Boston Celtics: 10 ideas for the Conference Finals from Game 7 with the Sixers

The postseason has arrived in its decisive phase, with the Conference Finals: the Los Angeles Lakers against the first seed, the Denver Nuggets, in the Western Conference (1-0 for Jokic and his teammates after yesterday’s Game 1), while the Miami Heat they will face i Boston Celtics to the East (tonight we start).

The Celtics are the only franchise of the four to lead the Conference Semifinals series to Game 7, which they swept on a season-high 51-point performance by Jayson Tatum. And after an exciting series decided at the last act, here are some key factors for the C’s to keep in mind in view of the Conference Finals.

1) At this point of the season, all you can do is talk about “survive and advance”. The green-and-whites managed to implement it by separating the two words of the motto: they first managed to survive by winning Game 6, then to go through by bringing home the same result in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers. After a closely contested first half, the Massachusetts franchise dominated the second half. The games were practically closed already in the middle of the third period, with the TD Garden fans free to indulge in celebrations.

Sometimes the Celtics tend to complicate life a little but, when they do, they often manage to emerge regenerated and stronger than before. It seems as if they needed to make a similar effort once again to understand what was at stake. And now, will their journey continue to be fun, terrifying and exhilarating at the same time? Probably yes. And in the end, if all goes well, Boston will wonder if it’s worth repeating it again.

2) The key factors, at this point, will revolve around Tatum. And it might even seem strange, given the performance in Race 7, in which Tatum was simply divine. 51 points on 17/28 shooting, including a 6/10 from beyond the arc, and topped off with 13 rebounds (game high), 5 assists (team high), 2 steals and 0 turnovers. By taking a breather, it is possible to analyze what happened more calmly.

Ever since JT beat Embiid cleanly early in the game with a dunk, everyone had the feeling that it was going to be a special game:

To then give another hint, putting in a fadeaway à la Dirk Nowitzki:

Forced to vary their game, the C’s often looked for the St. Louis native in post-up in the last two games. And against smaller players, it can be a tough weapon to stop. Here against Melton:

And if JT is in the evening, not even a good defender like Tobias Harris can do anything:

Tatum was already leading an excellent game, but from the next game (video below) it was reasonable to think of an all-time level game. And against the pull-up jumpers of a fully fit Tatum, little can be done but applaud:

Also this shot at the end of 1Q was another clear omen of what would happen after the long interval:

3) In the second half of Game 7 Tatum seemed possessed, taking possession of the soul of the Sixers from the first minutes. And he did it by repeatedly and mercilessly targeting reigning MVP Joel Embiid. Boston came out of the locker room intent on attacking the opposing center continuously. Here, thanks to Tucker’s belated help, there was no hope for the Cameroonian:

Below, however, Embiid found himself defending the painting. But even in this case, Tatum is good at luring him out until he can drop a side-step triple:

And after the timeout, Tatum bet Embiid again. Another triple in the face.

With Embiid defending without a precise position in the Sixers area (which was probably supposed to be a zone, even if it was badly lined up), here Tatum – now incandescent – ​​was free to take his shot after the block on the ball by Al Horford:

On the next occasion, however, Embiid goes overboard. Philadelphia tried to “build a shutout” cage” JT to get the ball out of his hands, but he managed to wriggle out of Harris and Embiid before the center could find the corner for a defensive double. Two more easy to iron.

And finally, no dribble, just a step jab and triple in Embiid’s face. But at that point, it seemed Jayson really could do no more wrong. 50, fifty. Philadelphia down and series over.

4) Over the past playoffs, teams have more frequently forced Tatum to pass the ball. And sometimes Jayson found himself in trouble, admitting firsthand that it would be a crucial point of his training in the offseason.

