Boston Celtics Front Court Proves Their Value in Win Over Warriors

The Boston Celtics had their biggest win of the season against the Warriors, which would have been impossible without the front court

In what was one of the wildest two game stretches of the season, the Boston Celtics bounced back from one of their worst performances, to their most commanding victory of the season against the Golden State Warriors. The Celtics put forth a phenomenal effort on both ends, and locked down the Warriors in a way that no one has done this season.

The biggest different between those two games is easy to see, a healthy front court. Both Al Horford and Jonas Jerebko returned to the lineup, and all of a sudden those lineup problems completely disappeared, and their second unit had their most impactful game of the season.

While the defense of the guards on Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, limiting them to a grand total of one point in the fourth quarter, was their most impressive feat in the game, the front court made it abundantly clear how important they are to the success of this team.

Even if the guards are the strength of this team, they need their front court to be at their best, and they got solid performances across the board in this one. The player who stands out the most is Kelly Olynyk, who finished a remarkable +29 coming off the bench as a true difference maker against the Warriors. Horford then contributed in all phases of the game, finishing with 10 points six rebounds and six assists. What Horford also did was solidify their lineups, keeping everyone on the court comfortable and in positions where they could be optimized.

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Horford’s impact has been viciously underrated this season, and that is because of the impact he has on his teammates on both ends. The Celtics had one of their most complete and balanced performances of the season, and Horford is absolutely crucial to functioning on that level on both ends. Just looking at the game against the Clippers demonstrates what happens to this lineup with Horford out, as everything gets significantly more difficult.

Amir Johnson also had a solid outing, hitting all four of his shots, and doing a good job of making sure the guards had solid paint protection behind them. Johnson’s impact was more limited than Olynyk or Horford, but deserves some of the credit for keeping the Warriors to a season low 86 points by making sure the guards could focus all their energy on stopping the best back court in the NBA.

Even Jerebko managed to have a positive impact. His five rebounds were important off the bench, and he was a part of multiple lineups that went on runs in the game, finishing with a +8 on the game.

Olynyk is the only player who really broke out in the box score, but this game is the best testament to the kind of impact this front court has on this team. The Celtics know their guards are their strength, but they cannot be at their best without a strong front court. Having stretch forwards like Olynyk and Horford opens up a lot of space on the offensive end, and their passing ability is crucial to maintaining the rhythm they need to be successful on offense.

The bigs may not be the best passers on the team, but given how much of a drop off there can be from Olynyk, Horford and Johnson, they may be the most important passers on the team. The Celtics know what they will be getting out of their guards in terms of distribution, and they will be the main offensive instigators. The front court then facilitates everything, and prevents the Celtics from falling into slumps where the offense cannot get any good looks.

When the Celtics have a complete lineup that plays with that same mentality, they are one of the most complete offenses in the league. Isaiah Thomas will always carry the load scoring, but he does not get the space he needs if it is not for those front court players, especially against a smaller team like the Warriors.

On offense, the fluid passing and play making ability is how the front court has a great impact. It certainly helps when Olynyk is able to score as much as he did in this one, but those five assists may have been even more important. Olynyk was decisive, and every time he had the ball in his hands, he was putting the Celtics in a better position to succeed.

The Celtics have one of the most unique front courts in the league on the offensive end, and this game was a great example of how much of an impact they can have as scorers and as distributors

On the defensive end, this game really was all about the guards. There is not a better duo in the NBA than Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart to guard Thompson and Curry, but they need assurances from their front court. The Celtics have remarkable versatility with Bradley, Smart, Brown and Crowder, but they cannot be at their best on defense when they spend most of their time making up for the front court.

In a game like this, where the front court holds their own on the defensive end, the Celtics are able to get back to their biggest defensive strength, generating turnovers. When the guards are not focused on having to help behind them in the paint, they put more pressure on their opponent than anyone else in the league, and it leads to the steals and transition play that allows the Celtics to excel.

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The Celtics front court may not have the most dominant rim protectors, but they are essential to their defensive success, because of that freedom they give the guards. If the Celtics get a defensive performance like this from their front court, then their guards will slow down any team in the league.

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