Much has been made out of the Celtics inability to close out tight games, and with good reason. Four of their seven losses have come by five points or less. Boston’s most frustrating loss of the season came at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers, where they blew a 17 point lead in the 4th quarter. While this is to be expected from a young team, the Celtics ability to close out games moving forward may determine whether or not they become a dark horse contender for the 7th or 8th seed in a weak Eastern conference. So how can the Celtics better handle finishing games?
First and foremost, the answer to this question, and many other of the Celtics problems, is better defense. The Celtics are allowing a league high 28.4 points in the 4th quarter. Opponent’s success in the 4th quarter in particular could be due to a number of factors. It’s no secret that NBA players turn up the intensity in the 4th quarter. Teams also tend to chart which offensive sets have been successful throughout a game in order to use the best sets in the 4th. Late in games, teams tend to put their best two players in a pick and roll situation, and the Celtics struggle mightily with defending the pick and roll. If the Celtics are able to shore up the defensive end even a little bit, it would help them immensely in closing out tight games.
Then there is the offensive end of the court, which is what I’ll concentrate on in this article. The Celtics do not have a closer. They cannot ‘go to the well’ late in the game the way they could when they had a guy like Paul Pierce. However, this does not mean they cannot be effective on the offensive end of the floor late in games. Brad Stevens has already developed a plan of whom and what he wants to turn to late in games.
Stevens has kept it simple, putting his best ball handler and shot creator, Rajon Rondo, in a pick and roll situation with his best post player, Jared Sullinger. There is nothing wrong with simple. In fact, simple is often better than complicated when it comes to basketball. The Rondo-Sullinger pick and roll has seen mixed results at the end of games, but this is the Celtics clear-cut best option to get a high quality shot. Rondo is the game’s best passer. He is a wizard out of the pick and roll, allowing every player on the floor to be a threat. Sullinger is the Celtics best scorer around the basket, but he also has the versatility to step out and hit a jump shot.
The Rondo-Sullinger Pick and Roll
The Celtics turned to this play late in their collapse against the Cavs. After seeing immediate success, the Cavs adjusted and shut the play down for the remainder of the game.
Here is the one of the first Rondo-Sullinger pick and rolls the Celtics ran late in the game. Notice a few things. First, the pick and roll is from the side, rather than the middle of the court (this will change). I would guess that this is because Brad Stevens knows the Cavs hedge side pick and rolls and he wanted to take advantage of Kevin Love’s lack of foot speed. Next, see how Kyrie Irving chases Rondo over the top of the screen. This allows Rondo to get into the lane and do his classic pass fake before finishing the layup.
Notice as well that David Blatt immediately calls a timeout for Cleveland after the play. Blatt, without a doubt, discussed how he wanted his team to defend this play for the rest of the game. Lebron then switched onto Rondo. The Cavs also decided to go under Sullinger’s pick, allowing Rajon Rondo to take a mid-range jump shot in hopes of cutting him off before he could get deep into the lane, as we see in the next play.
Lebron cuts Rondo off, forcing him to give up the ball to Avery Bradley, who turns it over.
In Wednesday night’s game against Philadelphia, Stevens again goes to the Rondo-Sullinger pick and roll at the end of the game, this time running it from the top. Keep in mind that the Celtics success with this play came against an 0-11 76ers team. Saying that, Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel are both considered to be above average defenders. These next few plays illustrate just how difficult it is for teams to guard the Rondo-Sullinger pick and roll, and why it is Brad Stevens’ choice late in games.
In this first clip, Michael Carter-Williams goes under the screen, much like Lebron did. Noel helps off some in case Rondo is able to beat Carter-Williams. This leaves Sullinger open for a top of the key jumper, a shot he is very capable of making.
In this clip, Carter-Williams again goes under the screen. Here, the distinction between the side pick and roll and the middle pick and roll is crucial. In the middle, Rondo is able to re-use the Sullinger screen as he has more space available to him than he would on the side. MCW again tries to go under, but instead of Rondo taking a 3 or deep 2 the first time he goes under, he re-uses the screen to take an in rhythm top of the key jump shot. While Rondo is not a sharp shooter by any stretch, this is a great shot for him, and one the Celtics should gladly take late in games.
In our 3rd clip, MCW adjusts and goes over the Sullinger screen, forcing Noel to help a little bit more off of Sullinger. Rondo hits Sullinger and Noel runs out at him respecting the jump shot. Sullinger shows just how skilled he is by putting the ball on the floor and hitting a hook shot in the middle of the lane.
Here, MCW again goes over the screen and Noel has to help until MCW can recover. This leaves Sullinger wide open for a 3.
Finally, this clip shows that Rondo is very capable of finding all of his teammates off of the pick and roll. Avery Bradley and Jeff Green are both decent spot up shooters and are effective cutting to the basket when the defense is watching the ball, making them ideal compliments to the Rondo Sullinger pick and roll.
Conclusion
Rondo and Sullinger have shown the ability to adjust to different types of pick and roll defense and still get high quality looks at the basket. At the beginning of the 2nd and 5th clips against the 76ers, you can see Brad Stevens making a circular motion with one of his hands, telling the Celtics to run the Rondo-Sullinger pick and roll. This is the Celtics form of ‘going to the well.’ It’s a great option that I expect the Celtics to go to in just about every late game situation. Certainly, Stevens will play the situation. If Jeff Green is having a particularly good game,as he was against Phoenix, the Cs may go to him on the low block. If Avery Bradley is shooting well, they may go to a dribble hand off action to get Bradley a mid-range jump shot, one of Stevens’ favorites.
This being said, Rondo and Sullinger are the Celtics best and most consistent players. Putting them in a pick and roll action and spacing the floor with Bradley, Green, and Olynyk is a great late game option for the Celtics. They were able to gain some momentum against the 76ers, and hopefully will be able to use the play effectively to close out games moving forward.
