possession, the way he vibrantly and aggressively embraces switches has flustered Philadelphia. He&rsquo;s erased driving angles numerous times and omnisciently roamed in help. Tyrese Maxey has struggled to attack downhill against him (though Maxey, with 34 points, was stellar in Game 2). Adebayo consistently obstructs assignments from turning the corner against him.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i8eo5b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The All-Star&rsquo;s brightest defensive superlative in this series has been his deterrence. Philadelphia&rsquo;s clear preference is to exclude him from the action altogether. According to NBA.com, he&rsquo;s been a primary defender for ~184 possessions, and those players have only attempted 17 shots against him. As a team, the Sixers have scored 155 points, good for 84.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most often, when Adebayo switches onto someone, they hardly even look to create and remain far removed from any threatening scoring position. As such, he can retreat to a free safety role, complicating passing windows and disincentivizing driving lanes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wbp4kz" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it&rsquo;s Jordan, Reed, Millsap or Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia is playing someone (or multiple someones) that Miami feels comfortable disregarding to suppress whatever Maxey, Harris or James Harden are looking to do. Adebayo is the man often tasked as a helper to further suppress those efforts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During Adebayo&rsquo;s 67 minutes in this series, the Heat have outscored the Sixers, 166-125. During his 29 minutes on the pine, Philadelphia has outscored Miami, 70-59. He&rsquo;s the biggest (available) differentiator between a competitive pair of games and two double-digit wins for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Embiid&rsquo;s unfortunate absence pervades across various angles of this matchup. But it&rsquo;s perhaps been most pronounced in Adebayo&rsquo;s play, given the multifaceted manner in which he&rsquo;s overwhelming the Sixers. Until or if the big fella returns, these problems will likely persist for Philadelphia and continue to behoove Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adebayo at the heart of everything, the Heat are in control, two wins away from their second conference finals appearance in three seasons.</span></p>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>During the Miami Heat&rsquo;s first-round dispatching of the Atlanta Hawks, Bam Adebayo showcased precisely why he finished among the top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting this year. His perimeter mobility, length and wide-ranging ground coverage walled off drives for Trae Young and rendered a top-three regular-season offense untenable.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In three of those contests though, Adebayo took nine or fewer shots, including two games with a combined 11 shots and 15 points. Miami didn&rsquo;t encounter much trouble coasting past Atlanta, but Adebayo surely wasn&rsquo;t casting his holistic All-Star-caliber imprint upon the series.</p>
<p>Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Adebayo has been the series&rsquo; best player en route to a pair of blowout victories. Through two games, the 24-year-old is tallying 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 80% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s averaging 10.5 shots and 9.5 free throws, notable leaps from the 8.4 shots and 4.4 free throws he averaged during Round 1.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers&rsquo; other options at center &mdash; DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Millsap and Tobias Harris &mdash; are ill-equipped to contain Adebayo offensively. Some are too slow to track him (Jordan, Millsap). Others are too small (Millsap, Harris). Another is too inexperienced as he garners his first extended trial of playoff basketball (Reed).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jordan&rsquo;s idle nature as a drop defender exposes him in pick-and-rolls. Harris lacks the length to alter the Heat center&rsquo;s finishes. Reed, prone to overzealous tendencies, has fallen for quite a few pump-fakes and has sent Adebayo to the foul line. Together, they&rsquo;ve all proven incapable of neutralizing or slowing his interior scoring prowess.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adebayo isn&rsquo;t doing anything radically different to generate these heightened scoring numbers. He&rsquo;s just flourishing against a greatly beneficial matchup and amplifying Miami&rsquo;s leading perimeter duo of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/8s8wdq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His timing and discretion as a roller have been crucial too. He routinely picks the optimal angle or path from which to begin his dives and sets hulking screens. Butler, Herro, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have all been recipients of his excellent screening, and his keen understanding of when to migrate toward the rim eases the burden for ball-handlers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With seven screen assists through two second-round duels (per NBA.com), only Deandre Ayton (10), Giannis Antetokounmpo (10) and Dwight Powell (8) have more. Scoff at that statistic to your heart&rsquo;s desire, but there&rsquo;s a degree of utility in it. Adebayo&rsquo;s screening is integral to the prosperity of Miami&rsquo;s half-court offense, which is not flooded with standstill creators and requires him to aid perimeter scorers in their quest for space.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He&rsquo;s also snagged six offensive boards in two games while also occupying the attention of defenders to spring free teammates to gobble up second chances instead. Not only is Adebayo excelling in the glamor category of scoring, he&rsquo;s checking the boxes of grunge-work like screening and rebounding.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sixers likely want nothing to do with him the rest of the series. While they can&rsquo;t control how he imposes himself offensively, they&rsquo;ve quickly made evident their intention to avoid him defensively.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Among the sporadic instances in which he&rsquo;s directly involved in a possession, the way he vibrantly and aggressively embraces switches has flustered Philadelphia. He&rsquo;s erased driving angles numerous times and omnisciently roamed in help. Tyrese Maxey has struggled to attack downhill against him (though Maxey, with 34 points, was stellar in Game 2). Adebayo consistently obstructs assignments from turning the corner against him.</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i8eo5b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The All-Star&rsquo;s brightest defensive superlative in this series has been his deterrence. Philadelphia&rsquo;s clear preference is to exclude him from the action altogether. According to NBA.com, he&rsquo;s been a primary defender for ~184 possessions, and those players have only attempted 17 shots against him. As a team, the Sixers have scored 155 points, good for 84.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most often, when Adebayo switches onto someone, they hardly even look to create and remain far removed from any threatening scoring position. As such, he can retreat to a free safety role, complicating passing windows and disincentivizing driving lanes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wbp4kz" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it&rsquo;s Jordan, Reed, Millsap or Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia is playing someone (or multiple someones) that Miami feels comfortable disregarding to suppress whatever Maxey, Harris or James Harden are looking to do. Adebayo is the man often tasked as a helper to further suppress those efforts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During Adebayo&rsquo;s 67 minutes in this series, the Heat have outscored the Sixers, 166-125. During his 29 minutes on the pine, Philadelphia has outscored Miami, 70-59. He&rsquo;s the biggest (available) differentiator between a competitive pair of games and two double-digit wins for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Embiid&rsquo;s unfortunate absence pervades across various angles of this matchup. But it&rsquo;s perhaps been most pronounced in Adebayo&rsquo;s play, given the multifaceted manner in which he&rsquo;s overwhelming the Sixers. Until or if the big fella returns, these problems will likely persist for Philadelphia and continue to behoove Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adebayo at the heart of everything, the Heat are in control, two wins away from their second conference finals appearance in three seasons.</span></p>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>During the Miami Heat&rsquo;s first-round dispatching of the Atlanta Hawks, Bam Adebayo showcased precisely why he finished among the top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting this year. His perimeter mobility, length and wide-ranging ground coverage walled off drives for Trae Young and rendered a top-three regular-season offense untenable.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In three of those contests though, Adebayo took nine or fewer shots, including two games with a combined 11 shots and 15 points. Miami didn&rsquo;t encounter much trouble coasting past Atlanta, but Adebayo surely wasn&rsquo;t casting his holistic All-Star-caliber imprint upon the series.</p>
<p>Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Adebayo has been the series&rsquo; best player en route to a pair of blowout victories. Through two games, the 24-year-old is tallying 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 80% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s averaging 10.5 shots and 9.5 free throws, notable leaps from the 8.4 shots and 4.4 free throws he averaged during Round 1.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers&rsquo; other options at center &mdash; DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Millsap and Tobias Harris &mdash; are ill-equipped to contain Adebayo offensively. Some are too slow to track him (Jordan, Millsap). Others are too small (Millsap, Harris). Another is too inexperienced as he garners his first extended trial of playoff basketball (Reed).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jordan&rsquo;s idle nature as a drop defender exposes him in pick-and-rolls. Harris lacks the length to alter the Heat center&rsquo;s finishes. Reed, prone to overzealous tendencies, has fallen for quite a few pump-fakes and has sent Adebayo to the foul line. Together, they&rsquo;ve all proven incapable of neutralizing or slowing his interior scoring prowess.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adebayo isn&rsquo;t doing anything radically different to generate these heightened scoring numbers. He&rsquo;s just flourishing against a greatly beneficial matchup and amplifying Miami&rsquo;s leading perimeter duo of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/8s8wdq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His timing and discretion as a roller have been crucial too. He routinely picks the optimal angle or path from which to begin his dives and sets hulking screens. Butler, Herro, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have all been recipients of his excellent screening, and his keen understanding of when to migrate toward the rim eases the burden for ball-handlers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With seven screen assists through two second-round duels (per NBA.com), only Deandre Ayton (10), Giannis Antetokounmpo (10) and Dwight Powell (8) have more. Scoff at that statistic to your heart&rsquo;s desire, but there&rsquo;s a degree of utility in it. Adebayo&rsquo;s screening is integral to the prosperity of Miami&rsquo;s half-court offense, which is not flooded with standstill creators and requires him to aid perimeter scorers in their quest for space.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>He&rsquo;s also snagged six offensive boards in two games while also occupying the attention of defenders to spring free teammates to gobble up second chances instead. Not only is Adebayo excelling in the glamor category of scoring, he&rsquo;s checking the boxes of grunge-work like screening and rebounding.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Sixers likely want nothing to do with him the rest of the series. While they can&rsquo;t control how he imposes himself offensively, they&rsquo;ve quickly made evident their intention to avoid him defensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the sporadic instances in which he&rsquo;s directly involved in a possession, the way he vibrantly and aggressively embraces switches has flustered Philadelphia. He&rsquo;s erased driving angles numerous times and omnisciently roamed in help. Tyrese Maxey has struggled to attack downhill against him (though Maxey, with 34 points, was stellar in Game 2). Adebayo consistently obstructs assignments from turning the corner against him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i8eo5b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The All-Star&rsquo;s brightest defensive superlative in this series has been his deterrence. Philadelphia&rsquo;s clear preference is to exclude him from the action altogether. According to NBA.com, he&rsquo;s been a primary defender for ~184 possessions, and those players have only attempted 17 shots against him. As a team, the Sixers have scored 155 points, good for 84.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most often, when Adebayo switches onto someone, they hardly even look to create and remain far removed from any threatening scoring position. As such, he can retreat to a free safety role, complicating passing windows and disincentivizing driving lanes.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wbp4kz" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it&rsquo;s Jordan, Reed, Millsap or Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia is playing someone (or multiple someones) that Miami feels comfortable disregarding to suppress whatever Maxey, Harris or James Harden are looking to do. Adebayo is the man often tasked as a helper to further suppress those efforts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During Adebayo&rsquo;s 67 minutes in this series, the Heat have outscored the Sixers, 166-125. During his 29 minutes on the pine, Philadelphia has outscored Miami, 70-59. He&rsquo;s the biggest (available) differentiator between a competitive pair of games and two double-digit wins for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Embiid&rsquo;s unfortunate absence pervades across various angles of this matchup. But it&rsquo;s perhaps been most pronounced in Adebayo&rsquo;s play, given the multifaceted manner in which he&rsquo;s overwhelming the Sixers. Until or if the big fella returns, these problems will likely persist for Philadelphia and continue to behoove Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adebayo at the heart of everything, the Heat are in control, two wins away from their second conference finals appearance in three seasons.</span></p>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>During the Miami Heat&rsquo;s first-round dispatching of the Atlanta Hawks, Bam Adebayo showcased precisely why he finished among the top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting this year. His perimeter mobility, length and wide-ranging ground coverage walled off drives for Trae Young and rendered a top-three regular-season offense untenable.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In three of those contests though, Adebayo took nine or fewer shots, including two games with a combined 11 shots and 15 points. Miami didn&rsquo;t encounter much trouble coasting past Atlanta, but Adebayo surely wasn&rsquo;t casting his holistic All-Star-caliber imprint upon the series.</p>
<p>Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Adebayo has been the series&rsquo; best player en route to a pair of blowout victories. Through two games, the 24-year-old is tallying 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 80% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s averaging 10.5 shots and 9.5 free throws, notable leaps from the 8.4 shots and 4.4 free throws he averaged during Round 1.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers&rsquo; other options at center &mdash; DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Millsap and Tobias Harris &mdash; are ill-equipped to contain Adebayo offensively. Some are too slow to track him (Jordan, Millsap). Others are too small (Millsap, Harris). Another is too inexperienced as he garners his first extended trial of playoff basketball (Reed).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jordan&rsquo;s idle nature as a drop defender exposes him in pick-and-rolls. Harris lacks the length to alter the Heat center&rsquo;s finishes. Reed, prone to overzealous tendencies, has fallen for quite a few pump-fakes and has sent Adebayo to the foul line. Together, they&rsquo;ve all proven incapable of neutralizing or slowing his interior scoring prowess.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adebayo isn&rsquo;t doing anything radically different to generate these heightened scoring numbers. He&rsquo;s just flourishing against a greatly beneficial matchup and amplifying Miami&rsquo;s leading perimeter duo of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/8s8wdq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His timing and discretion as a roller have been crucial too. He routinely picks the optimal angle or path from which to begin his dives and sets hulking screens. Butler, Herro, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have all been recipients of his excellent screening, and his keen understanding of when to migrate toward the rim eases the burden for ball-handlers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With seven screen assists through two second-round duels (per NBA.com), only Deandre Ayton (10), Giannis Antetokounmpo (10) and Dwight Powell (8) have more. Scoff at that statistic to your heart&rsquo;s desire, but there&rsquo;s a degree of utility in it. Adebayo&rsquo;s screening is integral to the prosperity of Miami&rsquo;s half-court offense, which is not flooded with standstill creators and requires him to aid perimeter scorers in their quest for space.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>He&rsquo;s also snagged six offensive boards in two games while also occupying the attention of defenders to spring free teammates to gobble up second chances instead. Not only is Adebayo excelling in the glamor category of scoring, he&rsquo;s checking the boxes of grunge-work like screening and rebounding.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Sixers likely want nothing to do with him the rest of the series. While they can&rsquo;t control how he imposes himself offensively, they&rsquo;ve quickly made evident their intention to avoid him defensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the sporadic instances in which he&rsquo;s directly involved in a possession, the way he vibrantly and aggressively embraces switches has flustered Philadelphia. He&rsquo;s erased driving angles numerous times and omnisciently roamed in help. Tyrese Maxey has struggled to attack downhill against him (though Maxey, with 34 points, was stellar in Game 2). Adebayo consistently obstructs assignments from turning the corner against him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i8eo5b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The All-Star&rsquo;s brightest defensive superlative in this series has been his deterrence. Philadelphia&rsquo;s clear preference is to exclude him from the action altogether. According to NBA.com, he&rsquo;s been a primary defender for ~184 possessions, and those players have only attempted 17 shots against him. As a team, the Sixers have scored 155 points, good for 84.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most often, when Adebayo switches onto someone, they hardly even look to create and remain far removed from any threatening scoring position. As such, he can retreat to a free safety role, complicating passing windows and disincentivizing driving lanes.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wbp4kz" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it&rsquo;s Jordan, Reed, Millsap or Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia is playing someone (or multiple someones) that Miami feels comfortable disregarding to suppress whatever Maxey, Harris or James Harden are looking to do. Adebayo is the man often tasked as a helper to further suppress those efforts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During Adebayo&rsquo;s 67 minutes in this series, the Heat have outscored the Sixers, 166-125. During his 29 minutes on the pine, Philadelphia has outscored Miami, 70-59. He&rsquo;s the biggest (available) differentiator between a competitive pair of games and two double-digit wins for Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Embiid&rsquo;s unfortunate absence pervades across various angles of this matchup. But it&rsquo;s perhaps been most pronounced in Adebayo&rsquo;s play, given the multifaceted manner in which he&rsquo;s overwhelming the Sixers. Until or if the big fella returns, these problems will likely persist for Philadelphia and continue to behoove Miami.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With Adebayo at the heart of everything, the Heat are in control, two wins away from their second conference finals appearance in three seasons.</span></p>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>During the Miami Heat&rsquo;s first-round dispatching of the Atlanta Hawks, Bam Adebayo showcased precisely why he finished among the top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting this year. His perimeter mobility, length and wide-ranging ground coverage walled off drives for Trae Young and rendered a top-three regular-season offense untenable.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In three of those contests though, Adebayo took nine or fewer shots, including two games with a combined 11 shots and 15 points. Miami didn&rsquo;t encounter much trouble coasting past Atlanta, but Adebayo surely wasn&rsquo;t casting his holistic All-Star-caliber imprint upon the series.</p>
