Boston Celtics Blowout Pistons By 20 and Finally Play Like We All Expected
By Thomas King
Shut Down Blake
Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin came into Saturday’s game averaging 33.8 points per game on 56 percent shooting, 52 percent from distance. Griffin had just 7 points and 6 rebounds in 30 minutes in the loss to Boston.
On Saturday, the Boston defense swarmed Griffin whenever he got the ball and multiple defenders took their turns keeping him in front and forcing him into contested shots. Griffin only got to the line twice, after entering the evening the most fouled player in the NBA, and shot 2-of-13 from the field, frustrated by conscious, connected defensive attention.
Many times, Detroit has multiple players on the court who the Celtics deem non-threatening, at least when the choice is between is leaving the man or leaving Griffin to go one-one one.
The Celtics helped often on Griffin, leaving Pistons open on the perimeter. On of them, Stanley Johnson, scored 14 quick points, but he finished the game with just 16 points and the trade off was Griffin had his worst game of the season. Advantage, Celtics.