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Post by Admin on Aug 24, 2020 22:36:24 GMT -5
Boston Celtics News: Toronto Raptors series makes historyby Mark Nilon (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Despite the fact that they have been Atlantic Division rivals for 25 years now, 2020 marks the first time the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors will square off in the postseason.
It’s an understatement to say that 2020 has been the year of unpredictability; global pandemic, wildfires, murder hornets, etc. That said, in regard to the postseason for the Boston Celtics, so far things have gone according to plan.
Essentially since March, we had been mentally preparing for a first-round matchup between the Cs and the Philadelphia 76ers. We got it.
Once the series was officially set, many of the major sports-media publications expected Boston to breeze through round-one en route to their fourth consecutive second-round appearance. We got it.
Being that the Raptors were slotted into the Eastern Conference’s second-seed for virtually the entire season, it was also widely expected that they would wind up being Beantown’s second-round opponent. As of both team’s series-sweeping victories yesterday, we got this one too.
With this impending matchup, history has been made, as never before have these teams squared off in the postseason.
Throughout the 2019-20 campaign, the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors met four times, and Boston managed to come away from their regular-season series as winners (3-1 record), with their last outing ending in a 22-point margin of victory.
The two franchises have played a total of 97 games against one another, with the Celtics leading their head-to-head battle by a record of 57-40.
While the Raptors have recent success on their side (2019 World Champions) Boston finds themselves rostering one of the best cores in this year’s postseason, as they were the only team to have five players listed on ESPN’s top-50 talents in the Disney bubble.
And, yes, even though Gordon Hayward is expected to remain out as he recovers from a grade-3 ankle sprain, they still were only one of a handful of teams to have four players make the cut.
In regard to the Houdini’s feelings heading into this historic series, excitement doesn’t even begin to describe things.
Game-one is scheduled to tip this Thursday at 6:30 PM (ET).
As always, go Celtics!
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Post by fierce on Aug 24, 2020 23:55:38 GMT -5
What makes this series unique is the Celts don't have to double team any of the Toronto players.
Maybe that's what's missing from Pete's assessment.
Imagine how strong the Celtic defense is if they don't have to double team.
Against the Sixers, Celts needed to double Embiid.
If the Celts advance then they would have to double Giannis.
And if the Celts move on to the Finals, they would have to double Lebron, AD, or Kawhi.
Unless something drastic happens, I just don't see this series going 7 games.
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Post by cole on Aug 25, 2020 7:44:56 GMT -5
What makes this series unique is the Celts don't have to double team any of the Toronto players. Maybe that's what's missing from Pete's assessment. Imagine how strong the Celtic defense is if they don't have to double team. Against the Sixers, Celts needed to double Embiid. If the Celts advance then they would have to double Giannis. And if the Celts move on to the Finals, they would have to double Lebron, AD, or Kawhi. Unless something drastic happens, I just don't see this series going 7 games. Lowry tears us up on the p/r
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Post by Admin on Aug 25, 2020 16:50:23 GMT -5
Cs seen as underdogs heading into second-round by Mark Nilon
Though the Boston Celtics are coming into round-two piping hot, they currently find themselves listed as underdogs according to some odds makers.
Throughout the 2019-20 season, the Boston Celtics were seen as one of the best teams in the entire association. Finishing the year with a record of 48-24, they managed to finish just two wins shy of their overall record from the year before — in 10 less games, mind you — and acquired a top-five seed for the fifth consecutive season.
In short, their campaign was one to be remembered, both the good times and the bad.
During their first round matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, their successes appeared to have rolled right along with them, as Boston wound up sending Joel Embiid and co. packing in just four games.
Now, for the fourth straight year, the Cs find themselves advancing in the playoffs, as they are currently set to face off against the defending champions, the Toronto Raptors — a first in both team’s history.
Seen as a series that could wind up going the distance, it’s hard to justify one team having a clear-cut advantage over the other. That said, according to the odds makers at DraftKings, Toronto comes in having the slight edge over Boston.
The betting lines read as follows:
Series Raptors -152 Celtics +125
Game 1 Raptors -2 Celtics +2
Granted, these odds should not come as a shock to anyone, as the higher seed in any matchup typically finds themselves favored. That said, with the fact that the Boston Celtics managed to win their regular season series three games to one, I’d say recent history suggests the shamrocks have their number.