<p>Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Adebayo has been the series&rsquo; best player en route to a pair of blowout victories. Through two games, the 24-year-old is tallying 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 80% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s averaging 10.5 shots and 9.5 free throws, notable leaps from the 8.4 shots and 4.4 free throws he averaged during Round 1.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers&rsquo; other options at center &mdash; DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Millsap and Tobias Harris &mdash; are ill-equipped to contain Adebayo offensively. Some are too slow to track him (Jordan, Millsap). Others are too small (Millsap, Harris). Another is too inexperienced as he garners his first extended trial of playoff basketball (Reed).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jordan&rsquo;s idle nature as a drop defender exposes him in pick-and-rolls. Harris lacks the length to alter the Heat center&rsquo;s finishes. Reed, prone to overzealous tendencies, has fallen for quite a few pump-fakes and has sent Adebayo to the foul line. Together, they&rsquo;ve all proven incapable of neutralizing or slowing his interior scoring prowess.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adebayo isn&rsquo;t doing anything radically different to generate these heightened scoring numbers. He&rsquo;s just flourishing against a greatly beneficial matchup and amplifying Miami&rsquo;s leading perimeter duo of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/8s8wdq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His timing and discretion as a roller have been crucial too. He routinely picks the optimal angle or path from which to begin his dives and sets hulking screens. Butler, Herro, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have all been recipients of his excellent screening, and his keen understanding of when to migrate toward the rim eases the burden for ball-handlers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With seven screen assists through two second-round duels (per NBA.com), only Deandre Ayton (10), Giannis Antetokounmpo (10) and Dwight Powell (8) have more. Scoff at that statistic to your heart&rsquo;s desire, but there&rsquo;s a degree of utility in it. Adebayo&rsquo;s screening is integral to the prosperity of Miami&rsquo;s half-court offense, which is not flooded with standstill creators and requires him to aid perimeter scorers in their quest for space.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>He&rsquo;s also snagged six offensive boards in two games while also occupying the attention of defenders to spring free teammates to gobble up second chances instead. Not only is Adebayo excelling in the glamor category of scoring, he&rsquo;s checking the boxes of grunge-work like screening and rebounding.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Sixers likely want nothing to do with him the rest of the series. While they can&rsquo;t control how he imposes himself offensively, they&rsquo;ve quickly made evident their intention to avoid him defensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the sporadic instances in which he&rsquo;s directly involved in a possession, the way he vibrantly and aggressively embraces switches has flustered Philadelphia. He&rsquo;s erased driving angles numerous times and omnisciently roamed in help. Tyrese Maxey has struggled to attack downhill against him (though Maxey, with 34 points, was stellar in Game 2). Adebayo consistently obstructs assignments from turning the corner against him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i8eo5b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The All-Star&rsquo;s brightest defensive superlative in this series has been his deterrence. Philadelphia&rsquo;s clear preference is to exclude him from the action altogether. According to NBA.com, he&rsquo;s been a primary defender for ~184 possessions, and those players have only attempted 17 shots against him. As a team, the Sixers have scored 155 points, good for 84.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most often, when Adebayo switches onto someone, they hardly even look to create and remain far removed from any threatening scoring position. As such, he can retreat to a free safety role, complicating passing windows and disincentivizing driving lanes.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wbp4kz" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Whether it&rsquo;s Jordan, Reed, Millsap or Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia is playing someone (or multiple someones) that Miami feels comfortable disregarding to suppress whatever Maxey, Harris or James Harden are looking to do. Adebayo is the man often tasked as a helper to further suppress those efforts.</p>
<p>During Adebayo&rsquo;s 67 minutes in this series, the Heat have outscored the Sixers, 166-125. During his 29 minutes on the pine, Philadelphia has outscored Miami, 70-59. He&rsquo;s the biggest (available) differentiator between a competitive pair of games and two double-digit wins for Miami.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Embiid&rsquo;s unfortunate absence pervades across various angles of this matchup. But it&rsquo;s perhaps been most pronounced in Adebayo&rsquo;s play, given the multifaceted manner in which he&rsquo;s overwhelming the Sixers. Until or if the big fella returns, these problems will likely persist for Philadelphia and continue to behoove Miami.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With Adebayo at the heart of everything, the Heat are in control, two wins away from their second conference finals appearance in three seasons.</p>
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<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>
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<p>During the Miami Heat&rsquo;s first-round dispatching of the Atlanta Hawks, Bam Adebayo showcased precisely why he finished among the top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting this year. His perimeter mobility, length and wide-ranging ground coverage walled off drives for Trae Young and rendered a top-three regular-season offense untenable.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In three of those contests though, Adebayo took nine or fewer shots, including two games with a combined 11 shots and 15 points. Miami didn&rsquo;t encounter much trouble coasting past Atlanta, but Adebayo surely wasn&rsquo;t casting his holistic All-Star-caliber imprint upon the series.</p>
<p>Against the Philadelphia 76ers, Adebayo has been the series&rsquo; best player en route to a pair of blowout victories. Through two games, the 24-year-old is tallying 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 80% True Shooting. He&rsquo;s averaging 10.5 shots and 9.5 free throws, notable leaps from the 8.4 shots and 4.4 free throws he averaged during Round 1.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With Joel Embiid sidelined, the Sixers&rsquo; other options at center &mdash; DeAndre Jordan, Paul Reed, Millsap and Tobias Harris &mdash; are ill-equipped to contain Adebayo offensively. Some are too slow to track him (Jordan, Millsap). Others are too small (Millsap, Harris). Another is too inexperienced as he garners his first extended trial of playoff basketball (Reed).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Jordan&rsquo;s idle nature as a drop defender exposes him in pick-and-rolls. Harris lacks the length to alter the Heat center&rsquo;s finishes. Reed, prone to overzealous tendencies, has fallen for quite a few pump-fakes and has sent Adebayo to the foul line. Together, they&rsquo;ve all proven incapable of neutralizing or slowing his interior scoring prowess.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Adebayo isn&rsquo;t doing anything radically different to generate these heightened scoring numbers. He&rsquo;s just flourishing against a greatly beneficial matchup and amplifying Miami&rsquo;s leading perimeter duo of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/8s8wdq" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>His timing and discretion as a roller have been crucial too. He routinely picks the optimal angle or path from which to begin his dives and sets hulking screens. Butler, Herro, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus have all been recipients of his excellent screening, and his keen understanding of when to migrate toward the rim eases the burden for ball-handlers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With seven screen assists through two second-round duels (per NBA.com), only Deandre Ayton (10), Giannis Antetokounmpo (10) and Dwight Powell (8) have more. Scoff at that statistic to your heart&rsquo;s desire, but there&rsquo;s a degree of utility in it. Adebayo&rsquo;s screening is integral to the prosperity of Miami&rsquo;s half-court offense, which is not flooded with standstill creators and requires him to aid perimeter scorers in their quest for space.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>He&rsquo;s also snagged six offensive boards in two games while also occupying the attention of defenders to spring free teammates to gobble up second chances instead. Not only is Adebayo excelling in the glamor category of scoring, he&rsquo;s checking the boxes of grunge-work like screening and rebounding.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Sixers likely want nothing to do with him the rest of the series. While they can&rsquo;t control how he imposes himself offensively, they&rsquo;ve quickly made evident their intention to avoid him defensively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among the sporadic instances in which he&rsquo;s directly involved in a possession, the way he vibrantly and aggressively embraces switches has flustered Philadelphia. He&rsquo;s erased driving angles numerous times and omnisciently roamed in help. Tyrese Maxey has struggled to attack downhill against him (though Maxey, with 34 points, was stellar in Game 2). Adebayo consistently obstructs assignments from turning the corner against him.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/i8eo5b" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>The All-Star&rsquo;s brightest defensive superlative in this series has been his deterrence. Philadelphia&rsquo;s clear preference is to exclude him from the action altogether. According to NBA.com, he&rsquo;s been a primary defender for ~184 possessions, and those players have only attempted 17 shots against him. As a team, the Sixers have scored 155 points, good for 84.2 points per 100 possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most often, when Adebayo switches onto someone, they hardly even look to create and remain far removed from any threatening scoring position. As such, he can retreat to a free safety role, complicating passing windows and disincentivizing driving lanes.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/wbp4kz" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Whether it&rsquo;s Jordan, Reed, Millsap or Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia is playing someone (or multiple someones) that Miami feels comfortable disregarding to suppress whatever Maxey, Harris or James Harden are looking to do. Adebayo is the man often tasked as a helper to further suppress those efforts.</p>
<p>During Adebayo&rsquo;s 67 minutes in this series, the Heat have outscored the Sixers, 166-125. During his 29 minutes on the pine, Philadelphia has outscored Miami, 70-59. He&rsquo;s the biggest (available) differentiator between a competitive pair of games and two double-digit wins for Miami.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Embiid&rsquo;s unfortunate absence pervades across various angles of this matchup. But it&rsquo;s perhaps been most pronounced in Adebayo&rsquo;s play, given the multifaceted manner in which he&rsquo;s overwhelming the Sixers. Until or if the big fella returns, these problems will likely persist for Philadelphia and continue to behoove Miami.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With Adebayo at the heart of everything, the Heat are in control, two wins away from their second conference finals appearance in three seasons.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

Bam Adebayo has been a difference-maker for the Miami Heat in Round 2, and Jackson Frank explains precisely why.

Bam Adebayo stands at the core of the Heat's second-round dominance

<p>During the regular season, Ja Morant was one of the league&rsquo;s most prolific and productive downhill adventurers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He averaged 20.9 drives per game</a> (third-most in the NBA) and shot 51.0% on those drives. Despite playing just 57 games, his 828 points resutling from drives led all players.</p>
<p>Once he mounted a head of steam, containing his powerful acrobatics was an incredibly arduous task for defenses. That prowess fueled Morant's scoring leap, as he averaged 27.4 points on 57.5% True Shooting en route to winning the Most Improved Player award.</p>
<p>Yet from Games 2-4 in the Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant&rsquo;s profits attacking the rim dried up, which subsequently hampered his overall scoring numbers.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>During that span, <a href="https://streamable.com/me9rj6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant thrived as a playmaker</a>, delivering 35 assists to 11 turnovers and amplifying the divergent off-ball scoring chops of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brandon-clarke-is-slipping-through-the-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Clarke</a> and Desmond Bane. But Minnesota&rsquo;s tactic had clearly flustered his individual success.</p>
<p>In those games, Morant averaged just 16.7 points on 45.9% TS and shot 38.7% on 62 drives. After 20 free-throw attempts in Game 1, he had just 17 total over the ensuing three outings. Halfway through Game 5, Morant had 6 points and 7 dimes (although, an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 showing at the line helped stymie him as well). Another pass-heavy approach was percolating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the Timberwolves loading help in the paint and at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2013/12/19/5227374/nba-defense-breakdown-nail-spurs-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the nail</a>, Morant&rsquo;s passing grew in importance, and his scoring suffered. They sagged off Memphis&rsquo; cast of generally timid, unthreatening floor-spacers, and directed focus to the star guard in front of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On most of his drives, a defender confronted Morant at the nail as three, sometimes four, bodies awaited him near the rim. Stunts from the strong side (usually a no-go for defenses) were commonplace. His once-dynamic finishing was better classified as erratic.</p>
<p>The Grizzlies ranked just 28th in three-point rate (.346) and 17th in percentage (35.3%) in the regular season. So, Minnesota dared them to convert beyond the arc and refused to offer Morant runways for his trampoline-bounce to shine.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sws55r" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Pause those clips above. Process the positioning of Minnesota&rsquo;s help defenders and how much room Memphis&rsquo; shooters are granted. On the final play, both Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt tag the roller, likely in case Morant wiggles around Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; hedge and explodes to the hoop. That&rsquo;s a whole lot of attention on one dude.</p>
<p>To Memphis&rsquo; and Morant&rsquo;s credit, Game 5 was full of experimentation to open driving lanes for him. Whether he initiated offense from different spots (top of the key vs. the wings), he began possessions off the ball to operate as a screener/second-creator or the floor-spacing was rearranged, everyone involved worked to find him some breathing room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the second half, those efforts were rewarded and the dam broke, particularly amid Memphis&rsquo; fourth-quarter, 13-point comeback. Morant scored 22 points after intermission, including 16 over the final seven minutes, when the Grizzlies closed with Morant, Bane, Clarke, Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks once Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out.</p>
<p>That lineup didn&rsquo;t record a single minute together in the regular season and debuted for two minutes in Game 4. By surrounding Morant with four ball-handling/play-finishing threats, Memphis provided him with more space and complicated Minnesota&rsquo;s "contain Ja at all costs" approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When bigs like Jackson or Xavier Tillman occupy the dunker spot, the Timberwolves are content helping off because neither is a particularly adept scorer around the basket. When Clarke is there, abandoning him to help on Morant is riskier, given Clarke&rsquo;s premier finishing and Morant&rsquo;s interior passing genes.</p>
<p>Minnesota has also routinely aimed to avoid involving Towns in ball-screens against Morant, which continued in the fourth quarter. That strategy gave Morant increased space as a driver and cleaner finishing angles over the top, while also forcing the Timberwolves&rsquo; defense into rotation more often.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/26syia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Small-ball was not the Grizzlies&rsquo; only avenue to springing free Morant and their collective offense. They really emphasized emptying the wings to muddle Minnesota&rsquo;s aggressive stunt-and-recovers. Rotating to the nail/elbows is much tougher when someone&rsquo;s assignment is stationed in the corner.</p>
<p>They also utilized double ball-screens for Morant out of a Horns alignment. Doing so removed a big man from the dunker spot altogether, and empowered Ja to work off the ball rather than needing to spearhead every action. Without help looming around every ball-screen, the third-year guard slalomed into the paint and gained traction to bring his squad a crucial Game 5 victory.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uy9381" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>By night&rsquo;s end, Memphis was plus-14 with the Morant-Jones-Bane-Brooks-Clarke quintet on the court. Morant scored 16 of its 21 points, headlined by a 9 of 10 performance at the free-throw line in the fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both in the half-court and transition, he repeatedly shimmied downhill and scored or drew fouls. His driving acumen also repopulated. Across his 45 minutes, he tallied 31 drives, shooting 50.0% (7 of 14) on them, taking 10 free throws and scoring 19 points. His pair of assists post-halftime were also emblematic of renewed scoring comfort.</p>
<p>Aside from Game 2, Memphis and Minnesota have been tangled in close battle after close battle. Morant&rsquo;s struggled in certain aspects throughout these contests and amended his approach to still fashion positive contributions. On Tuesday, though, the Grizzlies amended their approach to unlock the effervescent 22-year-old.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, they sit one win away from their first series victory since 2014-15, with their franchise star guiding them and enjoying his finest stretch of playoff basketball this season.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>During the regular season, Ja Morant was one of the league&rsquo;s most prolific and productive downhill adventurers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He averaged 20.9 drives per game</a> (third-most in the NBA) and shot 51.0% on those drives. Despite playing just 57 games, his 828 points resutling from drives led all players.</p>
<p>Once he mounted a head of steam, containing his powerful acrobatics was an incredibly arduous task for defenses. That prowess fueled Morant's scoring leap, as he averaged 27.4 points on 57.5% True Shooting en route to winning the Most Improved Player award.</p>
<p>Yet from Games 2-4 in the Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant&rsquo;s profits attacking the rim dried up, which subsequently hampered his overall scoring numbers.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>During that span, <a href="https://streamable.com/me9rj6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant thrived as a playmaker</a>, delivering 35 assists to 11 turnovers and amplifying the divergent off-ball scoring chops of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brandon-clarke-is-slipping-through-the-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Clarke</a> and Desmond Bane. But Minnesota&rsquo;s tactic had clearly flustered his individual success.</p>
<p>In those games, Morant averaged just 16.7 points on 45.9% TS and shot 38.7% on 62 drives. After 20 free-throw attempts in Game 1, he had just 17 total over the ensuing three outings. Halfway through Game 5, Morant had 6 points and 7 dimes (although, an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 showing at the line helped stymie him as well). Another pass-heavy approach was percolating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the Timberwolves loading help in the paint and at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2013/12/19/5227374/nba-defense-breakdown-nail-spurs-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the nail</a>, Morant&rsquo;s passing grew in importance, and his scoring suffered. They sagged off Memphis&rsquo; cast of generally timid, unthreatening floor-spacers, and directed focus to the star guard in front of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On most of his drives, a defender confronted Morant at the nail as three, sometimes four, bodies awaited him near the rim. Stunts from the strong side (usually a no-go for defenses) were commonplace. His once-dynamic finishing was better classified as erratic.</p>
<p>The Grizzlies ranked just 28th in three-point rate (.346) and 17th in percentage (35.3%) in the regular season. So, Minnesota dared them to convert beyond the arc and refused to offer Morant runways for his trampoline-bounce to shine.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sws55r" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Pause those clips above. Process the positioning of Minnesota&rsquo;s help defenders and how much room Memphis&rsquo; shooters are granted. On the final play, both Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt tag the roller, likely in case Morant wiggles around Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; hedge and explodes to the hoop. That&rsquo;s a whole lot of attention on one dude.</p>
<p>To Memphis&rsquo; and Morant&rsquo;s credit, Game 5 was full of experimentation to open driving lanes for him. Whether he initiated offense from different spots (top of the key vs. the wings), he began possessions off the ball to operate as a screener/second-creator or the floor-spacing was rearranged, everyone involved worked to find him some breathing room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the second half, those efforts were rewarded and the dam broke, particularly amid Memphis&rsquo; fourth-quarter, 13-point comeback. Morant scored 22 points after intermission, including 16 over the final seven minutes, when the Grizzlies closed with Morant, Bane, Clarke, Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks once Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out.</p>
<p>That lineup didn&rsquo;t record a single minute together in the regular season and debuted for two minutes in Game 4. By surrounding Morant with four ball-handling/play-finishing threats, Memphis provided him with more space and complicated Minnesota&rsquo;s "contain Ja at all costs" approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When bigs like Jackson or Xavier Tillman occupy the dunker spot, the Timberwolves are content helping off because neither is a particularly adept scorer around the basket. When Clarke is there, abandoning him to help on Morant is riskier, given Clarke&rsquo;s premier finishing and Morant&rsquo;s interior passing genes.</p>
<p>Minnesota has also routinely aimed to avoid involving Towns in ball-screens against Morant, which continued in the fourth quarter. That strategy gave Morant increased space as a driver and cleaner finishing angles over the top, while also forcing the Timberwolves&rsquo; defense into rotation more often.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/26syia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Small-ball was not the Grizzlies&rsquo; only avenue to springing free Morant and their collective offense. They really emphasized emptying the wings to muddle Minnesota&rsquo;s aggressive stunt-and-recovers. Rotating to the nail/elbows is much tougher when someone&rsquo;s assignment is stationed in the corner.</p>
<p>They also utilized double ball-screens for Morant out of a Horns alignment. Doing so removed a big man from the dunker spot altogether, and empowered Ja to work off the ball rather than needing to spearhead every action. Without help looming around every ball-screen, the third-year guard slalomed into the paint and gained traction to bring his squad a crucial Game 5 victory.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uy9381" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>By night&rsquo;s end, Memphis was plus-14 with the Morant-Jones-Bane-Brooks-Clarke quintet on the court. Morant scored 16 of its 21 points, headlined by a 9 of 10 performance at the free-throw line in the fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both in the half-court and transition, he repeatedly shimmied downhill and scored or drew fouls. His driving acumen also repopulated. Across his 45 minutes, he tallied 31 drives, shooting 50.0% (7 of 14) on them, taking 10 free throws and scoring 19 points. His pair of assists post-halftime were also emblematic of renewed scoring comfort.</p>
