The Boston Celtics have made their defensive game plan in this first-round rivalry clash crystal clear. They want to turn the Philadelphia 76ers into a jump-shooting team. It's a sound strategy. The Sixers' 111-97 win in Game 2 at TD Garden doesn't change that.
The franchise from the "City of Brotherly Love" ranked in the bottom eight in conversion rate from beyond the arc during the regular season. They made just 34.9 percent of the 35.3 threes they hoisted. Their 12.3 makes placed them in the bottom nine in that category.
Not only do they lack shooters, but Tyrese Maxey has mostly struggled since suffering a tendon injury in his right pinky. Since that diagnosis on Mar. 10, the star guard is knocking down just 31.6 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. That's down from 36.7 percent during the regular season.
He drilled five of the 12 triples he launched in Tuesday's tilt. The primary credit belongs to him. However, some of that success occurred when Boston's drop defense wasn't as crisp as it was in the series opener. There are multiple instances when the hosts allowed Maxey to step into clean looks going to his right. That's begging for him to make them pay for their miscues. In Game 2, he obliged.
However, the Celtics were sharper and more connected in Sunday's 123-91 victory. The two-time All-Star went 1/4 from three-point range. He needed 20 shots to put 21 points on the board.
The Celtics' defensive game plan is a winning formula
Boston's approach on that side of the ball is pragmatic. The 76ers aren't a good three-point shooting team. Conversely, they generated the fourth-most attempts from inside the restricted area during the regular season, per NBA.com. Philadelphia averaged 28.7 shots from that spot on the floor.
In the series opener, the Sixers produced 27 chances inside the restricted area. They made 55.6 percent of them. The league average success rate on attempts from in there is 67.1 percent. In Game 2, the visitors went 9/17. That's a 52.9 percent conversion rate.
The Celtics' game plan is working. They just need their level of execution to look more like it did in Sunday's win. Otherwise, they invite the risk of Philadelphia burying 19/39 threes they let fly [49 percent]. While that tests Boston's resolve, don't expect this team to change its approach -- nor should it.
"I think it's important that we don't overreact to some of those," said Nikola Vucevic on Wednesday at the Auerbach Center. "Our defense is very connected. It's not just a one or two-man job. It's all five of us have a job in those situations to help each other and always be there for each other," continued the veteran center. "When we're at our best, I think we make it very difficult for teams. We have size, we have length, [and] we have very good on-ball defenders. So, we can do a good job with that, and so, just gotta continue to do that, continue to do what works for us. I just think we need to take it to a whole other level than we had from last night."
If they do so, they'll put themselves in an excellent position to regain control of this series.
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