Suns (5-5) vs. Celtics (3-5): Preview
By Jeromy Smith
In today’s grueling NBA with schedules featuring three games in four nights, tours of Texas, and a plethora of back-to-back situations, luckily it’s rare to have time to linger on a tough loss. However, that’s precisely what the Boston Celtics face prior to their upcoming match-up with the Phoenix Suns.
Coming off Friday night’s loss – highlighted by a fourth-quarter collapse after leading by 19 in the final stanza and for most of the game against the Cavs – Boston must now keep the taste of a bitter loss in their mouths the entire weekend. Boston next suits up Monday hosting the Phoenix Suns, who travel into Boston following a double-digit loss at Los Angeles Saturday night. The Clippers cruised by the Suns in LA by 13 after crushing Phoenix during a 42-20 3rd quarter. The Morris twins and Eric Bledsoe limped to 3/26 from the field in the loss.
Phoenix’s backcourt had individual struggles with Eric Bledsoe having a dreadful shooting night against the Clips and Goran Dragic generally having troubles finding his spots and inspiring their offense. Given their choppy homestand (2-3) last week, Phoenix could utilize the road trip to work to find the identity of their team. The Suns match the Celtics in many roster attributes and both boast a young, gifted coach who seems to make an exercise in bringing the most out of their players. Both teams have three talented guards in their backcourt (though Boston’s Smart out with injury) and play an up-tempo game suited to their backcourt talent as well as their mobile bigs.
To counter Boston’s interior of Olynyk and Sullinger (Bass, Zeller as bench bigs), Phoenix will trot out the bigger of the Morris twins, Markieff. Markieff has enjoyed a productive start to the season, averaging nearly 15 points per game. However, his rebounding numbers remain somewhat inconsistent; he’s had two double-digit rebounding games this year but also two games with just three rebounds per game. In the pivot, Miles Plumlee and Alex Len share the majority of the minutes. The #5 overall pick in the 2013 draft, Len poured in 17 (7-11 shooting) while nabbing 11 rebounds in his second career double-double.
Like Jeff Green in Boston, wing players for the Suns operate in some anonymity. Marcus Morris is known primarily as the younger brother of Markieff but has averaged double-figures thus far this season. Highlight-reel-worthy talent Gerald Green seems to be often the odd-man out in Jeff Hornacek‘s rotations while PJ Tucker fills in SF minutes. Green has shown the ability to contribute, possessing a three-point stroke in addition to his above the rim attributes, but often times has minutes fluctuate. Green has had two games in the twenties this season – Boston needs to limit Green’s offensive production off the bench if they hope for a win.
Limiting the Phoenix backcourt is the obvious goal. Despite the explosiveness of Eric Bledsoe and the offensive elegance of Goran Dragic, Phoenix’s leading scorer has zero starts but is averaging over 11 FGAs per game and 16 PPG. Coming over as a free agent acquisition, Isaiah Thomas provides Phoenix with a great leader of the second unit and allows Coach Hornacek to be aggressive on both ends with respect to the attacking manner of his backcourt. While Dragic picks apart seams and Bledsoe attempts to explode through them, Thomas helps the team via his inspiration, never allowing his small stature to impact his willingness to take the ball inside. The majority of Thomas’s shots take place from the left side of the key, near the basement, something the Celtics without a rim protector might not be able to prevent.
Unless the Celtics play Zeller for an extended period (admittedly not a rim protector, but a better interior defender than Olynyk or Sullinger), Boston’s best strategy Monday will be to push the pace. If you believe Tommy Heinsohn, Boston plays best very fast. The primary concern for Boston must be finding quality shots, either on primary break, on the secondary break, or via Rondo pick-and-roll/pop game. Showcasing Olynyk’s offensive skills against Len/Plumlee will be a good way for the second-year PF to positively impact the game, drawing away an interior defender while allowing Jared Sullinger access to the block and offensive glass, two areas where Sully should be able to gain advantages during the game.
If Boston can control the pace (push Rondo push), contribute a team game as they did Friday, and limit second shots, the Celtics could contribute to a woeful start to the Suns road trip, who play four more road games following Monday’s game in Boston. Maybe a little Sun can work as the Boston cure for the Cleveland hangover.