TORONTO — Payton Pritchard and Anfernee Simons controlled the tempo early on in the Boston Celtics’ second preseason game against the Toronto Raptors. The two guards ran back and forth at the top of the key as Neemias Queta set screens, scrambling the Raptors’ defense. The shots just weren’t falling.
But Josh Minott and Chris Boucher were ready. In the first quarter alone, they grabbed three offensive rebounds, crashing tirelessly from the corners. Their energy has been infectious.
“We're trying to use our length, and we feel like we got a nose to the ball,” Boucher said after the game. “So, obviously, we're trying to crash as much as we can and trying to get some more extra possessions, because those are game-changing moments.”
Offensive rebounding is key for new-look Celtics
Boston has employed a fast-paced offense this year. They’re running, constantly setting screens, and helping more on defense. Offensive rebounding has been essential.
And it doesn’t just help the offense.
“It's important to the defense. It's important to both,” said Joe Mazzulla. “There's a correlation [between] offensive rebounding and transition defense. They're both connected. We can't do one without the other. So, just having an understanding of how important it is for us on both ends of the floor is key to maximizing the connectivity of the game on offense and defense.”
The Celtics want their guys ready to run, and corner crashing accomplishes that goal.
“Gets you out of the corner,” Mazzulla said. “The guy that's guarding you has to be able to decide if he's gonna go with you [or not]. So, it helps your spacing, helps your transition defense, also tries to help your offensive rebounding.”
Boston is reshaping its approach on both ends of the court this season. They lost a ton of talent to the trade market and free agency, but Minott and Boucher both look like ideal fits with their new play style.
Threes are still going to go up. Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Derrick White, and Anfernee Simons will be taking plenty. But Boston’s frenetic style lends itself to crashing even more than in recent years.
And not just from the corners.
“For sure. So even in Minnesota, we stressed crashing. But we wanted to crash more only from the corners,” Minott said. “Not really much above-the-break crashing. Here, it's just, we're all going. So, it's like, man, it's easy. Just wherever you're at, just run to the rim, and if it bounces your way, it bounces your way, really.”
Through the first two preseason games, the Celtics have snagged 17.5 offensive rebounds per contest. That's third among NBA teams.
Minott has the green light to crash the boards on offense. Boucher seemingly does, too. So, as the Celtics’ perimeter attack continues to let it fly from long range, keep an eye on the rest of the guys on the floor. Because they’ll be ready if the shot doesn’t fall.