<p>Aside from Game 2, Memphis and Minnesota have been tangled in close battle after close battle. Morant&rsquo;s struggled in certain aspects throughout these contests and amended his approach to still fashion positive contributions. On Tuesday, though, the Grizzlies amended their approach to unlock the effervescent 22-year-old.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, Memphis sits one win away from its first playoff series victory since 2014-15, with their franchise star guiding them and enjoying his finest stretch of playoff basketball this season.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>During the regular season, Ja Morant was one of the league&rsquo;s most prolific and productive downhill adventurers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He averaged 20.9 drives per game</a> (third-most in the NBA) and shot 51.0% on those drives. Despite playing just 57 games, his 828 points resutling from drives led all players.</p>
<p>Once he mounted a head of steam, containing his powerful acrobatics was an incredibly arduous task for defenses. That prowess fueled Morant's scoring leap, as he averaged 27.4 points on 57.5% True Shooting en route to winning the Most Improved Player award.</p>
<p>Yet from Games 2-4 in the Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant&rsquo;s profits attacking the rim dried up, which subsequently hampered his overall scoring numbers.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>During that span, <a href="https://streamable.com/me9rj6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant thrived as a playmaker</a>, delivering 35 assists to 11 turnovers and amplifying the divergent off-ball scoring chops of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brandon-clarke-is-slipping-through-the-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Clarke</a> and Desmond Bane. But Minnesota&rsquo;s tactic had clearly flustered his individual success.</p>
<p>In those games, Morant averaged just 16.7 points on 45.9% TS and shot 38.7% on 62 drives. After 20 free-throw attempts in Game 1, he had just 17 total over the ensuing three outings. Halfway through Game 5, Morant had 6 points and 7 dimes (although, an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 showing at the line helped stymie him as well). Another pass-heavy approach was percolating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the Timberwolves loading help in the paint and at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2013/12/19/5227374/nba-defense-breakdown-nail-spurs-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the nail</a>, Morant&rsquo;s passing grew in importance, and his scoring suffered. They sagged off Memphis&rsquo; cast of generally timid, unthreatening floor-spacers, and directed focus to the star guard in front of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On most of his drives, a defender confronted Morant at the nail as three, sometimes four, bodies awaited him near the rim. Stunts from the strong side (usually a no-go for defenses) were commonplace. His once-dynamic finishing was better classified as erratic.</p>
<p>The Grizzlies ranked just 28th in three-point rate (.346) and 17th in percentage (35.3%) in the regular season. So, Minnesota dared them to convert beyond the arc and refused to offer Morant runways for his trampoline-bounce to shine.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sws55r" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Pause those clips above. Process the positioning of Minnesota&rsquo;s help defenders and how much room Memphis&rsquo; shooters are granted. On the final play, both Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt tag the roller, likely in case Morant wiggles around Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; hedge and explodes to the hoop. That&rsquo;s a whole lot of attention on one dude.</p>
<p>To Memphis&rsquo; and Morant&rsquo;s credit, Game 5 was full of experimentation to open driving lanes for him. Whether he initiated offense from different spots (top of the key vs. the wings), he began possessions off the ball to operate as a screener/second-creator or the floor-spacing was rearranged, everyone involved worked to find him some breathing room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the second half, those efforts were rewarded and the dam broke, particularly amid Memphis&rsquo; fourth-quarter, 13-point comeback. Morant scored 22 points after intermission, including 16 over the final seven minutes, when the Grizzlies closed with Morant, Bane, Clarke, Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks once Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out.</p>
<p>That lineup didn&rsquo;t record a single minute together in the regular season and debuted for two minutes in Game 4. By surrounding Morant with four ball-handling/play-finishing threats, Memphis provided him with more space and complicated Minnesota&rsquo;s "contain Ja at all costs" approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When bigs like Jackson or Xavier Tillman occupy the dunker spot, the Timberwolves are content helping off because neither is a particularly adept scorer around the basket. When Clarke is there, abandoning him to help on Morant is riskier, given Clarke&rsquo;s premier finishing and Morant&rsquo;s interior passing genes.</p>
<p>Minnesota has also routinely aimed to avoid involving Towns in ball-screens against Morant, which continued in the fourth quarter. That strategy gave Morant increased space as a driver and cleaner finishing angles over the top, while also forcing the Timberwolves&rsquo; defense into rotation more often.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/26syia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Small-ball was not the Grizzlies&rsquo; only avenue to springing free Morant and their collective offense. They really emphasized emptying the wings to muddle Minnesota&rsquo;s aggressive stunt-and-recovers. Rotating to the nail/elbows is much tougher when someone&rsquo;s assignment is stationed in the corner.</p>
<p>They also utilized double ball-screens for Morant out of a Horns alignment. Doing so removed a big man from the dunker spot altogether, and empowered Ja to work off the ball rather than needing to spearhead every action. Without help looming around every ball-screen, the third-year guard slalomed into the paint and gained traction to bring his squad a crucial Game 5 victory.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uy9381" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>By night&rsquo;s end, Memphis was plus-14 with the Morant-Jones-Bane-Brooks-Clarke quintet on the court. Morant scored 16 of its 21 points, headlined by a 9 of 10 performance at the free-throw line in the fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both in the half-court and transition, he repeatedly shimmied downhill and scored or drew fouls. His driving acumen also repopulated. Across his 45 minutes, he tallied 31 drives, shooting 50.0% (7 of 14) on them, taking 10 free throws and scoring 19 points. His pair of assists post-halftime were also emblematic of renewed scoring comfort.</p>
<p>Aside from Game 2, Memphis and Minnesota have been tangled in close battle after close battle. Morant&rsquo;s struggled in certain aspects throughout these contests and amended his approach to still fashion positive contributions. On Tuesday, though, the Grizzlies amended their approach to unlock the effervescent 22-year-old.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, Memphis sits one win away from its first playoff series victory since 2014-15, with its franchise star guiding them and enjoying his finest stretch of playoff basketball this season.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>During the regular season, Ja Morant was one of the league&rsquo;s most prolific and productive downhill adventurers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He averaged 20.9 drives per game</a> (third-most in the NBA) and shot 51.0% on those drives. Despite playing just 57 games, his 828 points resutling from drives led all players.</p>
<p>Once he mounted a head of steam, containing his powerful acrobatics was an incredibly arduous task for defenses. That prowess fueled Morant's scoring leap, as he averaged 27.4 points on 57.5% True Shooting en route to winning the Most Improved Player award.</p>
<p>Yet from Games 2-4 in the Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant&rsquo;s profits attacking the rim dried up, which subsequently hampered his overall scoring numbers.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>During that span, <a href="https://streamable.com/me9rj6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant thrived as a playmaker</a>, delivering 35 assists to 11 turnovers and amplifying the divergent off-ball scoring chops of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brandon-clarke-is-slipping-through-the-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Clarke</a> and Desmond Bane. But Minnesota&rsquo;s tactic had clearly flustered his individual success.</p>
<p>In those games, Morant averaged just 16.7 points on 45.9% TS and shot 38.7% on 62 drives. After 20 free-throw attempts in Game 1, he had just 17 total over the ensuing three outings. Halfway through Game 5, Morant had 6 points and 7 dimes (although, an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 showing at the line helped stymie him as well). Another pass-heavy approach was percolating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the Timberwolves loading help in the paint and at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2013/12/19/5227374/nba-defense-breakdown-nail-spurs-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the nail</a>, Morant&rsquo;s passing grew in importance, and his scoring suffered. They sagged off Memphis&rsquo; cast of generally timid, unthreatening floor-spacers, and directed focus to the star guard in front of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On most of his drives, a defender confronted Morant at the nail as three, sometimes four, bodies awaited him near the rim. Stunts from the strong side (usually a no-go for defenses) were commonplace. His once-dynamic finishing was better classified as erratic.</p>
<p>The Grizzlies ranked just 28th in three-point rate (.346) and 17th in percentage (35.3%) in the regular season. So, Minnesota dared them to convert beyond the arc and refused to offer Morant runways for his trampoline-bounce to shine.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sws55r" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Pause those clips above. Process the positioning of Minnesota&rsquo;s help defenders and how much room Memphis&rsquo; shooters are granted. On the final play, both Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt tag the roller, likely in case Morant wiggles around Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; hedge and explodes to the hoop. That&rsquo;s a whole lot of attention on one dude.</p>
<p>To Memphis&rsquo; and Morant&rsquo;s credit, Game 5 was full of experimentation to open driving lanes for him. Whether he initiated offense from different spots (top of the key vs. the wings), he began possessions off the ball to operate as a screener/second-creator or the floor-spacing was rearranged, everyone involved worked to find him some breathing room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the second half, those efforts were rewarded and the dam broke, particularly amid Memphis&rsquo; fourth-quarter, 13-point comeback. Morant scored 22 points after intermission, including 16 over the final seven minutes, when the Grizzlies closed with Morant, Bane, Clarke, Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks once Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out.</p>
<p>That lineup didn&rsquo;t record a single minute together in the regular season and debuted for two minutes in Game 4. By surrounding Morant with four ball-handling/play-finishing threats, Memphis provided him with more space and complicated Minnesota&rsquo;s "contain Ja at all costs" approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When bigs like Jackson or Xavier Tillman occupy the dunker spot, the Timberwolves are content helping off because neither is a particularly adept scorer around the basket. When Clarke is there, abandoning him to help on Morant is riskier, given Clarke&rsquo;s premier finishing and Morant&rsquo;s interior passing genes.</p>
<p>Minnesota has also routinely aimed to avoid involving Towns in ball-screens against Morant, which continued in the fourth quarter. That strategy gave Morant increased space as a driver and cleaner finishing angles over the top, while also forcing the Timberwolves&rsquo; defense into rotation more often.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/26syia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Small-ball was not the Grizzlies&rsquo; only avenue to springing free Morant and their collective offense. They really emphasized emptying the wings to muddle Minnesota&rsquo;s aggressive stunt-and-recovers. Rotating to the nail/elbows is much tougher when someone&rsquo;s assignment is stationed in the corner.</p>
<p>They also utilized double ball-screens for Morant out of a Horns alignment. Doing so removed a big man from the dunker spot altogether, and empowered Ja to work off the ball rather than needing to spearhead every action. Without help looming around every ball-screen, the third-year guard slalomed into the paint and gained traction to bring his squad a crucial Game 5 victory.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uy9381" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>By night&rsquo;s end, Memphis was plus-14 with the Morant-Jones-Bane-Brooks-Clarke quintet on the court. Morant scored 16 of its 21 points, headlined by a 9 of 10 performance at the free-throw line in the fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both in the half-court and transition, he repeatedly shimmied downhill and scored or drew fouls. His driving acumen also repopulated. Across his 45 minutes, he tallied 31 drives, shooting 50.0% (7 of 14) on them, taking 10 free throws and scoring 19 points. His pair of assists post-halftime were also emblematic of renewed scoring comfort.</p>
<p>Aside from Game 2, Memphis and Minnesota have been tangled in close battle after close battle. Morant&rsquo;s struggled in certain aspects throughout these contests and amended his approach to still fashion positive contributions. On Tuesday, though, the Grizzlies amended their approach to unlock the effervescent 22-year-old.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the Grizzlies sit one win away from their first series victory since 2014-15, with their franchise star guiding them and enjoying his finest stretch of playoff basketball this season.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>During the regular season, Ja Morant was one of the league&rsquo;s most prolific and productive downhill adventurers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He averaged 20.9 drives per game</a> (third-most in the NBA) and shot 51.0% on those drives. Despite playing just 57 games, his 828 points resutling from drives led all players.</p>
<p>Once he mounted a head of steam, containing his powerful acrobatics was an incredibly arduous task for defenses. That prowess fueled Morant's scoring leap, as he averaged 27.4 points on 57.5% True Shooting en route to winning the Most Improved Player award.</p>
<p>Yet from Games 2-4 in the Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant&rsquo;s profits attacking the rim dried up, which subsequently hampered his overall scoring numbers.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>During that span, <a href="https://streamable.com/me9rj6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant thrived as a playmaker</a>, delivering 35 assists to 11 turnovers and amplifying the divergent off-ball scoring chops of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brandon-clarke-is-slipping-through-the-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Clarke</a> and Desmond Bane. But Minnesota&rsquo;s tactic had clearly flustered his individual success.</p>
<p>In those games, Morant averaged just 16.7 points on 45.9% TS and shot 38.7% on 62 drives. After 20 free-throw attempts in Game 1, he had just 17 total over the ensuing three outings. Halfway through Game 5, Morant had 6 points and 7 dimes (although, an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 showing at the line helped stymie him as well). Another pass-heavy approach was percolating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the Timberwolves loading help in the paint and at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2013/12/19/5227374/nba-defense-breakdown-nail-spurs-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the nail</a>, Morant&rsquo;s passing grew in importance, and his scoring suffered. They sagged off Memphis&rsquo; cast of generally timid, unthreatening floor-spacers, and directed focus to the star guard in front of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On most of his drives, a defender confronted Morant at the nail as three, sometimes four, bodies awaited him near the rim. Stunts from the strong side (usually a no-go for defenses) were commonplace. His once-dynamic finishing was better classified as erratic.</p>
<p>The Grizzlies ranked just 28th in three-point rate (.346) and 17th in percentage (35.3%) in the regular season. So, Minnesota dared them to convert beyond the arc and refused to offer Morant runways for his trampoline-bounce to shine.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sws55r" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Pause those clips above. Process the positioning of Minnesota&rsquo;s help defenders and how much room Memphis&rsquo; shooters are granted. On the final play, both Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt tag the roller, likely in case Morant wiggles around Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; hedge and explodes to the hoop. That&rsquo;s a whole lot of attention on one dude.</p>
<p>To Memphis&rsquo; and Morant&rsquo;s credit, Game 5 was full of experimentation to open driving lanes for him. Whether he initiated offense from different spots (top of the key vs. the wings), he began possessions off the ball to operate as a screener/second-creator or the floor-spacing was rearranged, everyone involved worked to find him some breathing room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the second half, those efforts were rewarded and the dam broke, particularly amid Memphis&rsquo; fourth-quarter, 13-point comeback. Morant scored 22 points after intermission, including 16 over the final seven minutes, when the Grizzlies closed with Morant, Bane, Clarke, Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks once Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out.</p>
<p>That lineup didn&rsquo;t record a single minute together in the regular season and debuted for two minutes in Game 4. By surrounding Morant with four ball-handling/play-finishing threats, Memphis provided him with more space and complicated Minnesota&rsquo;s "contain Ja at all costs" approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When bigs like Jackson or Xavier Tillman occupy the dunker spot, the Timberwolves are content helping off because neither is a particularly adept scorer around the basket. When Clarke is there, abandoning him to help on Morant is riskier, given Clarke&rsquo;s premier finishing and Morant&rsquo;s interior passing genes.</p>
<p>Minnesota has also routinely aimed to avoid involving Towns in ball-screens against Morant, which continued in the fourth quarter. That strategy gave Morant increased space as a driver and cleaner finishing angles over the top, while also forcing the Timberwolves&rsquo; defense into rotation more often.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/26syia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Small-ball was not the Grizzlies&rsquo; only avenue to springing free Morant and their collective offense. They really emphasized emptying the wings to muddle Minnesota&rsquo;s aggressive stunt-and-recovers. Rotating to the nail/elbows is much tougher when someone&rsquo;s assignment is stationed in the corner.</p>
<p>They also utilized double ball-screens for Morant out of a Horns alignment. Doing so removed a big man from the dunker spot altogether, and empowered Ja to work off the ball rather than needing to spearhead every action. Without help looming around every ball-screen, the third-year guard slalomed into the paint and gained traction to bring his squad a crucial Game 5 victory.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uy9381" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>By night&rsquo;s end, Memphis was plus-14 with the Morant-Jones-Bane-Brooks-Clarke quintet on the court. Morant scored 16 of its 21 points, headlined by a 9 of 10 performance at the free-throw line in the fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both in the half-court and transition, he repeatedly shimmied downhill and scored or drew fouls. His driving acumen also repopulated. Across his 45 minutes, he tallied 31 drives, shooting 50.0% (7 of 14) on them, taking 10 free throws and scoring 19 points. His pair of assists post-halftime were also emblematic of renewed scoring comfort.</p>
<p>Aside from Game 2, Memphis and Minnesota have been tangled in close battle after close battle. Morant&rsquo;s struggled in certain aspects throughout these contests and amended his approach to still fashion positive contributions. On Tuesday, though, the team amended its approach to unlock the effervescent 22-year-old.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the Grizzlies sit one win away from their first series victory since 2014-15, with their franchise star guiding them and enjoying his finest stretch of playoff basketball this season.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>During the regular season, Ja Morant was one of the league&rsquo;s most prolific and productive downhill adventurers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He averaged 20.9 drives per game</a> (third-most in the NBA) and shot 51.0% on those drives. Despite playing just 57 games, his 828 points resutling from drives led all players.</p>
<p>Once he mounted a head of steam, containing his powerful acrobatics was an incredibly arduous task for defenses. That prowess fueled Morant's scoring leap, as he averaged 27.4 points on 57.5% True Shooting en route to winning the Most Improved Player award.</p>
<p>Yet from Games 2-4 in the Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant&rsquo;s profits attacking the rim dried up, which subsequently hampered his overall scoring numbers.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>During that span, <a href="https://streamable.com/me9rj6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant thrived as a playmaker</a>, delivering 35 assists to 11 turnovers and amplifying the divergent off-ball scoring chops of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brandon-clarke-is-slipping-through-the-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Clarke</a> and Desmond Bane. But Minnesota&rsquo;s tactic had clearly flustered his individual success.</p>
<p>In those games, Morant averaged just 16.7 points on 45.9% TS and shot 38.7% on 62 drives. After 20 free-throw attempts in Game 1, he had just 17 total over the ensuing three outings. Halfway through Game 5, Morant had 6 points and 7 dimes (although, an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 showing at the line helped stymie him as well). Another pass-heavy approach was percolating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the Timberwolves loading help in the paint and at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2013/12/19/5227374/nba-defense-breakdown-nail-spurs-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the nail</a>, Morant&rsquo;s passing grew in importance, and his scoring suffered. They sagged off Memphis&rsquo; cast of generally timid, unthreatening floor-spacers, and directed focus to the star guard in front of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On most of his drives, a defender confronted Morant at the nail as three, sometimes four, bodies awaited him near the rim. Stunts from the strong side (usually a no-go for defenses) were commonplace. His once-dynamic finishing was better classified as erratic.</p>