Either way, this best-of-seven appears to have the makings to be quite an exciting ride.
Tip-off is set for Thursday at 6:30 PM (ET)
As always, go Celtics!
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Post by Admin on Aug 25, 2020 17:01:38 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on Aug 25, 2020 17:43:36 GMT -5
Running Raptors: Can the Boston Celtics slow down Toronto’s transition game? The Boston Celtics ability to defend the Toronto Raptors in transition will play a key role in their upcoming second-round showdown. By Greg Brueck-Cassoli
Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty ImagesThe Boston Celtics held the Philadelphia 76ers to just 19 total fastbreak points in their four game first-round sweep. That’s an absurdly stingy mark, though fairly unsurprising. The Sixers are led by a plodding, ground bound big man in Joel Embiid, and were missing one of the few players on their roster interested in pushing tempo. Ben Simmons - a grab and go demon whose size and speed are the stuff of nightmares in the open court - was sidelined with a knee injury. Boston benefitted mightily as a result, as Philadelphia struggled to find anyone capable or really willing to run. The Celtics defense effectively turned off the spigot of high efficiency that is transition offense. Limiting opportunities for fast break points is a core principle in Boston. The Celtics’ centers sprint back to the free throw line to clog up the middle of the court, while the team’s army of long, athletic wing players scramble to deal with spot up shooters fanning to the wings. Head coach Brad Stevens has little patience for anyone disinterested in executing that strategy.
Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images
The Sixers didn’t do much to stress test Boston’s commitment to defending in transition. That trend won’t hold as the Celtics face off with the Toronto Raptors in Round Two of the NBA Playoffs. Their Eastern Conference foes to the north finished 18.4% of their possessions on the break, adding 3.6 points per 100 possessions to their overall efficiency via points in transition per Cleaning the Glass, both of which rated as the second best marks in the league.
The Raptors are built to run. Toronto starts two bowling balls of perpetual motion in its backcourt of Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet. The former, in particular, is constantly itching to get the ball up court. He runs off of turnovers. He runs off of offensive rebounds. He even looks to run off makes from time to time. Lowry is a metronome of impatience, constantly seeking to find his team advantages by getting its offense into position before defenses are set.
For all his effort, Lowry isn’t even Toronto’s greatest weapon in battle for control of a game’s tempo. Pascal Siakam, the Raptors starting power forward and sometimes center, is a whirlwind of arms, legs, and frenetic energy. He’s a danger grabbing defensive rebounds and leading the break on his own or simply outrunning opponents to the rim as his teammates handle the ball.
Siakam, Lowry, and VanVleet are flanked by a deep bench of versatile athletic wings capable of punctuating transition possessions with assaults on the rim and open three-point bombs. Get everything just right and cut off the Raptors initial transition foray, and your reward is scrambling out to Marc Gasol or Serge Ibaka lining up trail threes. Toronto’s two most frequently played veteran big men averaged identical 38.5% marks from beyond the arc this year.
Boston is as equipped as any team in the league to deal with the Raptors’ running. It’s unlikely that the Celtics will ever have anyone guarding Siakam that will be at a significant speed disadvantage, and Stevens will make very certain whomever is manning the center spot has positioning himself to limit transition damage top of mind. Toronto will score on the break regardless.
The Raptors are relentless, and exceptionally talented. They’ll score in transition, but Boston can’t be deterred. Slowing them must be a primary strategy. Toronto’s half court offense ranked a ho-hum 16th in efficiency, per Cleaning the Glass. Forcing the Raptors to try to score against a set defense as much as possible should bear pretty major fruit.
Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics will need to walk a delicate balance of attempting to slow down their opponent while still pushing their own tempo offensively. Toronto had the NBA’s best half court defense during the regular season, surrendering a miniscule 88.8 points per 100 possessions. Grinding the game to a complete halt to limit the Raptors transition attacks probably isn’t a sustainable approach if it means letting Toronto load up and lock in defensively.
The Raptors also happen to be one of the league’s best transition defenses. The same versatility and athleticism that make them a handful pushing the ball offensively come in handy when limiting their opponents from doing the same. Nothing will come easy for Boston, which is precisely the reason this second round series is so intriguing.
