Boston Celtics: 3 keys to victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves

Use front court size to their advantage

With the impending return of Robert Williams III, media and fans alike are buzzing about the Earth, Wind and Fire approach the center rotation will have as the season unwinds. Unfortunately, we’ve still got a few more games to wait, thus leaving us with only two of the aforementioned three nouns listed above.

Going against the KAT-less front court rotation for the Timberwolves, this should prove to work just fine.

The first key the Houdini will discuss is using the Boston Celtics’ physical stature to their advantage, specifically down low.

With Towns out of the lineup, the Wolves will look to the likes of James Johnson, Omari Spellman and Naz Reid to fill in at the vacancy. Looking at these three options, one glaring issue is their not-so menacing statures.

Of the bunch, the rookie big Reid lists as the tallest at 6-9, with Johnson and Spellman coming in at 6-8.

With the Boston Celtics’ front court size — four player listing at 6-8 or higher, with Enes Kanter coming in at 6-11 — they should game plan around this fact: the paint is void of big bodies and should be attacked.

With Kanter’s fantastic post-work, Jayson Tatum‘s ferocious finishing skills and Gordon Hayward/ Daniel Theis‘ ability to play in and out of the paint, the C’s should focus on attacking the rim. If they prove to be successful — which they should being Minnesota ranks 22nd in the league in opponents points in the paint with Towns in the lineup — it would not only give them buckets down low, but it should also make the defense play off on the perimeter, thus giving the team an easier time to find clean looks in the long range game as well.