<p>The Grizzlies ranked just 28th in three-point rate (.346) and 17th in percentage (35.3%) in the regular season. So, Minnesota dared them to convert beyond the arc and refused to offer Morant runways for his trampoline-bounce to shine.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sws55r" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Pause those clips above. Process the positioning of Minnesota&rsquo;s help defenders and how much room Memphis&rsquo; shooters are granted. On the final play, both Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt tag the roller, likely in case Morant wiggles around Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; hedge and explodes to the hoop. That&rsquo;s a whole lot of attention on one dude.</p>
<p>To Memphis&rsquo; and Morant&rsquo;s credit, Game 5 was full of experimentation to open driving lanes for him. Whether he initiated offense from different spots (top of the key vs. the wings), he began possessions off the ball to operate as a screener/second-creator or the floor-spacing was rearranged, everyone involved worked to find him some breathing room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the second half, those efforts were rewarded and the dam broke, particularly amid Memphis&rsquo; fourth-quarter, 13-point comeback. Morant scored 22 points after intermission, including 16 over the final seven minutes, when the Grizzlies closed with Morant, Bane, Clarke, Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks once Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out.</p>
<p>That lineup didn&rsquo;t record a single minute together in the regular season and debuted for two minutes in Game 4. By surrounding Morant with four ball-handling/play-finishing threats, Memphis provided him with more space and complicated Minnesota&rsquo;s "contain Ja at all costs" approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When bigs like Jackson or Xavier Tillman occupy the dunker spot, the Timberwolves are content helping off because neither is a particularly adept scorer around the basket. When Clarke is there, abandoning him to help on Morant is riskier, given Clarke&rsquo;s premier finishing and Morant&rsquo;s interior passing genes.</p>
<p>Minnesota has also routinely aimed to avoid involving Towns in ball-screens against Morant, which continued in the fourth quarter. That strategy gave Morant increased space as a driver and cleaner finishing angles over the top, while also forcing the Timberwolves&rsquo; defense into rotation more often.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/26syia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Small-ball was not the Grizzlies&rsquo; only avenue to springing free Morant and their collective offense. They really emphasized emptying the wings to muddle Minnesota&rsquo;s aggressive stunt-and-recovers. Rotating to the nail/elbows is much tougher when someone&rsquo;s assignment is stationed in the corner.</p>
<p>They also utilized double ball-screens for Morant out of a Horns alignment. Doing so removed a big man from the dunker spot altogether, and empowered Ja to work off the ball rather than needing to spearhead every action. Without help looming around every ball-screen, the third-year guard slalomed into the paint and gained traction to bring his squad a crucial Game 5 victory.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uy9381" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>By night&rsquo;s end, Memphis was plus-14 with the Morant-Jones-Bane-Brooks-Clarke quintet on the court. Morant scored 16 of its 21 points, headlined by a 9 of 10 performance at the free-throw line in the fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both in the half-court and transition, he repeatedly shimmied downhill and scored or drew fouls. His driving acumen also repopulated. Across his 45 minutes, he tallied 31 drives, shooting 50.0% (7 of 14) on them, taking 10 free throws and scoring 19 points. His pair of assists post-halftime were also emblematic of renewed scoring comfort.</p>
<p>Aside from Game 2, Memphis and Minnesota have been tangled in close battle after close battle. Morant&rsquo;s struggled in certain aspects throughout these contests and amended his approach to still fashion positive contributions. On Tuesday, though, the team amended its approach to unlock the effervescent 22-year-old.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the Grizzlies sit one win away from their first playoff series victory since 2014-15, with their franchise star guiding them and enjoying his finest stretch of playoff basketball this season.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>During the regular season, Ja Morant was one of the league&rsquo;s most prolific and productive downhill adventurers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He averaged 20.9 drives per game</a> (third-most in the NBA) and shot 51.0% on those drives. Despite playing just 57 games, his 828 points resutling from drives led all players.</p>
<p>Once he mounted a head of steam, containing his powerful acrobatics was an incredibly arduous task for defenses. That prowess fueled Morant's scoring leap, as he averaged 27.4 points on 57.5% True Shooting en route to winning the Most Improved Player award.</p>
<p>Yet from Games 2-4 in the Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant&rsquo;s profits attacking the rim dried up, which subsequently hampered his overall scoring numbers.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>During that span, <a href="https://streamable.com/me9rj6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant thrived as a playmaker</a>, delivering 35 assists to 11 turnovers and amplifying the divergent off-ball scoring chops of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brandon-clarke-is-slipping-through-the-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Clarke</a> and Desmond Bane. But Minnesota&rsquo;s tactic had clearly flustered his individual success.</p>
<p>In those games, Morant averaged just 16.7 points on 45.9% TS and shot 38.7% on 62 drives. After 20 free-throw attempts in Game 1, he had just 17 total over the ensuing three outings. Halfway through Game 5, Morant had 6 points and 7 dimes (although, an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 showing at the line helped stymie him as well). Another pass-heavy approach was percolating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the Timberwolves loading help in the paint and at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2013/12/19/5227374/nba-defense-breakdown-nail-spurs-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the nail</a>, Morant&rsquo;s passing grew in importance, and his scoring suffered. They sagged off Memphis&rsquo; cast of generally timid, unthreatening floor-spacers, and directed focus to the star guard in front of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On most of his drives, a defender confronted Morant at the nail as three, sometimes four, bodies awaited him near the rim. Stunts from the strong side (usually a no-go for defenses) were commonplace. His once-dynamic finishing was better classified as erratic.</p>
<p>The Grizzlies ranked just 28th in three-point rate (.346) and 17th in percentage (35.3%) in the regular season. So, Minnesota dared them to convert beyond the arc and refused to offer Morant runways for his trampoline-bounce to shine.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sws55r" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Pause those clips above. Process the positioning of Minnesota&rsquo;s help defenders and how much room Memphis&rsquo; shooters are granted. On the final play, both Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt tag the roller, likely in case Morant wiggles around Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; hedge and explodes to the hoop. That&rsquo;s a whole lot of attention on one dude.</p>
<p>To Memphis&rsquo; and Morant&rsquo;s credit, Game 5 was full of experimentation to open driving lanes for him. Whether he initiated offense from different spots (top of the key vs. the wings), he began possessions off the ball to operate as a screener/second-creator or the floor-spacing was rearranged, everyone involved worked to find him some breathing room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the second half, those efforts were rewarded and the dam broke, particularly amid Memphis&rsquo; fourth-quarter, 13-point comeback. Morant scored 22 points after intermission, including 16 over the final seven minutes, when the Grizzlies closed with Morant, Bane, Clarke, Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks once Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out.</p>
<p>That lineup didn&rsquo;t record a single minute together in the regular season and debuted for two minutes in Game 4. By surrounding Morant with four ball-handling/play-finishing threats, Memphis provided him with more space and complicated Minnesota&rsquo;s "contain Ja at all costs" approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When bigs like Jackson or Xavier Tillman occupy the dunker spot, the Timberwolves are content helping off because neither is a particularly adept scorer around the basket. When Clarke is there, abandoning him to help on Morant is riskier, given Clarke&rsquo;s premier finishing and Morant&rsquo;s interior passing genes.</p>
<p>Minnesota has also routinely aimed to avoid involving Towns in ball-screens against Morant, which continued in the fourth quarter. That strategy gave Morant increased space as a driver and cleaner finishing angles over the top, while also forcing the Timberwolves&rsquo; defense into rotation more often.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/26syia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Small-ball was not the Grizzlies&rsquo; only avenue to springing free Morant and their collective offense. They really emphasized emptying the wings to muddle Minnesota&rsquo;s aggressive stunt-and-recovers. Rotating to the nail/elbows is much tougher when someone&rsquo;s assignment is stationed in the corner.</p>
<p>They also utilized double ball-screens for Morant out of a Horns alignment. Doing so removed a big man from the dunker spot altogether, and empowered Ja to work off the ball rather than needing to spearhead every action. Without help looming around every ball-screen, the third-year guard slalomed into the paint and gained traction to bring his squad a crucial Game 5 victory.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uy9381" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>By night&rsquo;s end, Memphis was plus-14 with the Morant-Jones-Bane-Brooks-Clarke quintet on the court. Morant scored 16 of its 21 points, headlined by a 9 of 10 performance at the free-throw line in the fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both in the half-court and transition, he repeatedly shimmied downhill and scored or drew fouls. His driving acumen also repopulated. Across his 45 minutes, he tallied 31 drives, shooting 50.0% (7 of 14) on them, taking 10 free throws and scoring 19 points. His pair of assists post-halftime were also emblematic of renewed scoring comfort.</p>
<p>Aside from Game 2, Memphis and Minnesota have been tangled in close battle after close battle. Morant&rsquo;s struggled in certain aspects throughout these contests and amended his approach to still fashion positive contributions. On Tuesday, though, the team amended its approach to unlock the effervescent 22-year-old.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the Grizzlies sit one win away from their first playoff series victory since 2014-15, with their franchise star guiding them and enjoying his finest stretch of postseason basketball this season.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>During the regular season, Ja Morant was one of the league&rsquo;s most prolific and productive downhill adventurers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He averaged 20.9 drives per game</a> (third-most in the NBA) and shot 51.0% on those drives. Despite playing just 57 games, his 828 points resutling from drives led all players.</p>
<p>Once he mounted a head of steam, containing his powerful acrobatics was an incredibly arduous task for defenses. That prowess fueled Morant's scoring leap, as he averaged 27.4 points on 57.5% True Shooting en route to winning the Most Improved Player award.</p>
<p>Yet from Games 2-4 in the Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant&rsquo;s profits attacking the rim dried up, which subsequently hampered his overall scoring numbers.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>During that span, <a href="https://streamable.com/me9rj6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant thrived as a playmaker</a>, delivering 35 assists to 11 turnovers and amplifying the divergent off-ball scoring chops of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brandon-clarke-is-slipping-through-the-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Clarke</a> and Desmond Bane. But Minnesota&rsquo;s tactic had clearly flustered his individual success.</p>
<p>In those games, Morant averaged just 16.7 points on 45.9% TS and shot 38.7% on 62 drives. After 20 free-throw attempts in Game 1, he had just 17 total over the ensuing three outings. Halfway through Game 5, Morant had 6 points and 7 dimes (although, an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 showing at the line helped stymie him as well). Another pass-heavy approach was percolating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the Timberwolves loading help in the paint and at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2013/12/19/5227374/nba-defense-breakdown-nail-spurs-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the nail</a>, Morant&rsquo;s passing grew in importance, and his scoring suffered. They sagged off Memphis&rsquo; cast of generally timid, unthreatening floor-spacers, and directed focus to the star guard in front of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On most of his drives, a defender confronted Morant at the nail as three, sometimes four, bodies awaited him near the rim. Stunts from the strong side (usually a no-go for defenses) were commonplace. His once-dynamic finishing was better classified as erratic.</p>
<p>The Grizzlies ranked just 28th in three-point rate (.346) and 17th in percentage (35.3%) in the regular season. So, Minnesota dared them to convert beyond the arc and refused to offer Morant runways for his trampoline-bounce to shine.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sws55r" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Pause those clips above. Process the positioning of Minnesota&rsquo;s help defenders and how much room Memphis&rsquo; shooters are granted. On the final play, both Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt tag the roller, likely in case Morant wiggles around Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; hedge and explodes to the hoop. That&rsquo;s a whole lot of attention on one dude.</p>
<p>To Memphis&rsquo; and Morant&rsquo;s credit, Game 5 was full of experimentation to open driving lanes for him. Whether he initiated offense from different spots (top of the key vs. the wings), he began possessions off the ball to operate as a screener/second-creator or the floor-spacing was rearranged, everyone involved worked to find him some breathing room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the second half, those efforts were rewarded and the dam broke, particularly amid Memphis&rsquo; fourth-quarter, 13-point comeback. Morant scored 22 points after intermission, including 16 over the final seven minutes, when the Grizzlies closed with Morant, Bane, Clarke, Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks once Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out.</p>
<p>That lineup didn&rsquo;t record a single minute together in the regular season and debuted for two minutes in Game 4. By surrounding Morant with four ball-handling/play-finishing threats, Memphis provided him with more space and complicated Minnesota&rsquo;s "contain Ja at all costs" approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When bigs like Jackson or Xavier Tillman occupy the dunker spot, the Timberwolves are content helping off because neither is a particularly adept scorer around the basket. When Clarke is there, abandoning him to help on Morant is riskier, given Clarke&rsquo;s premier finishing and Morant&rsquo;s interior passing genes.</p>
<p>Minnesota has also routinely aimed to avoid involving Towns in ball-screens against Morant, which continued in the fourth quarter. That strategy gave Morant increased space as a driver and cleaner finishing angles over the top, while also forcing the Timberwolves&rsquo; defense into rotation more often.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/26syia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Small-ball was not the Grizzlies&rsquo; only avenue to springing free Morant and their collective offense. They really emphasized emptying the wings to muddle Minnesota&rsquo;s aggressive stunt-and-recovers. Rotating to the nail/elbows is much tougher when someone&rsquo;s assignment is stationed in the corner.</p>
<p>They also utilized double ball-screens for Morant out of a Horns alignment. Doing so removed a big man from the dunker spot altogether, and empowered Ja to work off the ball rather than needing to spearhead every action. Without help looming around every ball-screen, the third-year guard slalomed into the paint and gained traction to bring his squad a crucial Game 5 victory.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uy9381" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>By night&rsquo;s end, Memphis was plus-14 with the Morant-Jones-Bane-Brooks-Clarke quintet on the court. Morant scored 16 of its 21 points, headlined by a 9 of 10 performance at the free-throw line in the fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both in the half-court and transition, he repeatedly shimmied downhill and scored or drew fouls. His driving acumen also repopulated. Across his 45 minutes, he tallied 31 drives, shooting 50.0% (7 of 14) on them, taking 10 free throws and scoring 19 points. His pair of assists post-halftime were also emblematic of renewed scoring comfort.</p>
<p>Aside from Game 2, Memphis and Minnesota have been tangled in close battle after close battle. Morant&rsquo;s struggled in certain aspects throughout these contests and amended his approach to still fashion positive contributions. On Tuesday, though, the team amended its approach to unlock the effervescent 22-year-old.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the Grizzlies sit one win away from their first playoff series victory since 2014-15, with their franchise star guiding them and enjoying his finest stretch of postseason basketball.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>During the regular season, Ja Morant was one of the league&rsquo;s most prolific and productive downhill adventurers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He averaged 20.9 drives per game</a> (third-most in the NBA) and shot 51.0% on those drives. Despite playing just 57 games, his 828 points resutling from drives led all players.</p>
<p>Once he mounted a head of steam, containing his powerful acrobatics was an incredibly arduous task for defenses. That prowess fueled Morant's scoring leap, as he averaged 27.4 points on 57.5% True Shooting en route to winning the Most Improved Player award.</p>
<p>Yet from Games 2-4 in the Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant&rsquo;s profits attacking the rim dried up, which subsequently hampered his overall scoring numbers.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>During that span, <a href="https://streamable.com/me9rj6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant thrived as a playmaker</a>, delivering 35 assists to 11 turnovers and amplifying the divergent off-ball scoring chops of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brandon-clarke-is-slipping-through-the-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Clarke</a> and Desmond Bane. But Minnesota&rsquo;s tactic had clearly flustered his individual success.</p>
<p>In those games, Morant averaged just 16.7 points on 45.9% TS and shot 38.7% on 62 drives. After 20 free-throw attempts in Game 1, he had just 17 total over the ensuing three outings. Halfway through Game 5, Morant had 6 points and 7 dimes (although, an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 showing at the line helped stymie him as well). Another pass-heavy approach was percolating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the Timberwolves loading help in the paint and at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2013/12/19/5227374/nba-defense-breakdown-nail-spurs-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the nail</a>, Morant&rsquo;s passing grew in importance, and his scoring suffered. They sagged off Memphis&rsquo; cast of generally timid, unthreatening floor-spacers, and directed focus to the star guard in front of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On most of his drives, a defender confronted Morant at the nail as three, sometimes four, bodies awaited him near the rim. Stunts from the strong side (usually a no-go for defenses) were commonplace. His once-dynamic finishing was better classified as erratic.</p>
<p>The Grizzlies ranked just 28th in three-point rate (.346) and 17th in percentage (35.3%) in the regular season. So, Minnesota dared them to convert beyond the arc and refused to offer Morant runways for his trampoline-bounce to shine.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sws55r" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Pause those clips above. Process the positioning of Minnesota&rsquo;s help defenders and how much room Memphis&rsquo; shooters are granted. On the final play, both Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt tag the roller, likely in case Morant wiggles around Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; hedge and explodes to the hoop. That&rsquo;s a whole lot of attention on one dude.</p>
<p>To Memphis&rsquo; and Morant&rsquo;s credit, Game 5 was full of experimentation to open driving lanes for him. Whether he initiated offense from different spots (top of the key vs. the wings), he began possessions off the ball to operate as a screener/second-creator or the floor-spacing was rearranged, everyone involved worked to find him some breathing room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the second half, those efforts were rewarded and the dam broke, particularly amid Memphis&rsquo; fourth-quarter, 13-point comeback. Morant scored 22 points after intermission, including 16 over the final seven minutes, when the Grizzlies closed with Morant, Bane, Clarke, Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks once Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out.</p>
<p>That lineup didn&rsquo;t record a single minute together in the regular season and debuted for two minutes in Game 4. By surrounding Morant with four ball-handling/play-finishing threats, Memphis provided him with more space and complicated Minnesota&rsquo;s "contain Ja at all costs" approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When bigs like Jackson or Xavier Tillman occupy the dunker spot, the Timberwolves are content helping off because neither is a particularly adept scorer around the basket. When Clarke is there, abandoning him to help on Morant is riskier, given Clarke&rsquo;s premier finishing and Morant&rsquo;s interior passing genes.</p>
<p>Minnesota has also routinely aimed to avoid involving Towns in ball-screens against Morant, which continued in the fourth quarter. That strategy gave Morant increased space as a driver and cleaner finishing angles over the top, while also forcing the Timberwolves&rsquo; defense into rotation more often.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/26syia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Small-ball was not the Grizzlies&rsquo; only avenue to springing free Morant and their collective offense. They really emphasized emptying the wings to muddle Minnesota&rsquo;s aggressive stunt-and-recovers. Rotating to the nail/elbows is much tougher when someone&rsquo;s assignment is stationed in the corner.</p>