Toronto mirrors the Celtics strengths. Both teams sport versatile rosters chock full of two-way players that can’t be schemed off the court. Both are stingy in all facets of defense. Both have whip smart coaches capable of making adjustments on the fly.
Games will need to be won on the margins. Don’t be surprised if who executes just a hair more effectively in transition is one of them.
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Post by petey62 on Aug 25, 2020 18:18:57 GMT -5
I can't wait till Thursday. This will be a fun series to watch.
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Post by Admin on Aug 25, 2020 18:44:34 GMT -5
The Raptors’ randomness and how to beat the best extra pass team in the NBA The Raptors’ drive-and-kick principles help the ball move quickly. By CoachSpins
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
One of the larger surprises of the playoffs has been the quality play of the Dallas Mavericks, short-handed underdog against the trendy Finals pick Los Angeles Clippers. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle made a point during Game 4 on Sunday to comment on why their offense has had such success: they’re at their best when they keep the game “as random as possible.”
For the Boston Celtics, their first-round sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers had little randomness and a ton of predictability. Philly would pound the ball inside to Embiid as much as possible. Non-shooters would surround him. Set plays would be slow, easy to scout, and even easier to anticipate.
Their second-round series against the Toronto Raptors will be the polar opposite.
The Raptors thrive on randomness, pace, and having a multitude of options. No team spends more time in transition than them, forcing mismatches, and creating quality looks while barreling full-speed ahead at the rim. More importantly, no team had a higher percentage of catch-and-shoot attempts this year. The Raptors don’t just put pressure on the rim early, they use it to generate high-quality treys later.
Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images
Reigning Coach of the Year Nick Nurse doesn’t create these looks through a barrage of set plays, a highly-functional motion, or expert tactical strikes. He’s an in-game minimalist who relies more on the principles of his system and teaching guys how to play together.
Those principles provide structure within chaos; what looks like improv instead of a rehearsed offense is really narrowly tailored teaching points. It’s harder to see coming because it isn’t patterned, and as a result, it’s harder to stop.
Perhaps the most notable area of their principled approach comes from how the Raptors attack their drive-and-kick game. With Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet running a dual point guard machine and Pascal Siakam as a freakish athlete at the 4, penetration is easy to come by. All three shoot it, though, so while one has the ball in their hands, the other two are providing value on the perimeter. In fact, every Raptors role player (sans Rondae Hollis-Jefferson) is a reliable, above-average shooter for their position.
To keep the floor spread effectively, the Raptors teach a concept dubbed “penetrate-pass-pass”, which is exactly what it sounds like: a drive, followed by a pass to the perimeter, and an extra pass to another shooter.
NBA defenses are finely tuned machines. Most help defenders can rotate around and take away the first option. It’s the second one that breaks the back of the defense, forces difficult closeouts and creates advantages. By making an immediate extra pass on the catch, the Raptors are able to move the ball more quickly than the defense can rotate.
The result is open looks because of longer closeouts for scrambling helpers:
Notice how quickly those guys get rid of the ball on their extra pass. No sizing up their defender, not even a long pump fake, just immediate reversals to keep the ball moving.
The linchpin to all of this is that every player who touches the ball on the perimeter is a shooting threat. The Celtics can’t ignore anyone. Toronto’s spacing is immaculate and consistent: they always have corners and wings filled, which lends itself to easy reads and longer closeouts for the defense.
Re-penetration is an important facet of their offense too, but it just comes after the reversals. Initial drives collapse defenders, leading to passes to the perimeter. An immediate extra pass moves the ball like a hot potato and that ball movement can create an even larger, secondary driving lane.
The Raptors can go from pass-pass into a second rim attack, and the results are pretty potent:
All this talk can be boiled down to something very simple: the Raptors are incredibly unselfish. Shooting and playmaking is paramount, and everyone plays their role. They choose to focus on how to properly space the floor for the finish of plays as opposed to designing intricate sets that start the play.
So how can the Celtics slow this down?
A great deal of that will rely on the cat-and-mouse game of playing passing lanes and making the Raptors double clutch and hesitate. They can cause doubt and second thoughts by closing out into the passing lane instead of to the shooter himself.
