NBA Playoffs Celtics Cavs Game 2: Just Picture Numbers Running Down A Screen Like In The Matrix
SHAMELESS PLUG BONUS! (Check out my recap of Game 2 here.)
Took a look at Synergy (which you honestly need to get, now) after the game and noticed a lot of interesting numbers.
For the Celtics on offense, here’s what their offense looked like in Game 1 vs. 2.
Game 1: (3 plays were not classified as any of the below, they had a scoring % of 0)
| Play Type (Game 1) | Time% | # of plays | PPP | TO% | Scoring % |
| Overall | 100 | 107 | .87 | 15 | 43 |
| Isolation | 12.1 | 13 | .77 | 30.8 | 38.5 |
| P&R Ball Handler | 17.8 | 19 | 1.21 | 10.5 | 63.2 |
| Post Up | 14 | 15 | .53 | 20 | 26.7 |
| P&R Roll Man | 4.7 | 5 | .2 | 20 | 20 |
| Spot Up | 13.1 | 14 | 1.o7 | 0 | 42.9 |
| Off-Screen | 5.6 | 6 | .5 | 0 | 16.7 |
| Hand Off | .9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cut | 10.3 | 11 | 1.27 | 9.1 | 63.6 |
| Offensive Rebound | 6.5 | 7 | 1.14 | 14.3 | 57.1 |
| Transition | 12.1 | 13 | .85 | 7.7 | 46.2 |
And Game 2:
| Play Type (Game 2) | Time% | # of plays | PPP | TO% | Scoring % |
| Overall | 100 | 103 | 1.0 | 17.5 | 45.6 |
| Isolation | 10.7 | 11 | .73 | 9.1 | 36.4 |
| P&R Ball Handler | 12.6 | 13 | .69 | 30.8 | 38.5 |
| Post Up | 16.5 | 17 | .88 | 17.5 | 41.2 |
| P&R Roll Man | 3.9 | 4 | 2.5 | 0 | 100 |
| Spot Up | 15.5 | 16 | .81 | 6.3 | 37.5 |
| Off-Screen | 10.7 | 11 | 1.73 | 0 | 63.6 |
| Hand Off | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cut | 9.7 | 10 | 1.2 | 0 | 60.0 |
| Offensive Rebound | 1.9 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 50.0 |
| Transition | 8.7 | 10 | 1.22 | 22.2 | 55.6 |
The Celtics lowered the amount of plays they ran that were Isolation, P&R Ball Handler, and P&R Man. But they increased significantly the number of Post-Up, Spot-Up, Cut, and especially Off-Screen. They jumped their scoring percentage on Off-Screen from 16.7% to 63.6%. That’s a huge differential in motion offense. The Celtics essentially found success by producing more plays off of motion and not just lining up and going at the Cavs. Notice the scoring percentage drop in ISO. The Celtics actually lowered the number of transition plays they employed, but raised the scoring percentage by over 9 percentage points. And while they scored less in Isolation, they did lower their turnover percentage significantly. If you want an indication that this game could have been even more of a blowout? Spot-up shots, a bread and butter NBA play actually increased in frequency and lowered in scoring percentage for the Celtics.
These number jive with what we saw, where the Cavaliers defense essentially got lost whenever the Celtics pushed the ball. At one point Shaq looked a jumpshooter five feet from the basket, could very easily have pursued a close-out, and just sort of, “eh.”
If the only play type you’re shutting down is the spot-up, which can reliably be counted on to project back to the mean? You’re facing a considerable defensive disaster.
For the Celtics, who says they’re old (we do, all of us, even the old guy in the corner)?! They’ve got motion! They’ve got sunshine! They’ve got rotations, who could ask for anything more?!
Oster-Tags: Boston Celtics, cleveland cavaliers, hoopsmut, lebron james, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Shaquille O'Neal, Synergy Sports