<p>They also utilized double ball-screens for Morant out of a Horns alignment. Doing so removed a big man from the dunker spot altogether, and empowered Ja to work off the ball rather than needing to spearhead every action. Without help looming around every ball-screen, the third-year guard slalomed into the paint and gained traction to bring his squad a crucial Game 5 victory.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uy9381" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>By night&rsquo;s end, Memphis was plus-14 with the Morant-Jones-Bane-Brooks-Clarke quintet on the court. Morant scored 16 of its 21 points, headlined by a 9 of 10 performance at the free-throw line in the fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both in the half-court and transition, he repeatedly shimmied downhill and scored or drew fouls. His driving acumen also repopulated. Across his 45 minutes, he tallied 31 drives, shooting 50.0% (7 of 14) on them, taking 10 free throws and scoring 19 points. His pair of assists post-halftime were also emblematic of renewed scoring comfort.</p>
<p>Aside from Game 2, Memphis and Minnesota have been tangled in close battle after close battle. Morant&rsquo;s struggled in certain aspects throughout these contests and amended his approach to still fashion positive contributions. On Tuesday, though, the team amended its approach to unlock the effervescent 22-year-old.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the Grizzlies sit one win away from their first playoff series victory since 2014-15, with their franchise star guiding them and enjoying his finest stretch of postseason basketball this year.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>During the regular season, Ja Morant was one of the league&rsquo;s most prolific and productive downhill adventurers.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He averaged 20.9 drives per game</a> (third-most in the NBA) and shot 51.0% on those drives. Despite playing just 57 games, his 828 points resutling from drives led all players.</p>
<p>Once he mounted a head of steam, containing his powerful acrobatics was an incredibly arduous task for defenses. That prowess fueled Morant's scoring leap, as he averaged 27.4 points on 57.5% True Shooting en route to winning the Most Improved Player award.</p>
<p>Yet from Games 2-4 in the Memphis Grizzlies&rsquo; first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morant&rsquo;s profits attacking the rim dried up, which subsequently hampered his overall scoring numbers.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>During that span, <a href="https://streamable.com/me9rj6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant thrived as a playmaker</a>, delivering 35 assists to 11 turnovers and amplifying the divergent off-ball scoring chops of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/brandon-clarke-is-slipping-through-the-cracks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandon Clarke</a> and Desmond Bane. But Minnesota&rsquo;s tactic had clearly flustered his individual success.</p>
<p>In those games, Morant averaged just 16.7 points on 45.9% TS and shot 38.7% on 62 drives. After 20 free-throw attempts in Game 1, he had just 17 total over the ensuing three outings. Halfway through Game 5, Morant had 6 points and 7 dimes (although, an uncharacteristic 2 of 7 showing at the line helped stymie him as well). Another pass-heavy approach was percolating.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the Timberwolves loading help in the paint and at <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/2013/12/19/5227374/nba-defense-breakdown-nail-spurs-pacers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the nail</a>, Morant&rsquo;s passing grew in importance, and his scoring suffered. They sagged off Memphis&rsquo; cast of generally timid, unthreatening floor-spacers, and directed focus to the star guard in front of them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On most of his drives, a defender confronted Morant at the nail as three, sometimes four, bodies awaited him near the rim. Stunts from the strong side (usually a no-go for defenses) were commonplace. His once-dynamic finishing was better classified as erratic.</p>
<p>The Grizzlies ranked just 28th in three-point rate (.346) and 17th in percentage (35.3%) in the regular season. So, Minnesota dared them to convert beyond the arc and refused to offer Morant runways for his trampoline-bounce to shine.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/sws55r" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Pause those clips above. Process the positioning of Minnesota&rsquo;s help defenders and how much room Memphis&rsquo; shooters are granted. On the final play, both Anthony Edwards and Jarred Vanderbilt tag the roller, likely in case Morant wiggles around Karl-Anthony Towns&rsquo; hedge and explodes to the hoop. That&rsquo;s a whole lot of attention on one dude.</p>
<p>To Memphis&rsquo; and Morant&rsquo;s credit, Game 5 was full of experimentation to open driving lanes for him. Whether he initiated offense from different spots (top of the key vs. the wings), he began possessions off the ball to operate as a screener/second-creator or the floor-spacing was rearranged, everyone involved worked to find him some breathing room.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the second half, those efforts were rewarded and the dam broke, particularly amid Memphis&rsquo; fourth-quarter, 13-point comeback. Morant scored 24 points after intermission, including 16 over the final seven minutes, when the Grizzlies closed with Morant, Bane, Clarke, Tyus Jones and Dillon Brooks once Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled out.</p>
<p>That lineup didn&rsquo;t record a single minute together in the regular season and debuted for two minutes in Game 4. By surrounding Morant with four ball-handling/play-finishing threats, Memphis provided him with more space and complicated Minnesota&rsquo;s "contain Ja at all costs" approach.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When bigs like Jackson or Xavier Tillman occupy the dunker spot, the Timberwolves are content helping off because neither is a particularly adept scorer around the basket. When Clarke is there, abandoning him to help on Morant is riskier, given Clarke&rsquo;s premier finishing and Morant&rsquo;s interior passing genes.</p>
<p>Minnesota has also routinely aimed to avoid involving Towns in ball-screens against Morant, which continued in the fourth quarter. That strategy gave Morant increased space as a driver and cleaner finishing angles over the top, while also forcing the Timberwolves&rsquo; defense into rotation more often.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/26syia" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Small-ball was not the Grizzlies&rsquo; only avenue to springing free Morant and their collective offense. They really emphasized emptying the wings to muddle Minnesota&rsquo;s aggressive stunt-and-recovers. Rotating to the nail/elbows is much tougher when someone&rsquo;s assignment is stationed in the corner.</p>
<p>They also utilized double ball-screens for Morant out of a Horns alignment. Doing so removed a big man from the dunker spot altogether, and empowered Ja to work off the ball rather than needing to spearhead every action. Without help looming around every ball-screen, the third-year guard slalomed into the paint and gained traction to bring his squad a crucial Game 5 victory.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/uy9381" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>By night&rsquo;s end, Memphis was plus-14 with the Morant-Jones-Bane-Brooks-Clarke quintet on the court. Morant scored 16 of its 21 points, headlined by a 9 of 10 performance at the free-throw line in the fourth.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Both in the half-court and transition, he repeatedly shimmied downhill and scored or drew fouls. His driving acumen also repopulated. Across his 45 minutes, he tallied 31 drives, shooting 50.0% (7 of 14) on them, taking 10 free throws and scoring 19 points. His pair of assists post-halftime were also emblematic of renewed scoring comfort.</p>
<p>Aside from Game 2, Memphis and Minnesota have been tangled in close battle after close battle. Morant&rsquo;s struggled in certain aspects throughout these contests and amended his approach to still fashion positive contributions. On Tuesday, though, the team amended its approach to unlock the effervescent 22-year-old.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Now, the Grizzlies sit one win away from their first playoff series victory since 2014-15, with their franchise star guiding them and enjoying his finest stretch of postseason basketball this year.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

Jackson Frank analyzes how the Grizzlies were able to get Ja Morant going on offense after struggling to find scoring comfort.

How the Grizzlies helped Ja Morant find himself as a scorer in Game 5

<p>Before the 5-minute mark of Game 1&rsquo;s first quarter between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Kevin Durant committed 3 turnovers. In last year&rsquo;s first-round series, he averaged 2.8 giveaways, and Brooklyn cruised to a 4-1 series victory over Boston&rsquo;s shorthanded squad.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But these teams are in starkly different spots this season. The Celtics are much better prepared to counter the Nets&rsquo; explosive ethos. They finished atop the league in Defensive Rating, and were a supremely dominant club from late January onward. Durant&rsquo;s trio of early turnovers helped emphasize the radical changes for each side and why the ensuing 43 minutes Sunday were similarly frustrating for him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By the game&rsquo;s end, the superstar forward logged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 turnovers. Boston contained him to a 9 of 24 night from the field and a paltry 43.9% True Shooting. A dash of variance was at play, yet the Celtics also executed a brilliant game plan against him. More 9 of 24 outings should not be expected, but the 33-7-7-2-1 line on 69% TS that KD rolled to in last year&rsquo;s seamless series win should not be expected either.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>What immediately stood out in the Celtics&rsquo; approach was their masterful scout work. They clearly studied Durant&rsquo;s tendencies and imparted them on their defensive personnel, who promptly and impressively adhered to the strategy.</p>
<p>One of the hallmarks in slowing Durant was Boston&rsquo;s timely help. It knew when to ambush him without allowing him to scan the floor and deliver eagle-eyed reads for lucrative shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Durant&rsquo;s first turnover summarized that gambit. Jayson Tatum blitzed him a half-second later than an immediate trap might arrive, and stunted at his handle just as Durant brought it back to his left hand (the one closest to Tatum). Boston traditionally switches ball-screens, so it&rsquo;s clear Durant wasn&rsquo;t expecting a trap, and Tatum&rsquo;s imposing frame flustered him into the gaffe.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y9j3fs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Varying the coverage on Durant sat central to the Celtics&rsquo; philosophy. When a screen came his way, they toggled among switching, trapping and dropping against him. Switching remained the dominant tactic, but they mixed it up.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201142/head-to-head?Matchup=Offense&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PARTIAL_POSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the primary defender on Durant oscillated</a>. Tatum assumed the grandest portion of the pie, while Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all garnered notable time versus the silky scorer.</p>
<p>Superstars love to discern the inclinations of a certain defender or scheme and proceed accordingly. Boston&rsquo;s carousel of schemes and defenders ensured Durant never found comfortable footing. He consistently had to adapt to different looks from a slew of shrewd, effective blueprints.</p>
<p>For instance, Durant excels at passing out of double teams, and Boston clearly monitored that trend. So, the team generally deviated away from hard, obvious doubles and avoided providing him with easy outlets.</p>
<p>Rather, the Celtics committed to late stunts, digs and rotations that occurred once any sort of passing read was much more complicated for him than it would be if a standard double was sent. His shot-making prowess renders a lot of these choices still worthwhile, but there were some missed windows as a result of Boston&rsquo;s scheme &mdash; one predicated on helping once Durant had already determined his decision.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the clips above, note where Durant could conceivably pass before the help comes. There aren&rsquo;t many suitable options, especially in conjunction with what Durant could create individually &mdash; at least prior to a second defender entering his airspace. Pristine off-ball positioning amplified the on-ball defense&rsquo;s potency.</p>
<p>The hasty timing extended to Boston&rsquo;s constant disruption of Durant's rhythm. Although his release point is higher than virtually anyone can reach, KD's gather phase is quite slow and elongated, going from near his knees to above his head. If executed properly, there is ample time on that path to intrude.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics exploited it. Tatum, Smart, Williams and Horford all tout particularly dexterous hands as defensive playmakers. Brown&rsquo;s help on a few possessions bothered Durant as well.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe>Horford and Tatum&rsquo;s marriage of size and mobility were particularly valuable against Durant. They crowded his handle, burrowed into his body and limited his chances to cleanly transition into jumpers. Durant's handle is quite good for a 7-footer, but it's still susceptible to being exposed when defenders can get underneath him. Both Horford and Tatum accomplished that periodically.</div>
<p>Durant found some air space when Brooklyn shifted to high ball-screens for him. If one of Tatum or Horford &mdash; each of whom at least approximate his size and mobility (approximate is very loose) &mdash; is the primary assignment in Game 2, there will probably be more of those possessions. Of course, Boston&rsquo;s switch-heavy defense might neutralize those screens, but Tatum and Horford aren&rsquo;t slithering around picks in the manner Smart does.</p>
<p>If Durant can attack with more space &mdash; which high ball-screens should allow for &mdash; better results may follow. Though gaudy three-point volume isn't his usual calling card, he&rsquo;s proven amenable, and leaning into greater pull-up volume could alleviate some of those sticky possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>One of the ripple effects of Boston's physicality with Durant was that it repeatedly sent the Nets to the line. Brooklyn's Game 1 free-throw rate was .308, up from .246 during the regular season. Four of the Celtics&rsquo; five starters amassed 4 fouls. Horford and Williams each had 3.</p>
<p>Durant will also likely just make more shots. Boston influenced a number of his misses, but some of his greatness rests in his impervious nature against contests. That trait will help him get back on track.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If KD's shot diet remains similar with more preferable outcomes, the Celtics will accept it. Durant will too though. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-to-slow-down-kevin-durant-let-the-reaper-reap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenge of slowing him</a> is he&rsquo;ll bury you with a bunch of shots that you&rsquo;ll seemingly live with until you&rsquo;re 10 feet underground and totally oblivious.</p>
<p>Yet, Boston flummoxed him in ways scarcely witnessed over the past half-decade. The normal composure associated with his dead-eye jumper and offensive prowess hardly seemed prevalent in Game 1.</p>
<p>He should right the ship, but Sunday&rsquo;s numbers were not headlined by randomness. The Celtics studied Kevin Durant's game, manipulated his dispositions to their benefit and guarded him beautifully &mdash; much like they&rsquo;ve done all season as the NBA&rsquo;s premier defense.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before the 5-minute mark of Game 1&rsquo;s first quarter between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Kevin Durant committed 3 turnovers. In last year&rsquo;s first-round series, he averaged 2.8 giveaways, and Brooklyn cruised to a 4-1 series victory over Boston&rsquo;s shorthanded squad.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But these teams are in starkly different spots this season. The Celtics are much better prepared to counter the Nets&rsquo; explosive ethos. They finished atop the league in Defensive Rating, and were a supremely dominant club from late January onward. Durant&rsquo;s trio of early turnovers helped emphasize the radical changes for each side and why the ensuing 43 minutes Sunday were similarly frustrating for him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By the game&rsquo;s end, the superstar forward logged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 turnovers. Boston contained him to a 9 of 24 night from the field and a paltry 43.9% True Shooting. A dash of variance was at play, yet the Celtics also executed a brilliant game plan against him. More 9 of 24 outings should not be expected, but the 33-7-7-2-1 line on 69% TS that KD rolled to in last year&rsquo;s seamless series win should not be expected either.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>What immediately stood out in the Celtics&rsquo; approach was their masterful scout work. They clearly studied Durant&rsquo;s tendencies and imparted them on their defensive personnel, who promptly and impressively adhered to the strategy.</p>
<p>One of the hallmarks in slowing Durant was Boston&rsquo;s timely help. It knew when to ambush him without allowing him to scan the floor and deliver eagle-eyed reads for lucrative shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Durant&rsquo;s first turnover summarized that gambit. Jayson Tatum blitzed him a half-second later than an immediate trap might arrive, and stunted at his handle just as Durant brought it back to his left hand (the one closest to Tatum). Boston traditionally switches ball-screens, so it&rsquo;s clear Durant wasn&rsquo;t expecting a trap, and Tatum&rsquo;s imposing frame flustered him into the gaffe.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y9j3fs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Varying the coverage on Durant sat central to the Celtics&rsquo; philosophy. When a screen came his way, they toggled among switching, trapping and dropping against him. Switching remained the dominant tactic, but they mixed it up.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201142/head-to-head?Matchup=Offense&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PARTIAL_POSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the primary defender on Durant oscillated</a>. Tatum assumed the grandest portion of the pie, while Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all garnered notable time versus the silky scorer.</p>
<p>Superstars love to discern the inclinations of a certain defender or scheme and proceed accordingly. Boston&rsquo;s carousel of schemes and defenders ensured Durant never found comfortable footing. He consistently had to adapt to different looks from a slew of shrewd, effective blueprints.</p>
<p>For instance, Durant excels at passing out of double teams, and Boston clearly monitored that trend. So, the team generally deviated away from hard, obvious doubles and avoided providing him with easy outlets.</p>
<p>Rather, the Celtics committed to late stunts, digs and rotations that occurred once any sort of passing read was much more complicated for him than it would be if a standard double was sent. His shot-making prowess renders a lot of these choices still worthwhile, but there were some missed windows as a result of Boston&rsquo;s scheme &mdash; one predicated on helping once Durant had already determined his decision.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the clips above, note where Durant could conceivably pass before the help comes. There aren&rsquo;t many suitable options, especially in conjunction with what Durant could create individually &mdash; at least prior to a second defender entering his airspace. Pristine off-ball positioning amplified the on-ball defense&rsquo;s potency.</p>
<p>The hasty timing extended to Boston&rsquo;s constant disruption of Durant's rhythm. Although his release point is higher than virtually anyone can reach, KD's gather phase is quite slow and elongated, going from near his knees to above his head. If executed properly, there is ample time on that path to intrude.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics exploited it. Tatum, Smart, Williams and Horford all tout particularly dexterous hands as defensive playmakers. Brown&rsquo;s help on a few possessions bothered Durant as well.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Horford and Tatum&rsquo;s marriage of size and mobility were particularly valuable against Durant. They crowded his handle, burrowed into his body and limited his chances to cleanly transition into jumpers. Durant's handle is quite good for a 7-footer, but it's still susceptible to being exposed when defenders can get underneath him. Both Horford and Tatum accomplished that periodically.</p>
<p>Durant found some air space when Brooklyn shifted to high ball-screens for him. If one of Tatum or Horford &mdash; each of whom at least approximate his size and mobility (approximate is very loose) &mdash; is the primary assignment in Game 2, there will probably be more of those possessions. Of course, Boston&rsquo;s switch-heavy defense might neutralize those screens, but Tatum and Horford aren&rsquo;t slithering around picks in the manner Smart does.</p>
<p>If Durant can attack with more space &mdash; which high ball-screens should allow for &mdash; better results may follow. Though gaudy three-point volume isn't his usual calling card, he&rsquo;s proven amenable, and leaning into greater pull-up volume could alleviate some of those sticky possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>One of the ripple effects of Boston's physicality with Durant was that it repeatedly sent the Nets to the line. Brooklyn's Game 1 free-throw rate was .308, up from .246 during the regular season. Four of the Celtics&rsquo; five starters amassed 4 fouls. Horford and Williams each had 3.</p>
<p>Durant will also likely just make more shots. Boston influenced a number of his misses, but some of his greatness rests in his impervious nature against contests. That trait will help him get back on track.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If KD's shot diet remains similar with more preferable outcomes, the Celtics will accept it. Durant will too though. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-to-slow-down-kevin-durant-let-the-reaper-reap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenge of slowing him</a> is he&rsquo;ll bury you with a bunch of shots that you&rsquo;ll seemingly live with until you&rsquo;re 10 feet underground and totally oblivious.</p>
<p>Yet, Boston flummoxed him in ways scarcely witnessed over the past half-decade. The normal composure associated with his dead-eye jumper and offensive prowess hardly seemed prevalent in Game 1.</p>