In the videos above, the Raptors perimeter players are barely looking at the rim when they deliver extra passes. If a defender is within a certain proximity, they just assume he’ll close out to them and make the pass. By going into the passing lane, the Celtics may anticipate a pass to get a steal, or at least delay the ball movement and cause enough hesitation to reset their defense.
The plethora of strong, smart wing defenders the Celtics possess are capable in all these areas and have found success in these areas before:
Boston can’t do this every time. Toronto has far too many shooters who will be comfortable to launch from deep. But mixing in this concept multiple times? That’s what slows down the Raptors’ decision-making. It kills the randomness of their offense by, well, being random on defense.
Obviously, the simplest way to to short circuit Toronto’s pass happy offense is to cut it off at the point of initial attack and not require help. We put so much emphasis on rim protection, help defense, and switchability in the modern NBA, but the best way to defend any action is always to stifle it one-on-one.
If the Celtics can shut off the initial penetration, no helpers will rush to the rim, making the pass-pass portion of their scramble a moot point:
However, making the game that simple is wishful thinking. The Raptors are the defending NBA champions, feature multiple guys who can attack the rim and bigs who space the floor. They’re going to be tough to guard one-on-one, and are lethal at moving the ball against teams who over-help.
Brad Stevens needs to get his matchups right if they’re to minimize help at the rim. Part of that is taking away Lowry and VanVleet within their backcourt. The Kemba Walker and VanVleet pairing makes all the sense in the world as the two smallest, quickest guys on the floor. From there, the Celtics have some choices to make.
Jayson Tatum looked spry and used his length well in limited stretches on Lowry this year. The worry is that, by deploying him on such a high-usage player who is faster than him, Tatum will tire and be less efficient on offense, particularly late.
The unique toughness of Marcus Smart enables him to be a pest on someone like Siakam, undercutting his dribble and daring him to bang one-on-one in the post. Smart would also be great on the fifth option OG Anunoby, left as a designated helper who has the license to use his IQ to frequently be the guy who closes out into passing lanes.
Stevens needs to find the right balance between encouraging his players to take risks within the passing lanes and not needing to be there at all. His tactical coaching has always been strong, and their annihilation of the Raptors in the seeding contest was indicative of that.
Playoff basketball is different. Toronto will come with a new ferocity and attack the Celtics off the bounce while perfectly spacing their back-side to punish help. We’ll see how creative Stevens can get with his matchups, utilizing his bench and mixing in unique looks like zone or traps to keep the Raptors hesitating and a bit on their toes.
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Post by fierce on Aug 25, 2020 20:00:33 GMT -5
From the Admin's article:
Boston can’t do this every time. Toronto has far too many shooters who will be comfortable to launch from deep. But mixing in this concept multiple times? That’s what slows down the Raptors’ decision-making. It kills the randomness of their offense by, well, being random on defense.
The strength of the Celtics is their wing players.
That's why I don't think Toronto will be as effective against the Celts because the Celts do not have to double team and there is no need to help on defense.
All the Celtic players are capable of playing straight up man to man defense against Toronto.
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Post by Admin on Aug 25, 2020 20:36:36 GMT -5
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Post by fierce on Aug 25, 2020 20:40:41 GMT -5
Whoa, if the Celts are now #1, Toronto shouldn't be a problem, right?
HAHAHA!!!
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Post by elvissurfs on Aug 26, 2020 9:44:43 GMT -5
A long wait in between games when you sweep a series...tomorrow cant get here quick enough...
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Post by cole on Aug 26, 2020 9:47:40 GMT -5
KY...I am assuming that you are being sarcastic about Marcus being sent to boycott...it can often be difficult to pick up sarcasm in a post...
though I am starting to see that you are big on sarcasm...
Thats always been his schtik...bagging on marcus I was just thinking after all this every-other-day frenzy, its nice to have a break. Thunder tonight though.
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Post by elvissurfs on Aug 26, 2020 10:00:11 GMT -5
KY...I am assuming that you are being sarcastic about Marcus being sent to boycott...it can often be difficult to pick up sarcasm in a post...
though I am starting to see that you are big on sarcasm...
Thats always been his schtik...bagging on marcus I was just thinking after all this every-other-day frenzy, its nice to have a break. Thunder tonight though. I love watching Marcus...he might make a few boneheaded decisions, but he has more fun out there than anyone, sort of like a kid getting paid to play a man's game...
