Since Jayson Tatum returned from his achilles tear, he and the Celtics have looked great, but have rarely been tested. On Sunday night, they faced a Timberwolves team that was missing Anthony Edwards, but still brought an elite defense to Boston, and they punched the Celtics in the mouth and laid down a blueprint for what teams will try to do in the playoffs.
Chris Finch had his team ramp up the pressure and get into the space of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and others, often picking up before halfcourt. They made the Celtics work for every inch of space on the court, causing uncharacteristic turnovers, derailing possessions, dragging out the shot clock, and forcing the Cs to work very hard to create decent looks.
It helps that they have big physical defenders like Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, and Ayo Dosunmu, but this was a total team effort and a clear point of emphasis from the coaching staff, and it worked.
The Celtics weren’t able to match the physicality, and they were clearly bothered by a lack of calls and constant pressure. They only generated 33 three-point attempts (making just 9), 18 free throw attempts, and 17 assists. But moreover, they had to work very hard just to create offense.
Celtics must prove they are able to handle pressure
This is similar to how the Heat used to bother the Celtics for years, and it’s going to be a recurring trend in the playoffs this season. Tatum has looked good, but teams are going to test him and apply full-court pressure, and making him beat physical defense for 94 feet is going to be a constant theme.
Jaylen Brown has gotten worlds better with his handle and passing, but you best believe teams are going to make him prove that again in the playoffs. And the same is certainly going to be true for Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, who will be forced to deal with lots of size.
When teams sit back and let the Celtics dictate the action on offense, things don’t go well. This Boston team can be deadly and has the potential to be very special on the offensive end if they are able to do what they want when they have the ball.
But smart teams are going to realize that and understand that if the Cs get comfy on offense, it’s going to be very bad news for the other team. Their best bet is to try to get the Celtics out of their comfort zone and to make them earn every possession the hard way. We know that this team is good enough to do it, but teams are going to make them rise to the occasion and make that known once again when the lights are brightest.