Boston Celtics vs San Antonio Spurs Preview

The Boston Celtics have done a great job this road trip with two of their strongest wins against the Miami Heat and the Sacramento Kings. The Heat have emerged as a top team in the east but neither of those opponents presented the kind of challenge that the San Antonio Spurs do. The Celtics will have to find a way to compete with one of the top title contenders and it may require their best game of the season.

As any game will for the Celtics, success starts on the defensive end. The Spurs are tied for the third most assists per game in the league and they give up the 13th fewest turnovers per game. The Spurs have some of the best ball movement in the NBA and they have plenty of talent to finish off those passes. The Celtics have won a lot of games because of their defense, but this will be the biggest challenge yet.

The bright side is that, in a way, the Celtics have a solid formula to take down the Spurs. The Spurs depend on that ball movement and if the most disruptive team in the league can throw them off their game, then there will be hope. This is not one of the games where the Celtics can have momentary runs of great defense. They will have to be on point for the entire game and they will have to leave the Spurs with absolutely no easy buckets.

The Celtics have proven that they can disrupt even the best offenses in the league but it will all be about consistency against the Spurs. The Spurs have great ball movement all around and momentary defensive surges will not do nearly enough to slow them down. The Celtics will have to get the best out of their starters but their bench will also have to be on point.

The Spurs are another one of the deepest teams in the league and that ball movement extends to their second unit. The Celtics will have a tough time getting an advantage with the second unit but they have to ensure that they are just as active as the starters on the defensive end. Evan Turner, who may be the best defender off the bench, will have to do a great job of setting the tone on the defensive end.

Nov 25, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (33) steals the ball away from Boston Celtics guard Evan Turner (11) during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

As great as the Celtics’ ball movement has been (34 assists on 40 buckets against the Kings), they will need to find other ways to beat the Spurs. The Celtics pass the ball very well but they do not have the kind of finishers that the Spurs have.

The Spurs have given up the 5th fewest offensive rebounds to their opponents this year. The Celtics are then the 3rd best offensive rebounding team in the league. Jared Sullinger will have to continue to lead the way and there is no doubting that they will need to generate more opportunities to take down the Spurs.

The Spurs’ overall shooting percentage is 3rd in the league while the Celtics are all the way down at 22nd. The Celtics will not match the Spurs’ scoring efficiency, even if they are contesting more shots. The Celtics have done it before, but now more so than ever, they need to compensate on the offensive end with extra opportunities.

Offensive rebounding is the best area for the Celtics to exploit on the Spurs but even if they do a solid job in that area they have to be solid everywhere else. Jae Crowder will have the toughest assignment against an MVP candidate in Kawhi Leonard. The Celtics cannot expect Crowder to have as much of an impact on the offensive end but he cannot let Leonard take over the game on either end. Leonard’s game may be too complete for Crowder to defend himself but even if Crowder gets help, he could blow this game up for the Celtics.

The Celtics need to make sure that the Spurs get no other advantage on the defensive end. Tony Parker is back to playing great basketball but the Celtics have to get an advantage in the back court. Avery Bradley and Isaiah Thomas need to keep up their strong shooting but they have to make sure they are constantly disrupting the back court.

More from Hardwood Houdini

• Boston Celtics’ two-way contract decision will be made after training camp
• Proposed trade sends Boston Celtics playoff killer to the Cs from rival
• ‘Face of Germany’s stunning run’ in FIBA World Cup not the only ex-Boston Celtics player to win gold
• Proposed Boston Celtics trade target pitched for reunion with fired coach
• Battle For Banner 18: Will Boston Celtics battle historical foe in 2024 Finals?

Leonard will certainly be an advantage and the Celtics simply cannot matchup to a front court with LeMarcus Aldridge and Tim Duncan. This needs to be a collective effort for the Celtics and it is fitting that in order to beat arguably the most team oriented team in the league they will have to have their strongest collective effort of the season.