Isaiah Thomas-Al Horford Pick-And-Roll Helping Celtics Return To Basics

The Celtics finally resembled a one-seed on Friday night. It had much to do with the success that Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford enjoyed in the pick-and-roll.

All too often over the first two games of the Boston Celtics‘ first round series against the Chicago Bulls, The Green found themselves relying on penetration from Isaiah Thomas in order to generate any resemblance of offensive firepower.

On a plethora of occasions, this would lead to Thomas being forced to create while being double-teamed by the likes of Jimmy Butler and Nikola Mirotic. With him unable to skate past the teeth of the defense, the Celtics were forced to settle for contested outside shots on a routine basis, leading to easy defensive possessions an a pair of victories for Chicago.

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In Game 3, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens turned around the ledger on the Bulls defensive front, returning to what had led the Celtics to prosperity throughout the 82-game regular season. Thomas racked up 1.04 points per possession in which he was the pick-and-roll ball-handler in 2016-17, the second-best mark in the league for ball handlers with at least eight such possessions per outing. Almost as successful in the pick-and-roll was Al Horford, who posted 1.03 points per possession as the pick-and-roll roll man in the regular season.

Realizing that the reliance on the pick-and-roll was Boston’s niche throughout the season, Stevens placed the Celtics in a multitude of such scenarios in Friday night’s Game 3, leading to a resounding 104-87 win that lifted the squad back into contention for a series win. Horford shined throughout the triumph, notching 18 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. The main catalyst for this offensive flourishing was his aggressiveness as the roll man in these pick-and-roll scenarios.

Far too frequently, what is supposed to be a pick-and-roll for Horford transforms into a pick-and-pop where the four-time All-Star loiters on the perimeter with his defender daring him to shoot a long range jump shot with his sub-36 percent three-point percentage. Horford’s ability to stretch the floor and create driving lanes is valuable. However, his tendency to fade out to the three-point line after setting a screen comes back to bite the Celtics when the defender, fully aware of Horford’s unconfident nature when it comes to shooting the three-pointer, is able to forget about Horford and double Thomas at the top of the key after the screen is set.

In Game 3, Horford did not fall into this trap. He consistently rolled straight to the rim after setting screens, placing the likes of Bulls center Robin Lopez in limbo on numerous instances. While Lopez wished to double the ball-handler at the top of the perimeter, Horford’s rolling forced him to shade back into the paint. When he failed to make a quick-trigger decision and was stuck in limbo in the middle of the floor, Lopez lost sight of the cutting Horford, a lapse that Thomas was able to continuously exploit.

Celtics fans witnessed this sequence at the beginning of the third quarter with the team clinging to a 44-43 lead (1:37 in the video above). With Thomas in possession of the ball at the high right elbow, Horford heads over to set a hard screen on his man. When Thomas drives to his left to reach the inside of the three-point line, Lopez immediately reacts in an attempt to cut off his ability to release a midrange jumper. He eyes are averted from Horford, who slides underneath him to the right side of the rim. When Thomas leaves his feet at the free throw line, his eyes are on the basket, coaxing Lopez into believing that he is contested a patented Thomas left-handed floater. He is unaware that Horford is behind him, awaiting a dime of a pass for an easy alley-oop jam.

In addition, Horford utilized his decisive nature to slip screens and fly directly to the rim when the opportunity presented itself. This was placed on full display with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter (1:06). Horford began the possession with the ball at the top of the key with Cristiano Felicio guarding him. Horford then dribbled towards the right wing in order to hand the ball off to Thomas. Instead of setting a hard screen on Dwyane Wade, Horford then faked the pick and cut right to the rim. Expecting Horford to pop out to the wing, Felicio attempting to jump on top of Thomas in a double team. This left Horford wide open on the right side of the rim, where Thomas found him for an easy slam.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, Horford tricked Felicio by slipping yet another screen. With Thomas holding possession far beyond the arc, Horford sprints towards Butler, appearing to be plotting a screen attempt. However, he reverses direction as soon as he reaches Butler, just as if he is finishing a sprint at a high school basketball practice. Felicio is bewildered, left backpedaling to little avail as Horford rolls to the hoop for another alley-oop finish.

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If Boston can continue to stick with the pick-and-roll, the tables could be turned extremely quickly in this seven-game series.