That was really our bread and butter last year, and this year it seems like its all run up 3’s, or trying to create a shot with spacing on the 3.

i feel like thats the major adjustment we need to make because Tatum could take anyone 1 on 1 to the rim so it pulls a defender and allows us to get comfortable 3’s, and if not, easy 2’s. Most of the last 2 games, the knicks just had to keep us shooting contested 3’s and left the lane open A LOT.

is it really that the knicks and magic’s defense has been so good that we havent been able to drive to the basket? Or have we just abandoned that play for a more Warriors/Curry offense? Because TBH we dont have the splash bros rn

guitarpatch

60 | 2 days ago

The pass isn’t there to the corner. It’s actually behind him at the wing or up top. The Knicks are packing the paint and defending the corner 3.

It’s forcing those 1 pass and shoot looks or a drive that doesn’t get deep enough for a good kick out or worse a drive that results with 3 defenders in the paint and a turnover

Porzingis was the answer to that with his range. He would force the Knicks to not commit as much to the drop and open up those driving lanes. Now it’s Horford in that role and while capable, it’s a shot the Knicks will gladly give up. The question is if KP can play more or can you have Tatum/White/Holdiay generate that look when the big drops down to defend

mr0poopybootyhole | THE TRUTH

28 | 2 days ago

This is it. Porzingis at the top of the key opens up the drive a lot more than Horford

Supreme_God_Bunny

8 | a day ago

Horford has been buns at shooting so it’s not helping

efshoemaker | I like to defense

8 | a day ago

This is the problem- the answer to what the Knicks are doing is the pick and pop, but they’re just not defending that and daring us to hit the shots.

Until we hit some shots they aren’t going to change.

AccountConstant1983

5 | a day ago

While this is a great take, there’s no reason these dudes can’t hold a 20 points lead in consecutive games.

Fuckblackhorses

9 | a day ago

They get the lead then slow way tf down. Dribble around for 15+ seconds before they even start the offense. We’ve been doing that all year. So when the Knicks shut down the initial play, whether the kick out 3 is defended or not, we just jack it. Or Tatum dribbles for 20 seconds and jacks it himself. This team just needs to learn to keep their foot on the gas

KOBE_GYN

1 | 2 days ago

This 💯

UtahUtopia

11 | 2 days ago

And no idea who’s idea it is to have Brown be main ball handler in the half court.

elusiveanswers | Boston Celtics

1 | 19 hours ago

or D.White either

UtahUtopia

1 | 18 hours ago

I would love for DWhite to be primary point ball handler. Especially in the 4th.

elusiveanswers | Boston Celtics

10 | 2 days ago

also, could this be a Tatum confidence thing? he seems totally fine just getting into a 1 on 1 at the 3 line instead of just trying to push past them first. Brown has been doing this, and has made some great floaters in the paint. However, Tatum would just push past and Euro to the rim. and he just hasnt lately. it makes his game so much more predictable too

Sttatix

11 | 2 days ago

He’s actively avoiding contact in the paint, I don’t know if it’s worry about the wrist still or him being soft asf rn but what’s the point of him adding the muscle if he isn’t using it in crucial times.

elusiveanswers | Boston Celtics

1 | 2 days ago

yeah, did he get shook in the magic series? because again, a lot of his drive is timing/euro

Sttatix

4 | 2 days ago

His drives were fine in that series even after the injury, honestly he just got hot from mid range so it makes it seem better than his output these last 2 games when nothing for him is dropping

sharifoconnor

1 | 12 hours ago

I really liked his faking change of direction or pace in the Orlando series as he was driving to the rim. It seemed like he actively had his mind on attacking the paint effectively knowing they would limit the 3 point attempts. I’d like to see him patiently break down his defender and get to the hoop or free throw line/generate open looks when leads start shrinking in this series.

spinachoptimusprime

6 | 2 days ago

I have no idea this year. I wrote this elsewhere, but I feel like last year there was more attacking closeouts after the initial drive and kick.

This year, the strategy seems to be maximize the three point attempts so they take the first open three after the initial drive. I get taking the open three, but when there is a runway to the hoop and the shots haven’t been falling it would be nice to see them attack the rim instead.