Sort of strange that we start our series against the Raptors, while OKC/Houston are 2-2...oh, and the Bruins are playing again tonight, back to back games...we are missing Tukka...
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Post by cole on Aug 26, 2020 11:14:57 GMT -5
This one out to Petey. I made the claim the raps won a lot of games by outrunning teams with their young skinny players. Petey pointed out the ages of some of the vets and he was right. But just now I ran across this stat:
"the Raptors scored more than a fifth of their points in transition in the regular season, the highest rate in the league."
How do you reconcile that? In the early games I saw the vets were hurt or werent playing and all these young guys were just running and outworking other teams. Obviously something doesn't make sense if they're old but leading the league in fast break.
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Post by drewski6 on Aug 26, 2020 12:01:11 GMT -5
This one out to Petey. I made the claim the raps won a lot of games by outrunning teams with their young skinny players. Petey pointed out the ages of some of the vets and he was right. But just now I ran across this stat: "the Raptors scored more than a fifth of their points in transition in the regular season, the highest rate in the league." How do you reconcile that? In the early games I saw the vets were hurt or werent playing and all these young guys were just running and outworking other teams. Obviously something doesn't make sense if they're old but leading the league in fast break. There is more to transition basketball than just speed. Vision and passing from your rebounders matters as well. Take Hayward for example, he's absolutely awesome at starting the break. When he gets a rebound or a steal, his eyes are always up-court. And not only does he have the offensive IQ to keep his eyes up court and find the easy bucket if its there - but he also has the passing ability to get the ball into the hands of the streaker (usually one of the Jays). In addition, transition is also a coaching decision. Some teams will not look to run because they have faith in their half-court game and want to beat you there. Toronto actually struggles a bit in half-court, at least compared to their transition game - which is excellent. So the coach, astutely, instructs the team to push. In addition, Siakam, Anu, FVV are not old. Its not Gasol or a hobbled lowry running by the defenses - its one of the first three I mentioned.
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Post by cole on Aug 26, 2020 12:38:39 GMT -5
This one out to Petey. I made the claim the raps won a lot of games by outrunning teams with their young skinny players. Petey pointed out the ages of some of the vets and he was right. But just now I ran across this stat: "the Raptors scored more than a fifth of their points in transition in the regular season, the highest rate in the league." How do you reconcile that? In the early games I saw the vets were hurt or werent playing and all these young guys were just running and outworking other teams. Obviously something doesn't make sense if they're old but leading the league in fast break. There is more to transition basketball than just speed. Vision and passing from your rebounders matters as well. Take Hayward for example, he's absolutely awesome at starting the break. When he gets a rebound or a steal, his eyes are always up-court. And not only does he have the offensive IQ to keep his eyes up court and find the easy bucket if its there - but he also has the passing ability to get the ball into the hands of the streaker (usually one of the Jays). In addition, transition is also a coaching decision. Some teams will not look to run because they have faith in their half-court game and want to beat you there. Toronto actually struggles a bit in half-court, at least compared to their transition game - which is excellent. So the coach, astutely, instructs the team to push. In addition, Siakam, Anu, FVV are not old. Its not Gasol or a hobbled lowry running by the defenses - its one of the first three I mentioned. And those are the guys I was thinking of when I made my original statement that the raps outran a lot of teams. Good point about Gasol and his outlet passes
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Post by quagmire on Aug 26, 2020 13:05:09 GMT -5
I envision a close series, 6 or 7 games. I hope the C’s win but won’t be shocked if they don’t, Toronto won 53 games for a reason. What I think are keys to the series:
MENTAL TOUGHNESS; Which team is the strongest MENTALLY to overcome living in the bubble, the recent Blake shooting that seems to Have affected both teams, and all other social issues. Gasol, Lowry, and Ibabka are all veteran leaders who are in thier 30’s. Hayward (gone), Kemba (first time in 2nd round) and Wanamaker (role player) are the only veteran C’s in thier 30’s. EDGE- TORONTO
STARTING LINEUPS; backcourt edge Toronto, frontcourt edge C’s. Smart and Kemba are gonna have to play mega D on Lowry and FVF. Front court; Gasol is playing well, but I think Theis has been very underrated. He played Embiid well and will neutralize Gasol/Ibabka. If Tatum / Brown continue there superb play they will outplay Siakam/ Anunoby. Anunoby is very underrated but Tatum and Brown are budding superstars. EDGE- CELTICS.
