Boston Defense

[Hoops]

I've read a few posts stating how the Pistons would fare much better against Boston's defense after facing Toronto or how could Detroit shoot so badly against Boston's defense...not sure where those are coming from.

Of course scoring 77pts is due to poor shooting, but also good defense. Boston was in the top 4 in both FG% defense (42.5) and 3pt% defense, and was 9th in scoring defense. They brought Harter in as an assistant to help their deficencies in that area, and it worked..he has been one of the top defensive assistants in the league for many years. Toronto might have kept the scores lower as a whole than what this current series might finish with, but that is due to Toronto playing ugly basketball with a slowdown offense. They played solid D, but Boston was the better defensive team during the season playing more uptempo offensively resulting in higher scoring games.

Boston has been weak in recent years, but this is a very good defensive team this season...numbers-wise one of the top 5 in the league overall.

 

[dr. freeze]

yeah your probably right

 

[nighthorse]

Wouldn't boston's defensive vulnerability be to team that has multiple players who can score inside? Or do they do a good job of that as well? Starting center for pistons is a perimeter shooter. Their best starting inside guy has no shooting touch. Celtic D can focus on covering perimeter guys....and as you said, they are very good at it. I would argue that Boston would/will have a much tougher time defending Jersey.......thoughts?

 

[maverick2112]

I am still trying to figure out why Boston didnt cover the 3 point line in the first game in this series. If I was coaching the Celts I sure wouldnt let Robinson,Stack and company get any open 3's. I would let Detroits post players try to do the damage.

 

[eztds]

Hoops...........

Hoops...........

I would begin by saying I agree with your seasonal stats and yes seasonally the Celts are up there among the top 5 in defense.

BUT....in reference to the comparison with the Raptors:

-The Raptors became a much more soild defensive unit without Carter when they went on that 12-2 seson ending run.

-If you look at how these two teams (Raps & Celts) ended up playing defensively in their last 14 regular season games:

Toronto allowed an average of only 84.2 points in those 14

WHILE

Boston allowed an average of 87.7 points in their last 14 (and that's counting that ridiculously low scoring 70-65 Miami/Boston game on April 10th).

-In context as to how the teams were playing at season's end......Raptors allowing 84.2 to the Celts 89.7 (if you don't count that one Mia game) I would contend the Toronto defense was the better defensive team. Again.....at that point in the season.

-Toronto was force into a defensive mode out of necessity when Carter went down. That's the only explaination for their 12-2 record in the last 14 without the offensive "funk" of Carter.

-It's evidenced by the stats I've just given.

-Furthermore, another reason the Pistons would look forward to play'n the Celts vs. the Raps......would be the offensive and defensive rebounding disparity between the two teams:

Raps finished 13th in the NBA in rebounding

Celts finished 26th in the NBA in rebounding

-That edge was about the same comparing the two teams at seasons end.

I guess to sum it all up the Raptors got better defensively (as indicated by the 12-2 in their last 14) upon losing Carter. That was simply play'n to their team's strength with what they had.

COURSE ALL THIS BANTER IS MEANINGLESS IF DETROIT IS GOING TO SHOOT 32%....MISS SOOOOO MANY WIDE OPEN SHOTS....and BIG BEN'S TEAM IS ONLY GOING TO SNATCH 8 OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS WITH A TOTAL OF 35 FOR THE GAME!!!

That kind opponent of shooting and rebounding will make even the lowly Golden State Warriors' defense look like the LAL number 1 rated defensive unit on a "good" night!!!

Hope this explains where some of the thought process might have been coming from. NO....Boston is NOT A BAD DEFENSIVE TEAM!!

But the Raptors were play'n better season ending defense than their seasonal stats would suggest after Carter's loss.....or else they wouldn't have even made the playoffs.