<p>He should right the ship, but Sunday&rsquo;s numbers were not headlined by randomness. The Celtics studied Kevin Durant's game, manipulated his dispositions to their benefit and guarded him beautifully &mdash; much like they&rsquo;ve done all season as the NBA&rsquo;s premier defense.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before the 5-minute mark of Game 1&rsquo;s first quarter between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Kevin Durant committed 3 turnovers. In last year&rsquo;s first-round series, he averaged 2.8 giveaways, and Brooklyn cruised to a 4-1 series victory over Boston&rsquo;s shorthanded squad.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But these teams are in starkly different spots this season. The Celtics are much better prepared to counter the Nets&rsquo; explosive ethos. They finished atop the league in Defensive Rating, and were a supremely dominant club from late January onward. Durant&rsquo;s trio of early turnovers helped emphasize the radical changes for each side and why the ensuing 43 minutes Sunday were similarly frustrating for him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By the game&rsquo;s end, the superstar forward logged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 turnovers. Boston contained him to a 9 of 24 night from the field and a paltry 43.9% True Shooting. A dash of variance was at play, yet the Celtics also executed a brilliant game plan against him. More 9 of 24 outings should not be expected, but the 33-7-7-2-1 line on 69% TS that KD rolled to in last year&rsquo;s seamless series win should not be expected either.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>What immediately stood out in the Celtics&rsquo; approach was their masterful scout work. They clearly studied Durant&rsquo;s tendencies and imparted them on their defensive personnel, who promptly and impressively adhered to the strategy.</p>
<p>One of the hallmarks in slowing Durant was Boston&rsquo;s timely help. It knew when to ambush him without allowing him to scan the floor and deliver eagle-eyed reads for lucrative shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Durant&rsquo;s first turnover summarized that gambit. Jayson Tatum blitzed him a half-second later than an immediate trap might arrive, and stunted at his handle just as Durant brought it back to his left hand (the one closest to Tatum). Boston traditionally switches ball-screens, so it&rsquo;s clear Durant wasn&rsquo;t expecting a trap, and Tatum&rsquo;s imposing frame flustered him into the gaffe.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y9j3fs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Varying the coverage on Durant sat central to the Celtics&rsquo; philosophy. When a screen came his way, they toggled among switching, trapping and dropping against him. Switching remained the dominant tactic, but they mixed it up.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201142/head-to-head?Matchup=Offense&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PARTIAL_POSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the primary defender on Durant oscillated</a>. Tatum assumed the grandest portion of the pie, while Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all garnered notable time versus the silky scorer.</p>
<p>Superstars love to discern the inclinations of a certain defender or scheme and proceed accordingly. Boston&rsquo;s carousel of schemes and defenders ensured Durant never found comfortable footing. He consistently had to adapt to different looks from a slew of shrewd, effective blueprints.</p>
<p>For instance, Durant excels at passing out of double teams, and Boston clearly monitored that trend. So, the team generally deviated away from hard, obvious doubles and avoided providing him with easy outlets.</p>
<p>Rather, the Celtics committed to late stunts, digs and rotations that occurred once any sort of passing read was much more complicated for him than it would be if a standard double was sent. His shot-making prowess renders a lot of these choices still worthwhile, but there were some missed windows as a result of Boston&rsquo;s scheme &mdash; one predicated on helping once Durant had already determined his decision.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the clips above, note where Durant could conceivably pass before the help comes. There aren&rsquo;t many suitable options, especially in conjunction with what Durant could create individually &mdash; at least prior to a second defender entering his airspace. Pristine off-ball positioning amplified the on-ball defense&rsquo;s potency.</p>
<p>The hasty timing extended to Boston&rsquo;s constant disruption of Durant's rhythm. Although his release point is higher than virtually anyone can reach, KD's gather phase is quite slow and elongated, going from near his knees to above his head. If executed properly, there is ample time on that path to intrude.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics exploited it. Tatum, Smart, Williams and Horford all tout particularly dexterous hands as defensive playmakers. Brown&rsquo;s help on a few possessions bothered Durant as well.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;">&nbsp;</div>
<p>Horford and Tatum&rsquo;s marriage of size and mobility were particularly valuable against Durant. They crowded his handle, burrowed into his body and limited his chances to cleanly transition into jumpers. Durant's handle is quite good for a 7-footer, but it's still susceptible to being exposed when defenders can get underneath him. Both Horford and Tatum accomplished that periodically.</p>
<p>Durant found some air space when Brooklyn shifted to high ball-screens for him. If one of Tatum or Horford &mdash; each of whom at least approximate his size and mobility (approximate is very loose) &mdash; is the primary assignment in Game 2, there will probably be more of those possessions. Of course, Boston&rsquo;s switch-heavy defense might neutralize those screens, but Tatum and Horford aren&rsquo;t slithering around picks in the manner Smart does.</p>
<p>If Durant can attack with more space &mdash; which high ball-screens should allow for &mdash; better results may follow. Though gaudy three-point volume isn't his usual calling card, he&rsquo;s proven amenable, and leaning into greater pull-up volume could alleviate some of those sticky possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>One of the ripple effects of Boston's physicality with Durant was that it repeatedly sent the Nets to the line. Brooklyn's Game 1 free-throw rate was .308, up from .246 during the regular season. Four of the Celtics&rsquo; five starters amassed 4 fouls. Horford and Williams each had 3.</p>
<p>Durant will also likely just make more shots. Boston influenced a number of his misses, but some of his greatness rests in his impervious nature against contests. That trait will help him get back on track.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If KD's shot diet remains similar with more preferable outcomes, the Celtics will accept it. Durant will too though. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-to-slow-down-kevin-durant-let-the-reaper-reap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenge of slowing him</a> is he&rsquo;ll bury you with a bunch of shots that you&rsquo;ll seemingly live with until you&rsquo;re 10 feet underground and totally oblivious.</p>
<p>Yet, Boston flummoxed him in ways scarcely witnessed over the past half-decade. The normal composure associated with his dead-eye jumper and offensive prowess hardly seemed prevalent in Game 1.</p>
<p>He should right the ship, but Sunday&rsquo;s numbers were not headlined by randomness. The Celtics studied Kevin Durant's game, manipulated his dispositions to their benefit and guarded him beautifully &mdash; much like they&rsquo;ve done all season as the NBA&rsquo;s premier defense.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before the 5-minute mark of Game 1&rsquo;s first quarter between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Kevin Durant committed 3 turnovers. In last year&rsquo;s first-round series, he averaged 2.8 giveaways, and Brooklyn cruised to a 4-1 series victory over Boston&rsquo;s shorthanded squad.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But these teams are in starkly different spots this season. The Celtics are much better prepared to counter the Nets&rsquo; explosive ethos. They finished atop the league in Defensive Rating, and were a supremely dominant club from late January onward. Durant&rsquo;s trio of early turnovers helped emphasize the radical changes for each side and why the ensuing 43 minutes Sunday were similarly frustrating for him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By the game&rsquo;s end, the superstar forward logged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 turnovers. Boston contained him to a 9 of 24 night from the field and a paltry 43.9% True Shooting. A dash of variance was at play, yet the Celtics also executed a brilliant game plan against him. More 9 of 24 outings should not be expected, but the 33-7-7-2-1 line on 69% TS that KD rolled to in last year&rsquo;s seamless series win should not be expected either.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>What immediately stood out in the Celtics&rsquo; approach was their masterful scout work. They clearly studied Durant&rsquo;s tendencies and imparted them on their defensive personnel, who promptly and impressively adhered to the strategy.</p>
<p>One of the hallmarks in slowing Durant was Boston&rsquo;s timely help. It knew when to ambush him without allowing him to scan the floor and deliver eagle-eyed reads for lucrative shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Durant&rsquo;s first turnover summarized that gambit. Jayson Tatum blitzed him a half-second later than an immediate trap might arrive, and stunted at his handle just as Durant brought it back to his left hand (the one closest to Tatum). Boston traditionally switches ball-screens, so it&rsquo;s clear Durant wasn&rsquo;t expecting a trap, and Tatum&rsquo;s imposing frame flustered him into the gaffe.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y9j3fs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Varying the coverage on Durant sat central to the Celtics&rsquo; philosophy. When a screen came his way, they toggled among switching, trapping and dropping against him. Switching remained the dominant tactic, but they mixed it up.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201142/head-to-head?Matchup=Offense&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PARTIAL_POSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the primary defender on Durant oscillated</a>. Tatum assumed the grandest portion of the pie, while Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all garnered notable time versus the silky scorer.</p>
<p>Superstars love to discern the inclinations of a certain defender or scheme and proceed accordingly. Boston&rsquo;s carousel of schemes and defenders ensured Durant never found comfortable footing. He consistently had to adapt to different looks from a slew of shrewd, effective blueprints.</p>
<p>For instance, Durant excels at passing out of double teams, and Boston clearly monitored that trend. So, the team generally deviated away from hard, obvious doubles and avoided providing him with easy outlets.</p>
<p>Rather, the Celtics committed to late stunts, digs and rotations that occurred once any sort of passing read was much more complicated for him than it would be if a standard double was sent. His shot-making prowess renders a lot of these choices still worthwhile, but there were some missed windows as a result of Boston&rsquo;s scheme &mdash; one predicated on helping once Durant had already determined his decision.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the clips above, note where Durant could conceivably pass before the help comes. There aren&rsquo;t many suitable options, especially in conjunction with what Durant could create individually &mdash; at least prior to a second defender entering his airspace. Pristine off-ball positioning amplified the on-ball defense&rsquo;s potency.</p>
<p>The hasty timing extended to Boston&rsquo;s constant disruption of Durant's rhythm. Although his release point is higher than virtually anyone can reach, KD's gather phase is quite slow and elongated, going from near his knees to above his head. If executed properly, there is ample time on that path to intrude.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics exploited it. Tatum, Smart, Williams and Horford all tout particularly dexterous hands as defensive playmakers. Brown&rsquo;s help on a few possessions bothered Durant as well.&nbsp;Horford and Tatum&rsquo;s marriage of size and mobility were particularly valuable against Durant. They crowded his handle, burrowed into his body and limited his chances to cleanly transition into jumpers. Durant's handle is quite good for a 7-footer, but it's still susceptible to being exposed when defenders can get underneath him. Both Horford and Tatum accomplished that periodically.</p>
<p>Durant found some air space when Brooklyn shifted to high ball-screens for him. If one of Tatum or Horford &mdash; each of whom at least approximate his size and mobility (approximate is very loose) &mdash; is the primary assignment in Game 2, there will probably be more of those possessions. Of course, Boston&rsquo;s switch-heavy defense might neutralize those screens, but Tatum and Horford aren&rsquo;t slithering around picks in the manner Smart does.</p>
<p>If Durant can attack with more space &mdash; which high ball-screens should allow for &mdash; better results may follow. Though gaudy three-point volume isn't his usual calling card, he&rsquo;s proven amenable, and leaning into greater pull-up volume could alleviate some of those sticky possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>One of the ripple effects of Boston's physicality with Durant was that it repeatedly sent the Nets to the line. Brooklyn's Game 1 free-throw rate was .308, up from .246 during the regular season. Four of the Celtics&rsquo; five starters amassed 4 fouls. Horford and Williams each had 3.</p>
<p>Durant will also likely just make more shots. Boston influenced a number of his misses, but some of his greatness rests in his impervious nature against contests. That trait will help him get back on track.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If KD's shot diet remains similar with more preferable outcomes, the Celtics will accept it. Durant will too though. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-to-slow-down-kevin-durant-let-the-reaper-reap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenge of slowing him</a> is he&rsquo;ll bury you with a bunch of shots that you&rsquo;ll seemingly live with until you&rsquo;re 10 feet underground and totally oblivious.</p>
<p>Yet, Boston flummoxed him in ways scarcely witnessed over the past half-decade. The normal composure associated with his dead-eye jumper and offensive prowess hardly seemed prevalent in Game 1.</p>
<p>He should right the ship, but Sunday&rsquo;s numbers were not headlined by randomness. The Celtics studied Kevin Durant's game, manipulated his dispositions to their benefit and guarded him beautifully &mdash; much like they&rsquo;ve done all season as the NBA&rsquo;s premier defense.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before the 5-minute mark of Game 1&rsquo;s first quarter between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Kevin Durant committed 3 turnovers. In last year&rsquo;s first-round series, he averaged 2.8 giveaways, and Brooklyn cruised to a 4-1 series victory over Boston&rsquo;s shorthanded squad.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But these teams are in starkly different spots this season. The Celtics are much better prepared to counter the Nets&rsquo; explosive ethos. They finished atop the league in Defensive Rating, and were a supremely dominant club from late January onward. Durant&rsquo;s trio of early turnovers helped emphasize the radical changes for each side and why the ensuing 43 minutes Sunday were similarly frustrating for him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By the game&rsquo;s end, the superstar forward logged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 turnovers. Boston contained him to a 9 of 24 night from the field and a paltry 43.9% True Shooting. A dash of variance was at play, yet the Celtics also executed a brilliant game plan against him. More 9 of 24 outings should not be expected, but the 33-7-7-2-1 line on 69% TS that KD rolled to in last year&rsquo;s seamless series win should not be expected either.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>What immediately stood out in the Celtics&rsquo; approach was their masterful scout work. They clearly studied Durant&rsquo;s tendencies and imparted them on their defensive personnel, who promptly and impressively adhered to the strategy.</p>
<p>One of the hallmarks in slowing Durant was Boston&rsquo;s timely help. It knew when to ambush him without allowing him to scan the floor and deliver eagle-eyed reads for lucrative shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Durant&rsquo;s first turnover summarized that gambit. Jayson Tatum blitzed him a half-second later than an immediate trap might arrive, and stunted at his handle just as Durant brought it back to his left hand (the one closest to Tatum). Boston traditionally switches ball-screens, so it&rsquo;s clear Durant wasn&rsquo;t expecting a trap, and Tatum&rsquo;s imposing frame flustered him into the gaffe.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y9j3fs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Varying the coverage on Durant sat central to the Celtics&rsquo; philosophy. When a screen came his way, they toggled among switching, trapping and dropping against him. Switching remained the dominant tactic, but they mixed it up.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201142/head-to-head?Matchup=Offense&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PARTIAL_POSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the primary defender on Durant oscillated</a>. Tatum assumed the grandest portion of the pie, while Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all garnered notable time versus the silky scorer.</p>
<p>Superstars love to discern the inclinations of a certain defender or scheme and proceed accordingly. Boston&rsquo;s carousel of schemes and defenders ensured Durant never found comfortable footing. He consistently had to adapt to different looks from a slew of shrewd, effective blueprints.</p>
<p>For instance, Durant excels at passing out of double teams, and Boston clearly monitored that trend. So, the team generally deviated away from hard, obvious doubles and avoided providing him with easy outlets.</p>
<p>Rather, the Celtics committed to late stunts, digs and rotations that occurred once any sort of passing read was much more complicated for him than it would be if a standard double was sent. His shot-making prowess renders a lot of these choices still worthwhile, but there were some missed windows as a result of Boston&rsquo;s scheme &mdash; one predicated on helping once Durant had already determined his decision.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the clips above, note where Durant could conceivably pass before the help comes. There aren&rsquo;t many suitable options, especially in conjunction with what Durant could create individually &mdash; at least prior to a second defender entering his airspace. Pristine off-ball positioning amplified the on-ball defense&rsquo;s potency.</p>
<p>The hasty timing extended to Boston&rsquo;s constant disruption of Durant's rhythm. Although his release point is higher than virtually anyone can reach, KD's gather phase is quite slow and elongated, going from near his knees to above his head. If executed properly, there is ample time on that path to intrude.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics exploited it. Tatum, Smart, Williams and Horford all tout particularly dexterous hands as defensive playmakers. Brown&rsquo;s help on a few possessions bothered Durant as well.&nbsp;Horford and Tatum&rsquo;s marriage of size and mobility were particularly valuable against Durant. They crowded his handle, burrowed into his body and limited his chances to cleanly transition into jumpers. Durant's handle is quite good for a 7-footer, but it's still susceptible to being exposed when defenders can get underneath him. Both Horford and Tatum accomplished that periodically.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Durant found some air space when Brooklyn shifted to high ball-screens for him. If one of Tatum or Horford &mdash; each of whom at least approximate his size and mobility (approximate is very loose) &mdash; is the primary assignment in Game 2, there will probably be more of those possessions. Of course, Boston&rsquo;s switch-heavy defense might neutralize those screens, but Tatum and Horford aren&rsquo;t slithering around picks in the manner Smart does.</p>
<p>If Durant can attack with more space &mdash; which high ball-screens should allow for &mdash; better results may follow. Though gaudy three-point volume isn't his usual calling card, he&rsquo;s proven amenable, and leaning into greater pull-up volume could alleviate some of those sticky possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>One of the ripple effects of Boston's physicality with Durant was that it repeatedly sent the Nets to the line. Brooklyn's Game 1 free-throw rate was .308, up from .246 during the regular season. Four of the Celtics&rsquo; five starters amassed 4 fouls. Horford and Williams each had 3.</p>
<p>Durant will also likely just make more shots. Boston influenced a number of his misses, but some of his greatness rests in his impervious nature against contests. That trait will help him get back on track.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If KD's shot diet remains similar with more preferable outcomes, the Celtics will accept it. Durant will too though. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-to-slow-down-kevin-durant-let-the-reaper-reap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenge of slowing him</a> is he&rsquo;ll bury you with a bunch of shots that you&rsquo;ll seemingly live with until you&rsquo;re 10 feet underground and totally oblivious.</p>
<p>Yet, Boston flummoxed him in ways scarcely witnessed over the past half-decade. The normal composure associated with his dead-eye jumper and offensive prowess hardly seemed prevalent in Game 1.</p>
<p>He should right the ship, but Sunday&rsquo;s numbers were not headlined by randomness. The Celtics studied Kevin Durant's game, manipulated his dispositions to their benefit and guarded him beautifully &mdash; much like they&rsquo;ve done all season as the NBA&rsquo;s premier defense.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before the 5-minute mark of Game 1&rsquo;s first quarter between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Kevin Durant committed 3 turnovers. In last year&rsquo;s first-round series, he averaged 2.8 giveaways, and Brooklyn cruised to a 4-1 series victory over Boston&rsquo;s shorthanded squad.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But these teams are in starkly different spots this season. The Celtics are much better prepared to counter the Nets&rsquo; explosive ethos. They finished atop the league in Defensive Rating, and were a supremely dominant club from late January onward. Durant&rsquo;s trio of early turnovers helped emphasize the radical changes for each side and why the ensuing 43 minutes Sunday were similarly frustrating for him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By the game&rsquo;s end, the superstar forward logged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 turnovers. Boston contained him to a 9 of 24 night from the field and a paltry 43.9% True Shooting. A dash of variance was at play, yet the Celtics also executed a brilliant game plan against him. More 9 of 24 outings should not be expected, but the 33-7-7-2-1 line on 69% TS that KD rolled to in last year&rsquo;s seamless series win should not be expected either.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>What immediately stood out in the Celtics&rsquo; approach was their masterful scout work. They clearly studied Durant&rsquo;s tendencies and imparted them on their defensive personnel, who promptly and impressively adhered to the strategy.</p>
