The Boston Celtics rolled last night in Indiana, and here are some more reasons to look forward to the playoffs.
This Boston Celtics team has been maddeningly inconsistent and there’s only so many times we can tell ourselves this time is different before we go insane/nobody listens anymore. When I have made this argument in the past my analysis was based completely on conceptual evidence: Whether it be the growing pains of Kyrie Irving’s leadership, Gordon Hayward looking like he knows how to play basketball again, or the Celtics becoming a team opposed to a collection of individuals.
This time, however, I will be quantifiably evaluating this squad. The playoffs are right around the corner which means we will finally be able to see what this team is really made of. The level of play will go up, the pace will go down, and flaws will be exposed. Here I will be breaking down five encouraging stats about the Celtics going into the playoffs.
Stat No. 1: 12.8 TOV%
With just a few games left, the Celtics rank third in the NBA in turnover percentage (Percentage of plays that end in a player or team’s turnover). In the 2017-2018 playoffs the Celtics, Golden State Warriors, and Houston Rockets were all in the top five in this area, that’s three of the four teams in the conference finals. As the pace of play goes down it becomes increasingly important to take care of the basketball – something the Celtics do very well.
Stat No. 2: 4.2
4.2 net rating (Measures a team’s point differential per 100 possessions). This team ranks top 10 in both offensive and defensive rating which obviously leads to their impressive net rating. During the 2017-2018 playoffs, the Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, and the Philadelphia 76ers all occupied the top five. The Celtics execute on both sides of the ball, or at least they have the capability to. This is not news to anybody paying attention this season, but empirically proving it adds much-needed validation. Considering how bad they have been at times during the season, it really says something about how they have otherwise performed in order to stay in the top five across the entire NBA.
Stat No. 3: 38.3%
38.3% represents the Celtic’s 3pt frequency. Last year’s postseason shed light on how important three-point frequency is to team success. The four best teams according to this metric were the Rockets, Cavaliers, Celtics, and Warriors, which also happened to be the top finishing teams in the NBA. More than anything this shows us how important efficiencies are viewed across the league and how well their implementation is working. This year the Celtics rank in the top 10 again despite taking far too many mid-range shots. It’s not ideal when your team is still tying up loose ends just a few games before the playoffs but being on the brink of potential dominance certainly eases the pain.
Stat No. 4: 30.7
The Celtics average 30.7 assists adjusted per-game (the total sum of a player or team’s assists, free throw assists, and secondary assists). The C’s rank in the top-10 in this category too and are in good company with the Warriors, Nuggets, Raptors, Pacers, Jazz, and 76ers. All forms of an assist taken into account, this team is right there with the league’s elite.
Stat No. 5: Gordon Hayward
I know Gordon Hayward is not a stat but he’s been awesome lately. Over the last six games, Hayward is averaging 17 points-per-game on 63.2% shooting, 40% from three, an offensive rating of 110.5, an effective field goal percentage of 68.4% (highest on team 10+ minutes), a true shooting percentage of 73.6% (highest on team 10+ minutes), and a pace of 103.3 (highest on the team over 10+ minutes).
As a Celtics fan and as a human being this is an amazing thing to see for someone who has been through so much. If Hayward can continue to play like this, the Celtics will be able to make a deep run this year. It’s also very encouraging to see him put up over 20 points on perfect shooting in a game where the team demolished their probable first-round opponent in the Indiana Pacers. Celtics fans should feel really good going into the playoffs.
P.S. If you’re interested, check out 5 Terrible Celtics Stats Going into the Playoffs.