The difference between the Celtics 2018 and 2019 Playoff Runs
2019 was supposed to be the year Boston finally made it to the finals. LeBron was out of the East and the Celtics were clearly the most talented team in the Eastern Conference going into the season. Now, on the brink of elimination, Celtics fans are left to wonder what has changed between the last two playoff runs.
The Celtics were the clear favorites when the season started in October. It seems like a long time ago, but at one point there was a ridiculous amount of faith in this team to easily advance to the NBA Finals.
The confidence was obvious.
Jaylen Brown pulling a famous LeBron James “not one, not two not three…..” quote at the beginning of the season, when he said he would have five rings by the time he is 28, showed that confidence.
The starting lineup consisted of an All-NBA point guard, two all-stars, a rookie of the year candidate and another rising young player. Anything besides a one or two seed with a deep playoff run was considered absurd.
Let’s start by taking a look at last year, and why it was so fun to watch. It was a team of underdogs. A team of absolute grinders who were not scared of any task put in front of them.
The same members of the team who in 2018 were considered fighters who never backed down, are now considered soft players who simply do not care.
Round one in 2018 went seven games against the same team they now are down 3-1 to. The difference for Milwaukee? The Bucks replaced John Henson with Brook Lopez, and have inserted a plethora of role payer shooting guards to replace the injured Malcolm Brogdon.
The difference for Boston? They added a former all-NBA point guard, a former all-star, and another year of development to their two prized young guns. Talent-wise, the Celtics drastically improved.
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In round one, it was Semi Ojeleye who stepped up against the Bucks. He saw an opportunity to show what he can do and took advantage of it. He battled Giannis Antetokounmpo for seven games and contained him. There was no fear in Ojeleye and it was Antetokounmpo who ended up backing down.
During the first four games of this series, it’s been just the opposite. Ojeleye has barely gotten minutes and no one has stepped up.
Antetokounmpo has been getting to the paint with ease, dunking on anyone who stands in his way. Whether it is Al Horford, Jayson Tatum or Marcus Morris, no one has been physical and Antetokounmpo has taken full advantage.
Going off of the physicality on defense, the same goes for the offense. Last year, the team was built on aggressive drives to the basket. Why Terry Rozier and Tatum were so effective was their ability to finish at the rim, or draw the defense in and then kick it out for an open three. The strategy was effective and it showed.
This season, the strategy is basic. Chuck up as many threes as possible and hope a good percentage of them fall. In game one, it worked. The Celtics shot 40% from three in game one and ran away with the victory. Since then, the shots have not been falling and the Bucks have been dominating.
The best example of this from last season comes from Tatum. Dunking on LeBron James is no small feat, and when Tatum did it in game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, it showed the fight of him and the team. The rookie showed no fear, and attacked James at the rim.
As for this series, no one is attacking the rim. The Celtics are getting lazy and are settling for jump shots. The 9-41 showing from behind-the-arc in game 4 shows pretty clearly that when the shots aren’t falling, the Celtics keep shooting.
Going to the rim has not been an option for this team unless there is no one protecting the paint. The constant pull-up jumpers have told the tale of the series as Boston is simply scared to go into the paint.
The two main factors that were supposed to bring the Celtics to another level, may be the same ones who are currently bringing them down. Kyrie Irving has been dreadful this series. The most frustrating part of this, is Irving wanted this. He wanted to be the star of the team.
He wanted to get the credit when he wins, and the blame when he loses. Now that it is happening, Irving seems like he wants no part of it. The point guard is playing like he has one foot out the door, and the other already in New York.
The other factor is Gordon Hayward. Someone who seems to be getting absolutely no blame in this series. The excuse has been the same all season, it is because of the injury. If Hayward came back in October and was never the same, there wouldn’t be much to be upset about.
The concern comes when a player can score 20 points against an inferior team, when his team is already well in control of the series, and then is a complete no-show against a competitive team. Hayward hasn’t been all bad, he has just been bad when it matters.
When up 3-0 in the first round being the heavy favorite, Hayward scores 20 points shooting 77%. Even in the first game of the Bucks series, Hayward can chip in 13 points, five assists and four rebounds.
However as soon as the Celtics find themselves reeling, Hayward goes into his shell. 10 points on 25% shooting in 33 minutes in game three, and two points on 20% shooting in 27 minutes in game four. Hayward has been irrelevant, and just like most of this Celtics team, has shown to give up when things get tough.
The 2019 Celtics have shown they are a team of front-runners. They are the bully that will continue to hit until they get hit back. Against a far inferior team in Indiana, Boston dominated in every way. They got to the paint with ease, played defense and did not back down.
When faced with a real task in Milwaukee, Boston has shrunk under the pressure and has not fought back. Now, facing a 3-1 deficit, Boston will be faced with a choice to either prove they can fight back, or if they truly are a front-running team who quits when things get tough.