<p>One of the hallmarks in slowing Durant was Boston&rsquo;s timely help. It knew when to ambush him without allowing him to scan the floor and deliver eagle-eyed reads for lucrative shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Durant&rsquo;s first turnover summarized that gambit. Jayson Tatum blitzed him a half-second later than an immediate trap might arrive, and stunted at his handle just as Durant brought it back to his left hand (the one closest to Tatum). Boston traditionally switches ball-screens, so it&rsquo;s clear Durant wasn&rsquo;t expecting a trap, and Tatum&rsquo;s imposing frame flustered him into the gaffe.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y9j3fs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Varying the coverage on Durant sat central to the Celtics&rsquo; philosophy. When a screen came his way, they toggled among switching, trapping and dropping against him. Switching remained the dominant tactic, but they mixed it up.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201142/head-to-head?Matchup=Offense&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PARTIAL_POSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the primary defender on Durant oscillated</a>. Tatum assumed the grandest portion of the pie, while Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all garnered notable time versus the silky scorer.</p>
<p>Superstars love to discern the inclinations of a certain defender or scheme and proceed accordingly. Boston&rsquo;s carousel of schemes and defenders ensured Durant never found comfortable footing. He consistently had to adapt to different looks from a slew of shrewd, effective blueprints.</p>
<p>For instance, Durant excels at passing out of double teams, and Boston clearly monitored that trend. So, the team generally deviated away from hard, obvious doubles and avoided providing him with easy outlets.</p>
<p>Rather, the Celtics committed to late stunts, digs and rotations that occurred once any sort of passing read was much more complicated for him than it would be if a standard double was sent. His shot-making prowess renders a lot of these choices still worthwhile, but there were some missed windows as a result of Boston&rsquo;s scheme &mdash; one predicated on helping once Durant had already determined his decision.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the clips above, note where Durant could conceivably pass before the help comes. There aren&rsquo;t many suitable options, especially in conjunction with what Durant could create individually &mdash; at least prior to a second defender entering his airspace. Pristine off-ball positioning amplified the on-ball defense&rsquo;s potency.</p>
<p>The hasty timing extended to Boston&rsquo;s constant disruption of Durant's rhythm. Although his release point is higher than virtually anyone can reach, KD's gather phase is quite slow and elongated, going from near his knees to above his head. If executed properly, there is ample time on that path to intrude.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics exploited it. Tatum, Smart, Williams and Horford all tout particularly dexterous hands as defensive playmakers. Brown&rsquo;s help on a few possessions bothered Durant as well.&nbsp;Horford and Tatum&rsquo;s marriage of size and mobility were particularly valuable against Durant. They crowded his handle, burrowed into his body and limited his chances to cleanly transition into jumpers. Durant's handle is quite good for a 7-footer, but it's still susceptible to being exposed when defenders can get underneath him. Both Horford and Tatum accomplished that periodically.</p>
<p><video controls="controls" width="300" height="150">
<source src="&lt;div style=&quot;width:100%;height:0px;position:relative;padding-bottom:56.250%;&quot;&gt;&lt;iframe src=&quot;https:/streamable.com/e/qy704i&quot; frameborder=&quot;0&quot; width=&quot;100%&quot; height=&quot;100%&quot; allowfullscreen style=&quot;width:100%;height:100%;position:absolute;left:0px;top:0px;overflow:hidden;&quot;&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/div&gt;" /></video></p>
<p>Durant found some air space when Brooklyn shifted to high ball-screens for him. If one of Tatum or Horford &mdash; each of whom at least approximate his size and mobility (approximate is very loose) &mdash; is the primary assignment in Game 2, there will probably be more of those possessions. Of course, Boston&rsquo;s switch-heavy defense might neutralize those screens, but Tatum and Horford aren&rsquo;t slithering around picks in the manner Smart does.</p>
<p>If Durant can attack with more space &mdash; which high ball-screens should allow for &mdash; better results may follow. Though gaudy three-point volume isn't his usual calling card, he&rsquo;s proven amenable, and leaning into greater pull-up volume could alleviate some of those sticky possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>One of the ripple effects of Boston's physicality with Durant was that it repeatedly sent the Nets to the line. Brooklyn's Game 1 free-throw rate was .308, up from .246 during the regular season. Four of the Celtics&rsquo; five starters amassed 4 fouls. Horford and Williams each had 3.</p>
<p>Durant will also likely just make more shots. Boston influenced a number of his misses, but some of his greatness rests in his impervious nature against contests. That trait will help him get back on track.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If KD's shot diet remains similar with more preferable outcomes, the Celtics will accept it. Durant will too though. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-to-slow-down-kevin-durant-let-the-reaper-reap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenge of slowing him</a> is he&rsquo;ll bury you with a bunch of shots that you&rsquo;ll seemingly live with until you&rsquo;re 10 feet underground and totally oblivious.</p>
<p>Yet, Boston flummoxed him in ways scarcely witnessed over the past half-decade. The normal composure associated with his dead-eye jumper and offensive prowess hardly seemed prevalent in Game 1.</p>
<p>He should right the ship, but Sunday&rsquo;s numbers were not headlined by randomness. The Celtics studied Kevin Durant's game, manipulated his dispositions to their benefit and guarded him beautifully &mdash; much like they&rsquo;ve done all season as the NBA&rsquo;s premier defense.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before the 5-minute mark of Game 1&rsquo;s first quarter between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Kevin Durant committed 3 turnovers. In last year&rsquo;s first-round series, he averaged 2.8 giveaways, and Brooklyn cruised to a 4-1 series victory over Boston&rsquo;s shorthanded squad.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But these teams are in starkly different spots this season. The Celtics are much better prepared to counter the Nets&rsquo; explosive ethos. They finished atop the league in Defensive Rating, and were a supremely dominant club from late January onward. Durant&rsquo;s trio of early turnovers helped emphasize the radical changes for each side and why the ensuing 43 minutes Sunday were similarly frustrating for him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By the game&rsquo;s end, the superstar forward logged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 turnovers. Boston contained him to a 9 of 24 night from the field and a paltry 43.9% True Shooting. A dash of variance was at play, yet the Celtics also executed a brilliant game plan against him. More 9 of 24 outings should not be expected, but the 33-7-7-2-1 line on 69% TS that KD rolled to in last year&rsquo;s seamless series win should not be expected either.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>What immediately stood out in the Celtics&rsquo; approach was their masterful scout work. They clearly studied Durant&rsquo;s tendencies and imparted them on their defensive personnel, who promptly and impressively adhered to the strategy.</p>
<p>One of the hallmarks in slowing Durant was Boston&rsquo;s timely help. It knew when to ambush him without allowing him to scan the floor and deliver eagle-eyed reads for lucrative shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Durant&rsquo;s first turnover summarized that gambit. Jayson Tatum blitzed him a half-second later than an immediate trap might arrive, and stunted at his handle just as Durant brought it back to his left hand (the one closest to Tatum). Boston traditionally switches ball-screens, so it&rsquo;s clear Durant wasn&rsquo;t expecting a trap, and Tatum&rsquo;s imposing frame flustered him into the gaffe.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y9j3fs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Varying the coverage on Durant sat central to the Celtics&rsquo; philosophy. When a screen came his way, they toggled among switching, trapping and dropping against him. Switching remained the dominant tactic, but they mixed it up.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201142/head-to-head?Matchup=Offense&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PARTIAL_POSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the primary defender on Durant oscillated</a>. Tatum assumed the grandest portion of the pie, while Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all garnered notable time versus the silky scorer.</p>
<p>Superstars love to discern the inclinations of a certain defender or scheme and proceed accordingly. Boston&rsquo;s carousel of schemes and defenders ensured Durant never found comfortable footing. He consistently had to adapt to different looks from a slew of shrewd, effective blueprints.</p>
<p>For instance, Durant excels at passing out of double teams, and Boston clearly monitored that trend. So, the team generally deviated away from hard, obvious doubles and avoided providing him with easy outlets.</p>
<p>Rather, the Celtics committed to late stunts, digs and rotations that occurred once any sort of passing read was much more complicated for him than it would be if a standard double was sent. His shot-making prowess renders a lot of these choices still worthwhile, but there were some missed windows as a result of Boston&rsquo;s scheme &mdash; one predicated on helping once Durant had already determined his decision.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the clips above, note where Durant could conceivably pass before the help comes. There aren&rsquo;t many suitable options, especially in conjunction with what Durant could create individually &mdash; at least prior to a second defender entering his airspace. Pristine off-ball positioning amplified the on-ball defense&rsquo;s potency.</p>
<p>The hasty timing extended to Boston&rsquo;s constant disruption of Durant's rhythm. Although his release point is higher than virtually anyone can reach, KD's gather phase is quite slow and elongated, going from near his knees to above his head. If executed properly, there is ample time on that path to intrude.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics exploited it. Tatum, Smart, Williams and Horford all tout particularly dexterous hands as defensive playmakers. Brown&rsquo;s help on a few possessions bothered Durant as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>VID</p>
<p>Horford and Tatum&rsquo;s marriage of size and mobility were particularly valuable against Durant. They crowded his handle, burrowed into his body and limited his chances to cleanly transition into jumpers. Durant's handle is quite good for a 7-footer, but it's still susceptible to being exposed when defenders can get underneath him. Both Horford and Tatum accomplished that periodically.</p>
<p>Durant found some air space when Brooklyn shifted to high ball-screens for him. If one of Tatum or Horford &mdash; each of whom at least approximate his size and mobility (approximate is very loose) &mdash; is the primary assignment in Game 2, there will probably be more of those possessions. Of course, Boston&rsquo;s switch-heavy defense might neutralize those screens, but Tatum and Horford aren&rsquo;t slithering around picks in the manner Smart does.</p>
<p>If Durant can attack with more space &mdash; which high ball-screens should allow for &mdash; better results may follow. Though gaudy three-point volume isn't his usual calling card, he&rsquo;s proven amenable, and leaning into greater pull-up volume could alleviate some of those sticky possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>One of the ripple effects of Boston's physicality with Durant was that it repeatedly sent the Nets to the line. Brooklyn's Game 1 free-throw rate was .308, up from .246 during the regular season. Four of the Celtics&rsquo; five starters amassed 4 fouls. Horford and Williams each had 3.</p>
<p>Durant will also likely just make more shots. Boston influenced a number of his misses, but some of his greatness rests in his impervious nature against contests. That trait will help him get back on track.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If KD's shot diet remains similar with more preferable outcomes, the Celtics will accept it. Durant will too though. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-to-slow-down-kevin-durant-let-the-reaper-reap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenge of slowing him</a> is he&rsquo;ll bury you with a bunch of shots that you&rsquo;ll seemingly live with until you&rsquo;re 10 feet underground and totally oblivious.</p>
<p>Yet, Boston flummoxed him in ways scarcely witnessed over the past half-decade. The normal composure associated with his dead-eye jumper and offensive prowess hardly seemed prevalent in Game 1.</p>
<p>He should right the ship, but Sunday&rsquo;s numbers were not headlined by randomness. The Celtics studied Kevin Durant's game, manipulated his dispositions to their benefit and guarded him beautifully &mdash; much like they&rsquo;ve done all season as the NBA&rsquo;s premier defense.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before the 5-minute mark of Game 1&rsquo;s first quarter between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Kevin Durant committed 3 turnovers. In last year&rsquo;s first-round series, he averaged 2.8 giveaways, and Brooklyn cruised to a 4-1 series victory over Boston&rsquo;s shorthanded squad.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But these teams are in starkly different spots this season. The Celtics are much better prepared to counter the Nets&rsquo; explosive ethos. They finished atop the league in Defensive Rating, and were a supremely dominant club from late January onward. Durant&rsquo;s trio of early turnovers helped emphasize the radical changes for each side and why the ensuing 43 minutes Sunday were similarly frustrating for him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By the game&rsquo;s end, the superstar forward logged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 turnovers. Boston contained him to a 9 of 24 night from the field and a paltry 43.9% True Shooting. A dash of variance was at play, yet the Celtics also executed a brilliant game plan against him. More 9 of 24 outings should not be expected, but the 33-7-7-2-1 line on 69% TS that KD rolled to in last year&rsquo;s seamless series win should not be expected either.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>What immediately stood out in the Celtics&rsquo; approach was their masterful scout work. They clearly studied Durant&rsquo;s tendencies and imparted them on their defensive personnel, who promptly and impressively adhered to the strategy.</p>
<p>One of the hallmarks in slowing Durant was Boston&rsquo;s timely help. It knew when to ambush him without allowing him to scan the floor and deliver eagle-eyed reads for lucrative shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Durant&rsquo;s first turnover summarized that gambit. Jayson Tatum blitzed him a half-second later than an immediate trap might arrive, and stunted at his handle just as Durant brought it back to his left hand (the one closest to Tatum). Boston traditionally switches ball-screens, so it&rsquo;s clear Durant wasn&rsquo;t expecting a trap, and Tatum&rsquo;s imposing frame flustered him into the gaffe.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y9j3fs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Varying the coverage on Durant sat central to the Celtics&rsquo; philosophy. When a screen came his way, they toggled among switching, trapping and dropping against him. Switching remained the dominant tactic, but they mixed it up.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201142/head-to-head?Matchup=Offense&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PARTIAL_POSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the primary defender on Durant oscillated</a>. Tatum assumed the grandest portion of the pie, while Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all garnered notable time versus the silky scorer.</p>
<p>Superstars love to discern the inclinations of a certain defender or scheme and proceed accordingly. Boston&rsquo;s carousel of schemes and defenders ensured Durant never found comfortable footing. He consistently had to adapt to different looks from a slew of shrewd, effective blueprints.</p>
<p>For instance, Durant excels at passing out of double teams, and Boston clearly monitored that trend. So, the team generally deviated away from hard, obvious doubles and avoided providing him with easy outlets.</p>
<p>Rather, the Celtics committed to late stunts, digs and rotations that occurred once any sort of passing read was much more complicated for him than it would be if a standard double was sent. His shot-making prowess renders a lot of these choices still worthwhile, but there were some missed windows as a result of Boston&rsquo;s scheme &mdash; one predicated on helping once Durant had already determined his decision.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the clips above, note where Durant could conceivably pass before the help comes. There aren&rsquo;t many suitable options, especially in conjunction with what Durant could create individually &mdash; at least prior to a second defender entering his airspace. Pristine off-ball positioning amplified the on-ball defense&rsquo;s potency.</p>
<p>The hasty timing extended to Boston&rsquo;s constant disruption of Durant's rhythm. Although his release point is higher than virtually anyone can reach, KD's gather phase is quite slow and elongated, going from near his knees to above his head. If executed properly, there is ample time on that path to intrude.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics exploited it. Tatum, Smart, Williams and Horford all tout particularly dexterous hands as defensive playmakers. Brown&rsquo;s help on a few possessions bothered Durant as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Horford and Tatum&rsquo;s marriage of size and mobility were particularly valuable against Durant. They crowded his handle, burrowed into his body and limited his chances to cleanly transition into jumpers. Durant's handle is quite good for a 7-footer, but it's still susceptible to being exposed when defenders can get underneath him. Both Horford and Tatum accomplished that periodically.</p>
<p>Durant found some air space when Brooklyn shifted to high ball-screens for him. If one of Tatum or Horford &mdash; each of whom at least approximate his size and mobility (approximate is very loose) &mdash; is the primary assignment in Game 2, there will probably be more of those possessions. Of course, Boston&rsquo;s switch-heavy defense might neutralize those screens, but Tatum and Horford aren&rsquo;t slithering around picks in the manner Smart does.</p>
<p>If Durant can attack with more space &mdash; which high ball-screens should allow for &mdash; better results may follow. Though gaudy three-point volume isn't his usual calling card, he&rsquo;s proven amenable, and leaning into greater pull-up volume could alleviate some of those sticky possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>One of the ripple effects of Boston's physicality with Durant was that it repeatedly sent the Nets to the line. Brooklyn's Game 1 free-throw rate was .308, up from .246 during the regular season. Four of the Celtics&rsquo; five starters amassed 4 fouls. Horford and Williams each had 3.</p>
<p>Durant will also likely just make more shots. Boston influenced a number of his misses, but some of his greatness rests in his impervious nature against contests. That trait will help him get back on track.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If KD's shot diet remains similar with more preferable outcomes, the Celtics will accept it. Durant will too though. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-to-slow-down-kevin-durant-let-the-reaper-reap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenge of slowing him</a> is he&rsquo;ll bury you with a bunch of shots that you&rsquo;ll seemingly live with until you&rsquo;re 10 feet underground and totally oblivious.</p>
<p>Yet, Boston flummoxed him in ways scarcely witnessed over the past half-decade. The normal composure associated with his dead-eye jumper and offensive prowess hardly seemed prevalent in Game 1.</p>
<p>He should right the ship, but Sunday&rsquo;s numbers were not headlined by randomness. The Celtics studied Kevin Durant's game, manipulated his dispositions to their benefit and guarded him beautifully &mdash; much like they&rsquo;ve done all season as the NBA&rsquo;s premier defense.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before the 5-minute mark of Game 1&rsquo;s first quarter between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Kevin Durant committed 3 turnovers. In last year&rsquo;s first-round series, he averaged 2.8 giveaways, and Brooklyn cruised to a 4-1 series victory over Boston&rsquo;s shorthanded squad.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But these teams are in starkly different spots this season. The Celtics are much better prepared to counter the Nets&rsquo; explosive ethos. They finished atop the league in Defensive Rating, and were a supremely dominant club from late January onward. Durant&rsquo;s trio of early turnovers helped emphasize the radical changes for each side and why the ensuing 43 minutes Sunday were similarly frustrating for him.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By the game&rsquo;s end, the superstar forward logged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 turnovers. Boston contained him to a 9 of 24 night from the field and a paltry 43.9% True Shooting. A dash of variance was at play, yet the Celtics also executed a brilliant game plan against him. More 9 of 24 outings should not be expected, but the 33-7-7-2-1 line on 69% TS that KD rolled to in last year&rsquo;s seamless series win should not be expected either.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>What immediately stood out in the Celtics&rsquo; approach was their masterful scout work. They clearly studied Durant&rsquo;s tendencies and imparted them on their defensive personnel, who promptly and impressively adhered to the strategy.</p>
<p>One of the hallmarks in slowing Durant was Boston&rsquo;s timely help. It knew when to ambush him without allowing him to scan the floor and deliver eagle-eyed reads for lucrative shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Durant&rsquo;s first turnover summarized that gambit. Jayson Tatum blitzed him a half-second later than an immediate trap might arrive, and stunted at his handle just as Durant brought it back to his left hand (the one closest to Tatum). Boston traditionally switches ball-screens, so it&rsquo;s clear Durant wasn&rsquo;t expecting a trap, and Tatum&rsquo;s imposing frame flustered him into the gaffe.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/y9j3fs" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Varying the coverage on Durant sat central to the Celtics&rsquo; philosophy. When a screen came his way, they toggled among switching, trapping and dropping against him. Switching remained the dominant tactic, but they mixed it up.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/player/201142/head-to-head?Matchup=Offense&amp;SeasonType=Playoffs&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PARTIAL_POSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the primary defender on Durant oscillated</a>. Tatum assumed the grandest portion of the pie, while Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all garnered notable time versus the silky scorer.</p>