BENCH; The Raps bench just scored 100 points in a game vs the Nets! The C’s bench just try’s to tread water while the starters get a blow. HUGE EDGE- TORONTO
COACHING; Nurse will probably be COTY and has won a championship, while Brad still won’t play Time Lord or Taco (LOL). EDGE- TORONTO.
Having said all that, the real key to the series will be transition D. Slow the Raps down and they are a different team. If you want to play for Boston (under Brad) you have to get back on D. The C’s only gave up a total of 29 fast break points in the Philly 4 game series! (Yes Philly is not a great fast break team without Simmons). Theis runs the floor well to get back and clog the middle, while the C’s wings have as much, if not more, speed as the Raptors wings. I think the C’s will be ok.
PREDICTION; CELTICS IN 6. Why? Mainly cause I am a C’s fan and will never pick against them!
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Post by drewski6 on Aug 26, 2020 13:53:18 GMT -5
Good points, quag. The real reason I am picking the C's : I am a homer.
But please allow me to continue lying to myself (for now) and let me say I'm picking the C's because: 1. They are strongest in transition - but we have great transition D, which should cut into their fast-break points. 2. We have Tatum, who is the best player in the series.
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Post by cole on Aug 26, 2020 14:57:00 GMT -5
Did you guys know Javonte Green had a knee procedure and is out a couple of weeks?
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Post by fierce on Aug 27, 2020 1:10:52 GMT -5
www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/nba-playoffs-raptors-are-legit-celtics-should-still-beat-themYes, the Gordon Hayward absence hurts, but even without Hayward, the Celtics have more premium talent than Toronto. It's close, but Toronto doesn't have a Tatum or a Walker. Plus, we don't know how Kyle Lowry (ankle) is going to fare.
This won't be a sweep. Maybe Toronto will even take Game 1 and give us all a scare, but the expectation here should be a Celtics series win. This isn't the same situation as the Bruins, who are playing a team that's better than them. The Celtics are better than the Raptors and should win.
See you in a couple weeks when I'm saying this same thing about the Bucks, because the Celtics should beat them, too.
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Post by Admin on Aug 27, 2020 17:33:04 GMT -5
#3 Celtics vs #2 Raptors: Second Round Playoff Series Preview Boston took three-of-four off Toronto in the regular season, but will be without Gordon Hayward for this series By Keith P Smith
Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images
The Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors will meet in the second round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs in an Eastern Conference series. This is a series fans have asked for between the two Atlantic Division rivals since Boston made it back to the playoffs with the Isaiah Thomas-led teams. Unfortunately, due to the unique circumstances of this season, all games will be played on neutral courts at Walt Disney World. The series schedule is as follows:
· Game 1 – Thursday 8/27 – 6:30 PM ET - ESPN
· Game 2 – Saturday 8/29 – 4:00 PM ET - TNT
· Game 3 – Monday 8/31 – TBD
· Game 4 – Wednesday 9/2 – TBD
· Game 5 – Friday 9/4 – TBD
· Game 6* – Sunday 9/6 – TBD *if necessary
· Game 7* – Tuesday 9/8 – TBD *if necessary
> Game 1* - Thursday 9/10 - TBD *if necessary
During the regular season the teams met four times, with Boston winning three of the four matchups:
· Boston 112 – Toronto 106
· Boston 118 – Toronto 102
· Toronto 113 – Boston 97
· Boston 122 – Toronto 100
The first contest came in early in the season in October. Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker all topped 20 points. The Celtics used 21 offensive rebounds to offset their poor 38.5% shooting to get the win.
The second matchup was a Christmas Day affair. Jaylen Brown scored 30 points to carry the Celtics on an off-night from Jayson Tatum. Overall, Boston shot 50% from the floor and still rebounded 13 of their own misses. Toronto played this game without Pascal Siakam.
A few days later, Toronto repaid the beat-down with a blowout of their own. The Raptors hot shooting carried them past a Celtics team that couldn’t find the bottom of the net, despite Toronto again being without Siakam.
