By extending the game, the Celtics torpedoed the great power of the Mavericks • Basket USA

Since the start of the playoffs, the Mavericks' big defensive strength has been isolating their bat, against the Clippers but also against the Thunder and Wolves. with Derrick Jones Jr Which floated behind the first defensive curtain and the pair Daniel Gafford – Derek Lively II Under the circle.

But as expected, the Celtics pose a special challenge to the Mavs, with their wide-open game. It's already difficult for the Texans to give up Kristaps Porzingis behind the three-point line to come in and protect the circle, which makes outside defenders, especially Luka Doncic, more vulnerable…

As Thinking Basketball's Ben Taylor explains, Boston's strategy is clear: create changes so that Luka Doncic is the first defensive curtain, which Jayson Tatum and company can easily bypass, and take advantage of the absence of opposite pivots in his back to elicit assists from him. other players.

What is the impact of Kristaps Porzingis' injury?

Perfectly explained strategy By Todd Whitehead Statisticsfrom Synergy, calculated the time Dallas players spent in the paint when opponents had the ball.

Thus, this time came down significantly for Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively II, who took the bat 44% and 23% of the time through the first three rounds of the playoffs. Attendance rose to 24% and 14% respectively during the first two games of the finals, which is almost half for the two hubs!

In contrast, the other players (Luka Doncic, Derrick Jones Jr., P.J. Washington, Kyrie Irving) should help in the paint, though they are clearly less intimidating…

Key data explaining why Dallas held the Clippers, Thunder, and Wolves, respectively, to 46.2%, 44.2%, and 49.6% on their penetrations, while the Celtics hit 55.9% when they attacked the circle in the first two games of the series. While also generating more assists.

And even if Luka Doncic makes it clear that he has been working on this role as a backfield assistant since the preseason, it is the injury of Kristaps Porzingis above all that could help Dallas shut down the bat for the rest of the series.