The Boston Celtics are living and dying by the Three

The three ball is an important part of the Celtics’ offense, but right now they’re living and dying by the three

The Boston Celtics are seemingly playing defense with the hope that the other team misses their shots. Whichever unit is on the floor, the strategy is the same, if the ball is held in the paint, immediately collapse upon the ball. This makes sense with no real rim protector, but when a well-coached team understands this it makes offense easy, too easy.

The game plan is out on these undersized Boston Celtics, when caught in a switch, drive the ball into the paint. Do not settle for the jump shot, because there is an easier one waiting right around the corner. The extra pass is what makes this Celtics team so special, it also feels like it could bring their demise.

Defensively, each night Brad Stevens picks out one or two guys on the opposing squad that need to play well in order for their team to win. Obviously, he does not pick the best players on that squad on that given night to do so. With that being said an open shot is just that, an open shot, and for the majority of teams in the association, they will take their chances with an open shot.

Earlier in the year, Boston looked like a more aggressive defensive team, playing to their own strengths rather than relying on other teams missing. Opportunistic described them perfectly. The roster was the same back then, so what changed?

As much as the Celtics hope for missed shots on one end, they tend to wish the ball goes in on the other. The problem there being, – as if I have to point this out – the ball does not go in as much when they have the ball. Counting on other team’s players to miss, and their own to go in, suggests they are willingly fighting an up-hill battle. No one player listed on the roster is an elite NBA shooter, despite all those hoisted three-pointers. All the other team needs is one great shot maker and that spells doom for these Celtics, because if Isaiah Thomas can not match them, then who can.

If Boston had guys that could knock down long distance shots at regular intervals this would not matter as much. Boston’s most dominant assets are backcourt players that have the ability to switch occasionally on to a big. Sustaining such a gameplan then becomes too reliant on the other team making mistakes or missing rather than relying on the talent held on their roster. Danny Ainge, more or less, recently came out and said just that.

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This squad can be taken out of their game and rhythm in the blink of an eye. Once an extra pass is made and a shot is punched in, the rest of the game follows as such. Drive and collapse the defense, kick it out for the three or wherever the open man is standing; waiting as the Celtics scramble helplessly in pursuit.

This facade that Stevens has painted so elegantly is beginning to be figured out, at the worst time. The Celtics need to get back to playing that opportunistic style of defense because essentially that is who they are. It feels for a period of time they wanted to abandon that concept and become more like the Warriors. This team will never win a shootout as currently constructed and that is fine.

Next: Celtics Defense Must be More Disciplined

Supposing that they collectively reaffirm themselves to relentlessly disruptive defense, it is feasible to think of them as a dark horse in the East. Sticking to what has propelled them all year is the only way this team can possibly win in the playoffs. Attempting to out-score the opponent rather than preventing the opponent from outscoring them will cost roster spots and postseason success.