The fourth, and final, regular season game took place in the bubble. Boston blasted Toronto, as seven Celtics scored in double-figures. This was the only matchup, aside from the first game, where both sides were healthy.
Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
Health is going to play a factor in this series. It’s very likely that Boston will be without Gordon Hayward for the entirety of the series. Hayward is recovering from a badly sprained ankle he suffered in Game 1 of the first round. Recovery time was listed as four weeks and it’s been just over week. In addition, Hayward has left the bubble to rehab while being with his family for the impending birth of his son.
On the plus side, Kemba Walker looked great in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers.
For Toronto, they enter the series with Kyle Lowry a question mark. Lowry sprained an ankle early in the Raptors Game 4 series-closeout victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Toronto has only said that Lowry is considered day-to-day and updates on his availability will be provided later. The rest of the Raptors key contributors are considered healthy and ready to go.
Starting Ballhandlers
Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart vs Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Unlike in the first round, where Philadelphia was at a decided disadvantage, this one is much, much closer. Kemba Walker is playing at the All-Star level he was at before having knee issues. He averaged 24.3 points per game on 49.3% shooting in Boston’s sweep of the Sixers. More importantly, Walker got the line 6.3 times per game, as he looked quick and explosive.
Marcus Smart was inserted in the starting five in place of Hayward. He had a nightmarish series shooting the ball, as he hit only 33% of his shots and just 13% from behind the arc. As per usual though, Smart made several big defensive plays throughout the series.
Smart’s defense will be huge in this series, and in some ways is a better option than Hayward would be. If Hayward were playing, Jaylen Brown would have to check either Kyle Lowry or Fred VanVleet. While Brown is an outstanding defender, small/quick guards still give him trouble. Now, Brad Stevens can match Smart to either Toronto starter and know he’s got a solid chance of slowing them down.
On offense, the Celtics are going to see different looks from the Raptors defense. When Marc Gasol is in, Toronto has favored drop coverage, not unlike what Boston saw from Philadelphia. In those instances, Walker (and Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum) need to take advantage via the pullup jumper. When Serge Ibaka comes in for Gasol, the Raptors tend to play up more. In those cases, look for the Celtics to force switches to attack the matchup they like best.
Defense is going to be a challenge, as both Lowry and VanVleet are capable of big scoring games. They both also make plays as passers to set up their teammates. In addition, both are strong enough to get inside and finish against the Celtics bigs.
One huge key to this series: stopping Toronto’s fastbreak offense. The Raptors were first in the NBA this season in fastbreak points scored. The Celtics guards and wings have to get back, or they’ll give up easy points.
One other note: Get ready for an epic flop-off. These four starting guards are all known for embellishing contact, especially when they take charges. It’s going to be frustrating and maddening at times, and it’s going to be that way for both sides.
Advantage: Toronto. This hinges on Lowry’s availability. If he’s out, the matchup tilts the Celtics way. If he’s in, you know what you’re getting from the Raptors offensively each game. That can make the difference in what should be a hard-fought series of close games.
Starting Forwards
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown vs Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby
Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
This is the matchup Boston needs to win to feel good about the series. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both great. Pascal Siakam is great. OG Anunoby is playing great, but that’s the difference. Can Anunoby keep up his current level of play? If he can, this gets closer to a stalemate. If he can’t, then the Celtics have the advantage.
Tatum got it going late in the bubble and then proceeded to dominate Philadelphia throughout the first round. Tatum does it with long step-backs, drives to the rim and pullups off the dribble. He’ll probably draw Anunoby, as he’s Toronto’s best wing defender. Tatum has a little size on Anunoby that he has to take advantage of.
In addition, the Celtics will look to force switches to get Tatum working against Kyle Lowry or Fred VanVleet. While both are strong and rugged defenders, Tatum can go up and over them with his jumper. Tatum did struggle in three-of-four games against the Raptors, as they did a nice job of chasing him off his spots. But those three games came early in the season. In the bubble contest, Tatum looked the All-Star version he was for most of the second half of the season.
Brown was excellent against the Raptors this season. He scored 23 points per game on 56/50/82 shooting splits. Brown’s size and strength allows him to get where he wants against the Toronto guards. And when the Raptors put a bigger defender on him, he used his athleticism off the dribble. For Boston to win, they need Brown to have a big series.
