If an overview of Eastern Conference you will be able to see two teams at the top of the table, the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. The difference between these two and the rest has been noticeable throughout the NBA season. Two senior sets who have proven to have one more gear than other ring contenders on this side of the table. However, the Celtics are finding it uphill normal phase for several weeks now, quite worrying less than 20 games to make the playoffs.
During the first half of the season, Boston has been a revelation. After falling two wins short of the 18th ring, unexpectedly changing coach in favor of Joe Majula, the greens became a real game-winning machine. Driven by a tremendous offensive performance, the Celtics nothing foreshadowed a rift.
But yes, there was one, and a dangerous one at that.
If during the last Regular Season the Celtics were the better defense of the NBA with a 106.2counting the Defensive Player of the Year in its ranks, Marcus Smartand placement Robert Williams iii In the second best quintet in this regard, in this 2023 everything has changed. Joe Mazzulla’s men now sit fourth in this aspect of the game, with a defensive rating of 111.3. Apart from its position in general, what is really worrying is the trendwhich since this started 2023 places them in 8th place (112.4).
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This doesn’t end here. According to Cleaning the Glass, a tool that removes so-called minutes from the trash, the Celtics occupy the 17th in halftime defense (98.0). How was it last year? Not bad, because it was league best team allowing 90.4 points per 100 possessions to opponents. A pretty remarkable contrast to consider when you think about the Playoffs, where the game traditionally slows down and everything is resolved in static actions.
The big question that arises when looking closely at the Boston Celtics this season is why this change. The Greens hardly changed their line-up from last year, even improving it by adding a catalyst in Malcolm Brogdon.
So why should fans of the team worry?
Because one of his pillars back as he was Robert Williams iii has taken a remarkable step backwards. And that, no doubt, can significantly limit the potential of some Celtics who reached the Finals after sweeping two Playoff series in seven games. His physique Time Lord It’s always been his big limitation, so when he finally had a healthy season like last year, he was able to show what he was capable of.
And in this campaign his availability was the big key, playing 28 games and going from 29.6 to 24.2 minutes a night alone. His impact doesn’t appear to have suffered, as he held opponents to a 41.5 percent shooting percentage compared to 40.2 percent in 2022. In fact, his infield differential on defense reflects that he’s been a positive factor in their interests the celtics:
| Condition | defense ratio | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| in the court | 106.8 | 678 |
| off the field | 111.3 | 2497 |
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Without a fully physical Robert Williams, the Celtics’ chances of winning a hypothetical head-to-head against Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks are drastically reduced.
A large part of their defensive system relies on automatic changes after direct blocking, as well as proper paint protection where they have lost the magic of the past:
| Time | Opponent hit in the paint | Points in opponent’s color per 100 possessions |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 61.6% | 42.5 |
| 2022-2023 | 64.1% | 48.3 |
Just watch a few clips to buy it visually:
Williams’ inconsistency in the rotation, the length of a season, or the simple absence of a defensive specialist like Ime Udoka are factors to consider in Boston.
Even with everything, the Celtics are still contenders for everything. They have the experience, an effective offense and the thorn for what happened in 2022, but their path to the playoffs certainly won’t be easy. Will the greens find a solution to their problems in time or will it be their downfall?
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