<p>Superstars love to discern the inclinations of a certain defender or scheme and proceed accordingly. Boston&rsquo;s carousel of schemes and defenders ensured Durant never found comfortable footing. He consistently had to adapt to different looks from a slew of shrewd, effective blueprints.</p>
<p>For instance, Durant excels at passing out of double teams, and Boston clearly monitored that trend. So, the team generally deviated away from hard, obvious doubles and avoided providing him with easy outlets.</p>
<p>Rather, the Celtics committed to late stunts, digs and rotations that occurred once any sort of passing read was much more complicated for him than it would be if a standard double was sent. His shot-making prowess renders a lot of these choices still worthwhile, but there were some missed windows as a result of Boston&rsquo;s scheme &mdash; one predicated on helping once Durant had already determined his decision.</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/llr3na" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>In the clips above, note where Durant could conceivably pass before the help comes. There aren&rsquo;t many suitable options, especially in conjunction with what Durant could create individually &mdash; at least prior to a second defender entering his airspace. Pristine off-ball positioning amplified the on-ball defense&rsquo;s potency.</p>
<p>The hasty timing extended to Boston&rsquo;s constant disruption of Durant's rhythm. Although his release point is higher than virtually anyone can reach, KD's gather phase is quite slow and elongated, going from near his knees to above his head. If executed properly, there is ample time on that path to intrude.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Celtics exploited it. Tatum, Smart, Williams and Horford all tout particularly dexterous hands as defensive playmakers. Brown&rsquo;s help on a few possessions bothered Durant as well.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" src="https://streamable.com/e/qy704i" width="100%" height="325" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
<p>Horford and Tatum&rsquo;s marriage of size and mobility were particularly valuable against Durant. They crowded his handle, burrowed into his body and limited his chances to cleanly transition into jumpers. Durant's handle is quite good for a 7-footer, but it's still susceptible to being exposed when defenders can get underneath him. Both Horford and Tatum accomplished that periodically.</p>
<p>Durant found some air space when Brooklyn shifted to high ball-screens for him. If one of Tatum or Horford &mdash; each of whom at least approximate his size and mobility (approximate is very loose) &mdash; is the primary assignment in Game 2, there will probably be more of those possessions. Of course, Boston&rsquo;s switch-heavy defense might neutralize those screens, but Tatum and Horford aren&rsquo;t slithering around picks in the manner Smart does.</p>
<p>If Durant can attack with more space &mdash; which high ball-screens should allow for &mdash; better results may follow. Though gaudy three-point volume isn't his usual calling card, he&rsquo;s proven amenable, and leaning into greater pull-up volume could alleviate some of those sticky possessions.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>One of the ripple effects of Boston's physicality with Durant was that it repeatedly sent the Nets to the line. Brooklyn's Game 1 free-throw rate was .308, up from .246 during the regular season. Four of the Celtics&rsquo; five starters amassed 4 fouls. Horford and Williams each had 3.</p>
<p>Durant will also likely just make more shots. Boston influenced a number of his misses, but some of his greatness rests in his impervious nature against contests. That trait will help him get back on track.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If KD's shot diet remains similar with more preferable outcomes, the Celtics will accept it. Durant will too though. The <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-to-slow-down-kevin-durant-let-the-reaper-reap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">challenge of slowing him</a> is he&rsquo;ll bury you with a bunch of shots that you&rsquo;ll seemingly live with until you&rsquo;re 10 feet underground and totally oblivious.</p>
<p>Yet, Boston flummoxed him in ways scarcely witnessed over the past half-decade. The normal composure associated with his dead-eye jumper and offensive prowess hardly seemed prevalent in Game 1.</p>
<p>He should right the ship, but Sunday&rsquo;s numbers were not headlined by randomness. The Celtics studied Kevin Durant's game, manipulated his dispositions to their benefit and guarded him beautifully &mdash; much like they&rsquo;ve done all season as the NBA&rsquo;s premier defense.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em>&nbsp;</p>

Jackson Frank breaks down Boston's brilliant defensive strategy to fend off Kevin Durant and defeat Brooklyn in Game 1.

The Celtics' defense on Kevin Durant showcased greatness in Game 1

<p>Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is his opportunity to be <em>the</em> veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, six assists, four rebounds and one steal on 58% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a></p>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on 62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defende. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.</p>
<p>After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring six of New Orleans&rsquo; next eight points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ingram's full complement of skills were evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six month later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, five boards, three dimes, two steals and two blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.</p>
<p>As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxy and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is his opportunity to be <em>the</em> veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, six assists, four rebounds and one steal on 58% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a></p>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on 62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defende. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.</p>
<p>After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring six of New Orleans&rsquo; next eight points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ingram's full complement of skills were evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six month later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, five boards, three dimes, two steals and two blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.</p>
<p>As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxy and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;</span></p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is his opportunity to be <em>the</em> veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, six assists, four rebounds and one steal on 58% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a></p>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on 62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defende. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.</p>
<p>After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring six of New Orleans&rsquo; next eight points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ingram's full complement of skills were evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six month later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, five boards, three dimes, two steals and two blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.</p>
<p>As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.</p>
<p>Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxy and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></span></p>

<p>Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is his opportunity to be <em>the</em> veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, six assists, four rebounds and one steal on 58% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a></p>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on 62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defende. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.</p>
<p>After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring six of New Orleans&rsquo; next eight points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ingram's full complement of skills were evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six month later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, five boards, three dimes, two steals and two blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.</p>
<p>As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.</p>
<p>Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxy and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is his opportunity to be <em>the</em> veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, six assists, four rebounds and one steal on 58% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a></p>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on 62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defender. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.</p>
<p>After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring six of New Orleans&rsquo; next eight points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ingram's full complement of skills were evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six month later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, five boards, three dimes, two steals and two blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.</p>
<p>As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.</p>
<p>Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxy and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is his opportunity to be <em>the</em> veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, 6 assists, 4&nbsp; rebounds and a steal on 58.0% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a></p>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on 62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defender. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.</p>
<p>After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring six of New Orleans&rsquo; next eight points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of a waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ingram's full complement of skills was evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six months later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, five boards, three dimes, two steals and two blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.</p>
<p>As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.</p>
<p>Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxy and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is his opportunity to be <em>the</em> veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, 6 assists, 4&nbsp; rebounds and a steal on 58.0% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a></p>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on 62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defender. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.</p>
<p>After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring 6 of New Orleans&rsquo; next 8 points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of a waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ingram's full complement of skills was evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six months later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, five boards, three dimes, two steals and two blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.</p>
<p>As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.</p>
<p>Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxy and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is his opportunity to be <em>the</em> veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, 6 assists, 4&nbsp; rebounds and a steal on 58.0% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a></p>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on ~62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defender. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.</p>
<p>After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring 6 of New Orleans&rsquo; next 8 points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of a waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ingram's full complement of skills was evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six months later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, five boards, three dimes, two steals and two blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.</p>
<p>As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.</p>
<p>Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxy and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is his opportunity to be <em>the</em> veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, 6 assists, 4&nbsp; rebounds and a steal on 58.0% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a></p>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on ~62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defender. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.</p>
<p>After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring 6 of New Orleans&rsquo; next 8 points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of a waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ingram's full complement of skills was evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six months later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, 5 boards, 3 dimes, 2 steals and 2 blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.</p>
<p>As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.</p>
<p>Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxy and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

<p>Throughout Wednesday&rsquo;s contest between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, the Smoothie King Center&rsquo;s atmosphere swelled to unconscionable decibels. Pelicans fans, overwhelmingly clad in red T-shirts, roared in support of their team, one that controlled much of the contest and dispatched the Spurs, 113-103.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They had many reasons to cheer, all of which draw back to the Pelicans&rsquo; remarkable turnaround without superstar Zion Williamson the entire way. After opening the year 14th in the West with a record of 3-16, New Orleans is now 37-46 and stands just 48 minutes away from a first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since this 34-30 run commenced, the Pelicans have been a true joy to watch. The beauty of this club is that its frenzied, impassioned fans could&rsquo;ve been delighted for any number of reasons Wednesday. There is not one singular storyline to embrace. The splendor rings up and down the roster. It&rsquo;s like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, and every endpoint is a feel-good tale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Wednesday&rsquo;s stars were abundant and a matter of a perspective, the resolute theme of this five-month resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>CJ McCollum slithered, shot and boogied to 27 first-half points and finished with 32 on the day. Before being traded from Portland, McCollum would sometimes dissolve in the shadows of Damian Lillard, always a year behind the experience of his backcourt mate and outmatched for individual honors. In New Orleans, McCollum is the elder statesman. Only Garrett Temple is older, and nobody touts more playoff game appearances.&nbsp;</p>
<p>This is his opportunity to be <em>the</em> veteran star, and he&rsquo;s seized it, averaging 24 points, 6 assists, 4&nbsp; rebounds and a steal on 58.0% True Shooting in 26 regular-season games as a Pelican.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ MCCOLLUM LIGHTING THE SPURS UP ⚡️ <a href="https://t.co/JQxecBRX2g">pic.twitter.com/JQxecBRX2g</a></p>
&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1514435528359219203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>His 32-7-6-1 (63.5% TS) performance against San Antonio, punctuated by deft dribbling sequences into drives and silky pull-up jumpers, along with a 7-of-7, 19-point second frame, summarized everything he&rsquo;s brought the last two months. By night&rsquo;s end, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8iu88pq9Rk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he made it clear, he&rsquo;s &ldquo;at home,&rdquo;</a> and he illuminated that comfort during the biggest game of the season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>McCollum&rsquo;s shot-making partner, Brandon Ingram, glimmered Wednesday to the tune of 27-5-5 on ~62% TS. Over the past few months, Ingram has evolved his game, growing as a decision-maker, facilitator and off-ball defender. He&rsquo;s established himself as a bona fide star and one whose impact stretches well beyond scoring, while continuing to pour in buckets at a reliable rate.</p>
<p>After the Spurs jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter, Ingram played the role of stabilizer, tallying 11 points and two dimes over a seven-minute span and fueling an 18-8 run. To open the second half, he displayed his defensive maturation and helped stymie numerous possessions as a helper.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When San Antonio trimmed the deficit to six with just under five minutes remaining, Ingram snapped a five-minute drought by scoring 6 of New Orleans&rsquo; next 8 points and pushing the lead back to double-digits. For stretches, the Spurs doubled him off of screens, and he seamlessly played the role of a waiter by finding teammates for quality shots.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Ingram's full complement of skills was evident, some of which he rapidly incorporated and were integral to the Pelicans&rsquo; renaissance. He thrived amid his first swim in the waters of postseason basketball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>If McCollum and Ingram were the offensive standouts, Herbert Jones is the unabashed, brilliant defensive standout of the night. Wiggling around screens and applying his 7-foot wingspan to disrupt shots, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514462137208356873?s=20&amp;t=exiOaJHeGESmdkeCybEMEQ">he hounded All-Star Dejounte Murray</a> en route to a 5-of-19 shooting game.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When opportunities arose offensively, he snagged them, knocking down a pair of triples and disappearing behind the defense as a cutter. Once a second-round rookie who played just three minutes in his NBA debut, Jones has, six months later, proven to be a legitimate All-Defensive Team candidate. He finished this game with 12 points, 5 boards, 3 dimes, 2 steals and 2 blocks. An All-Rookie nod awaits him and might come while he&rsquo;s starring defensively in a first-round series, justifiably playing heavy minutes for a team on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The tone-setters alongside Jones&rsquo; All-Defense exploits were stalwart big Jonas Valanciunas and undrafted rookie Jose Alvarado, who definitively declared that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBPHnGviVI">yes, he can shoot</a>, in the grandest game of his life.</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p>With Jones discarding screens like second nature, Valanciunas&rsquo; astute positioning and strength as a drop defender further frustrated Murray in pick-and-rolls. He wielded active hands to disrupt the point guard&rsquo;s rhythm and when the contexts ventured outside of pick-and-rolls, Valanciunas influenced shots around the rim.</p>
<p>As the tension inside eased for him offensively, Valanciunas scored 12 of his 22 points in the third quarter and exited the period with New Orleans leading by 21. He was the Pelicans&rsquo; bedrock this season, playing 2,240 minutes (second-most on the team) and routinely buoying them on both sides of the ball.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When Ingram was sidelined, Valanciunas&rsquo; efficiency as a face-up and post hub carried the offense. If defenses loaded up against him, he sprayed passes to cutters and shooters. He molded his game to fill the shape of whatever holes existed on the roster, something he&rsquo;s done for years. Only a handful of NBA centers are better than Valanciunas. New Orleans does not reach this point without his steady, multifaceted contributions.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Pelicans didn&rsquo;t just close Wednesday with one rookie in the lineup. They closed with two, as Alvarado usurped Jaxson Hayes for the final spot. He scored 12 points, splashed in three triples, blended in well off the ball offensively and snagged a steal, which led to perhaps the most dynamite portion of the first half.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Electric sequence from the Pelicans. This team is a joy <a href="https://t.co/bqOCB4YJ1l">pic.twitter.com/bqOCB4YJ1l</a></p>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1514434151897726977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
<p>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Formerly a two-way player who didn&rsquo;t crack the rotation until January, Alvarado signed a four-year contract last month (with team options for the last three seasons, unfortunately). His point-of-attack chops defensively and downhill zeal offensively have ignited the Pelicans&rsquo; rotation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>He&rsquo;s emerged as their most important reserve guard. Advanced metrics adore him, and rightfully so. Head coach Willie Green&rsquo;s decision to roll with him down the stretch was a culmination of his play the past three months. Jose Alvarado won&rsquo;t just stick in the closing lineup Wednesday. He&rsquo;ll stick around the NBA for a while.</p>
<p>Collectively, Wednesday&rsquo;s game should be a celebration of the Pelicans' players and coaching staff. A 3-16 start with a remade roster and new coaching staff could bury a team. But everyone involved practiced fortitude. Whatever message Green preached to his players and staff resonated.&nbsp;</p>
<p>They climbed out of the 14th spot, in part because a first-year coach had the moxie and belief to tab two rookies as vital parts of the rotation. Not every coach would embrace that decision, especially one whose imprint is yet to solidify.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Regardless of how Friday&rsquo;s duel with the Los Angeles Clippers concludes, the Pelicans&rsquo; season is a success. Wednesday encapsulated the wide-ranging factors for that success. Everywhere you look, a different fan probably had a different reason to jubilantly clap their hands and voice their approval. It&rsquo;s why this New Orleans team is an absolute charm.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Basketball should be fun in a multitude of ways. That&rsquo;s exactly what these Pelicans are.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
<p><em>Looking to go to the hottest concerts, sports, theater &amp; family shows near you? Get 100% guaranteed tickets to more than 125,000 live events from TicketSmarter, the official ticket marketplace of BasketballNews.com. <a href="https://www.ticketsmarter.com/?utm_source=basketballnewscom&amp;utm_medium=tsaff&amp;utm_campaign=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Order online now</a>!</em></p>

The New Orleans Pelicans did not start the season looking like a playoff team, which is why their success is something to celebrate.

Wednesday was a celebration of how far the Pelicans have come

<p>Jackson Frank is a freelance NBA writer and podcaster. He loves passing big men, defensive-minded wings who can&rsquo;t shoot and zone-busting offense. Follow him on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@jackfrank_jjf</a>.</p>