During the just ended Regular Season and the current Playoffs, JT seems to have progressed from this point of view. Here a good example, with the lob for Robert Williams III:

Soon after, JT built a lead with a pick & roll (rejecting the screen) then finding a good passage again in Time Lord:

Below, however, Tatum is doubled on the perimeter, as often happens when he starts scoring points in a flurry. And here too, his readings have improved, like this pass for Horford which leads to a triple wide open by Jaylen Brown:

Yes, the former Duke was also featured as an assistman. He has often managed to draw the attention of the defense to him, then finding his teammates unmarked. As in this case in favor of Malcolm Brogdon:

5) Jaylen Brown gave the Celtics the initial push, as has often happened so far. His first basket of the match clarified the issue for his opponents: Game 7 can also be won with energy plays. JB got to the ball here before the Sixers, and closed the rim with a nice stop and a comfortable layup.

Brown in the series ran hundreds of kilometers to reach the corner on the strong side when Marcus Smart led in transition. Philadelphia has seen it again and again hundreds of times, so much so that on the occasion below Melton managed to close well. The news? Brown and Smart went dribble-hand-off (DHO) hitting a triple – not easy, but JB’s shot making is this…

The blow to the face from Harden may have affected Brown’s performance in Game 7, but his energy never wavered:

6) 3Q was like heaven on earth for Boston. It showed what the Celtics aspire to be, and it’s a throwback to exactly one year ago.

The Sixers scored just 10 points (!) with 3-of-21 shots, losing the ball six times (including a shot-clock violation). On the other hand, led by Tatum, the C’s scored 33 points with 11/19 shooting, 8/12 of which from beyond the arc. And at that point, the game was over. Philadelphia failed to react, with the players who seemed to wait helplessly for the minutes to run out on the clock.

Boston therefore gave a show of strength and also of maturity, dictating the pace in the first quarter and then raising it in the third and sending the Sixers on vacation.

7) Horford once again stood out for plays that made him a one-of-a-kind player. His marking defense on Embiid was rock solid and exceptionally careful in Game 7. Big Al simply knows how to make life difficult for the MVP. And even when the Cameroonian managed to find the basket, he had to sweat it against the defense of the Dominican center.

Horford’s presence had a positive influence on the entire defensive phase of the green-and-whites. And also in the offensive one, even with plays in tandem with the other Celtics big man, Robert Williams.

Big Al didn’t take many shots in Game 7 (2/6 from the field in 34 minutes), but the one on the next play was an important shot. He accelerated into position quickly before Embiid could reposition himself, giving Boston the lead:

The play below, however, more than any other, has shown anyone how much Horford can make Embiid difficult to find his favorite conclusions. At the beginning of the game Joel had managed to score some jumpers, but as the minutes went by the MVP cooled down, while Horford raised the level of his defense:

9) After running an excellent Race 6, also from a statistical point of view, Marcus Smart he lifted his foot a little from the acceleration in Game 7 (for him 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 block), but he put in two decisive shots, one before the break and the other immediately after, which kept the offensive pressure high on the Sixers, in support of Tatum.

Here, JT agrees to double up on him only to find Smart coming off the block. Instead of looking for difficult plays, Smart came up with a simple but effective solution, finding the pull-up and tying the game:

Here, however, a less frequent play for Smart, but an important one to kick off the Celtics’ super third quarter:

9) This below is a play to keep good in view of the Eastern Conference Finals and possible NBA Finals. Any team the Celtics might face, from the Heat to the Lakers or Nuggets, will be doing a lot of drop coverage on blocks. Therefore, Brogdon’s pull-up jumper could become a key factor from here on out:

10) For the third time in the last four seasons, the Eastern Conference Finals will see i Boston Celtics eh Miami Heat. The first challenge dates back to the Orlando Bubble, in 2020; the second to a year ago. The third starts tonight (Race 1 at 2:30).

The Celtics get there after getting rid of an opponent with the reigning MVP on the roster, winning Game 6 on the road and then Game 7 at the TD Garden. And this for two years in a row in the semifinals, before finding Miami.

It wasn’t a foregone conclusion last year, and it was in the balance for some stages, and it won’t be this year either. Boston starts with the underdogs, but they arrive on the other side Jimmy Butler e coach Erik Spoelstra. Ready?