GL to ya Hoops. ez

 

[THUNDER]

hoops your absolutly right accept when boston played teams with inside scorers and size. alot of teams got caught up in bostons jump shooting style of play and do not have the consistency from the outside but if teams pound it inside they are very suspect-off stats you are correct- but what makes a team a elite teams is interior d o rebounding and interior scoring -that is definitly not there strength. they dominated the off glass and pierce was playing shaq last night. the pistons were settling for jump shots the first game and ln- if they drive or any team drives on these guys they really do not have a stopper. when i think of boston i definitly do not think of a stifiling d. detroit either establishes robinson and wallace inside or there done. jmo

 

[Hoops]

eztds- Good points, but I still contend Toronto's defensive stats to finish the year were also attributed to them playing 'ugly' as compared to Boston who played well offensively most of the season and wasn't afraid to get into high-scoring games. Toronto played very good defense once Carter was out..they had to change styles to have a chance...not saying they weren't a good defensive team. But to say it was some sort of 'relief' for Detroit to face Boston's defense, which was a Top 4 defense all season long...I really don't think they felt that at all. Boston's rebounding was skewed by the fact they shot so many times and shot poorly, not to mention how many three's they shot...they had a disproportianate amount of defensive rebounds by their opponents. On the defensive end of the ball, they had the third most defensive rebounds in the league..only the Laker and Kings had more. That tells me they played very good defense, forced bad shots, and were a strong defensive rebounding team. The only teams to have better defensive numbers and scored more than Boston were the Lakers and Spurs. I think Toronto's numbers are more akin to say Miami's, who played good defense but their numbers look much better since they played an uglier style than teams like the Lakers and Spurs who can both play uptempo and score in the high 90's but still have excellent defensive numbers.

 

[Hoops]

Thunder- That was nighthorse who was commenting on the interior scoring, etc. Boston doesn't have a 'stopper' per se, but they do have underrated defensive players...Williams is very good, Pierce's offensive game is so good his defense gets overlooked...when they have Williams, Pierce, McCarty, Battie on the floor they are very long and quick...more of the team concept that Harter has used and it has worked...especially with the new defensive rules, you can double much more easily and have extra guys staying close to the lane to stop penetration or to double team on isolations..forces more jumpers if you don't play disciplined.

Robinson has never been much of inside player or back to the basket guy..his game has always been facing the basket, either shooting jumpers or driving...you are right though, they need him to establish something in the paint, maybe he will in the next few games after hearing Walker talk so much smack. Their best postup guy is Williamson...they really need him to assert himself instead of taking jumpers like he did last night.

Good luck to everyone tonight.

 

[eztds]

Hoops.......

Hoops.......

GREAT comparison using the Miami style bball to represent what Tornoto was doing at season's end.

I concurr that it was the ol' fugly "Miami" style that got Toronto into the playoffs. Maybe from the fan's standpoint.....we (I) perceive the players would prefer to play the "uptempo" as to the "fugly" style.

It's much more fun for fans to watch!!

I think were basically say'n the same thing......we're just getting there with somewhat different verbage.

Wallace seemed to get inside last night........but couldn't finish anything. (Soooo many shots just seemed to rim out for Detroit down in the paint.)

Atkins' and Williamson's foul troubles (especially Adkins) really hurt Detroit last night offensively. It will be interesting to see how "coach of the year" Carlisle plans his offense/defense for game 3.

Carlisle is going to have to figure out how to guard Anderson........Kenny ate Chucky's lunch last night off-the-dribble!!

I also think Thunder is right.....the Detroit players (Williamson, Wallace or who the heck ever Carlisle sends into the paint) either establish themselves as a force inside or the Pistons are done.

The Pistons are not going to beat the Celts from the perimeter consistantly and take this series. They did it in game 1 but game 2 last night is more indicitive of what's going to happen if the Pistons don't get established inside.

Good thread......outstanding comments gentlemen! ez

 

[dr. freeze]

yep....everyone take note of this too: i admitted taht i was wrong....doesn't happen too much....lol