One other issue is that when the get in iso mode, they tend to drive late in the shot clock, and lot of those opens three are with under five on the shot clock when their simply isn’t time for a second drive and kick.

JaDamian_Steinblatt

2 | a day ago

It depends how they’re guarded. If the d closes out hard to shooters, they drive and kick and drive and kick. If the the closeout doesn’t come, they shoot the open three. The strategy didn’t change at all, the Knicks are just guarding them differently than other teams.

spinachoptimusprime

1 | a day ago

It is not just the drive and kicks. They are generally not stressing the defense, they are just taking the first okay look they get from three and a lot of them are not quality looks. Tatum and Brown were also settling for contested three when the got bigs in mismatches which was terribly inefficient. That is the best time to drive because someone will need to help at the rim.

Confident-Cap2112

5 | 2 days ago

Nope fuck that, dribble around and then step back jack that 3.

Afraid-Economist5248

1 | a day ago

Lmaooo

Chiefmeez | MahcusSmaht4L

1 | a day ago

Once again, he only shot 5 3s last game. That was not the issue

Confident-Cap2112

1 | 20 hours ago

True. Team issue. He did take it down nicely and throw it down to go ahead 1 at the end.

TheMassacreKid

4 | a day ago

The knicks are gapping aggressively because our role players are just standing with no movement, this is why they feel comfortable switching mismatches onto Tatum and Brown because they can clog the driving lanes and recover to shooters.

I’m very disappointed in the coaching of this series, we need off ball actions so OG and Mikal can’t overwhelm without getting punished for it. The knicks are also treating Horford like a non shooter so we need to increase the Kornet minutes he’s been our best big so far.

aja_ramirez

3 | a day ago

What im seeing is an INABILITY to consistently beat his man one on one and threaten the rim, even if it’s Townes. I think Celtic fans vastly overrate JTs ability to get to the rim. He’s better than most, but not in the elite tier. Shoot, have people already forgotten how much trouble he had beating max strus last year?

EmptyOhNein

2 | 2 days ago

Gameplan comes down to coaching. This is Joe’s gameplan. Shoot 3s until they don’t work and continue shooting 3s even if they don’t. No wonder why people hate the modern NBA.

realheadphonecandy

1 | a day ago

And back to putrid iso your turn my turn early aughts crap to close.

I miss the ball movement. That is Celtics ball going back to Russell and Bird.

krazylegs36

2 | 2 days ago

Gotta wonder if that wrist injury has him thinking twice about driving.

SamRaimisOldsDelta88

2 | a day ago

All that we really had to do was drive to the basket, get two, and maybe get fouled. This obsession with throwing up three bricks isn’t working. Maybe during the regular season it did but you have to adjust to get the win.

Look, I like Mazzulla but he can be a bit stubborn in his game-plan.

droid6

2 | a day ago

Terrible game plan and coaching

HyperactivePandah | The Celtics are the balls

1 | 2 days ago

gif

vectron88 | Larry Joe

1 | 14 hours ago

He’s got the yips and resorts to 2K(obe) mashing the controller.

DogsSaveTheWorld

1 | 6 hours ago

This is getting dumb … this is the fucking playoffs with good teams that have good players. The margin for error is much smaller. The solution for the Celtics is sustain their effort for the full 48. Look at the Thunder … they lose a close one, they win by 40, then lose another close one. SGA looked like crap…is he crap? No, the level of competition is higher now

NothingHead8233

0 | 2 days ago

He’s soft. He’s not built for this.

693275001 | Rajon Rondo

-1 | 2 days ago

Tatum doesn’t wanna work hard enough to get past his man/isn’t fast enough to do so.

Supreme_God_Bunny

-1 | a day ago

Then get that LeBron build then and bully your way to the rim lol Tatum better start packing on that muscle

LudwigLovesStogies

1 | a day ago

He already packed on muscle. That’s the reason he can’t shoot anymore. Same shit happened to Westbrook.

what ever happened to Tatum driving to the paint, and if he didnt get a shot, pass it to the 3pt line and pass around the horn until we do get a good shot?