On defense, the Celtics will use their “switch everything” approach. Expect Tatum to start out on Siakam. One key thing here is for Tatum to avoid the early foul trouble that plagued him against Philadelphia. As Siakam’s off-the-dribble game has improved, so has his ability to get to the free throw line. It was only two regular season games, but Siakam struggled to finish inside against Boston’s collapsing defense. That’s something to keep an eye on.
For Toronto to win, Anunoby needs to continue to make shots. He knocked down 39% of his three-pointers this year. In the bubble, Anunoby was up around 54%, but in the first round series against Brooklyn, he hit just 31%. He’s not a threat off the dribble, so the Raptors need him to be a threat from the arc. If there is a player the Celtics will drop off and live with beating them from the outside, it’s Anunoby.
Advantage: Boston. This is the opposite of the ballhandler matchup. Boston knows what they’ll get from Tatum and Brown every game. Toronto knows what they’ll get from Siakam, but Anunoby is a little more hit-or-miss. That tilts this one towards the Celtics.
Starting Center
Daniel Theis vs Marc Gasol
Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images
This one is a lot closer than the average fan probably thinks it is. Marc Gasol is no longer the offense/defense machine he once was. Gasol is still solid in his role and capable of delivering the occasional big game on offense, but that essentially describes Daniel Theis as well.
Look for Toronto and Gasol to play Theis similarly to how Philadelphia and Joel Embiid did. They’ll sag off him and force him to be a shooter. One difference is that Boston has already seen it now. Brad Stevens made a couple of small tweaks to that coverage by having Theis screen and roll vs popping out. The Celtics also started their actions closer to the top of the key than up high on the floor. And, when Embiid was completely ignoring Theis, the Celtics put him in the dunker spot where he could live off drive and dish passes from his teammates.
When Toronto has the ball, Gasol plays a pretty similar role to Theis. He’s a screener and passer more than scorer now. Over half his attempts come from behind the arc. Against Philadelphia, we saw Theis struggle when Embiid would post him up. Gasol isn’t that guy anymore. Maybe Nick Nurse works some of that back in, but it would take Toronto out of their normal flow of their offense.
Advantage: Even. Despite Gasol having the name-brand recognition, these two players are roughly the same guys with very similar roles for their teams. The one thing that could push this matchup in the Raptors direction is if Gasol starts playing through the post more. Theis doesn’t have the strength to handle him inside. Look for some straight post-ups there.
Reserves
Enes Kanter, Brad Wanamaker, Grant Williams, Romeo Langford, Robert Williams vs Norman Powell, Serge Ibaka, Terence Davis, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Chris Boucher, Matt Thomas
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
This is where the series could be decided. The Raptors get excellent reserve play from Norman Powell and Serge Ibaka. Ibaka essentially splits minutes with Gasol and gives Toronto a very different look when he’s in the game. He remains a threat to make rim runs, and he’ll pop out for jumpers as well. On defense, Ibaka’s still-good athleticism gives him the ability to press up in pick-and-roll defense.
Powell has become one of the more consistent scoring guards off the bench in the NBA. He’s a threat to go for 30 points any night. Look for Powell to be a handful in transition, as he loves to get out and run. If Lowry is out or limited, Powell’s role will only grow.
The rest of the Raptors reserves are a bit more of a mixed bag. Terence Davis had a great rookie season as a bench shooter, but hasn’t been in the rotation as much in the bubble and in the first round. Matt Thomas has seen just as many minutes, in a similar role. No matter who it is, Boston has account for Davis or Thomas, as they can get hot from behind the arc.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is as close to an energy wing as Toronto has. He’s not a threat offensively unless it’s off putbacks, but his defense can help against both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Finally, keep an eye on Chris Boucher. He had some moments against Boston just by running the floor and being a lob threat.
For the Celtics, they’re going to need Enes Kanter to come up big again. His offensive rebounding was a key in some of the regular season matchups against the Raptors, and he was solid in the first round. He’ll play some against Marc Gasol, especially if Gasol starts going in the post. Beyond that, Kanter needs to be at least passable on defense, as the Raptors ballhandlers will look to attack him off the bounce.
Brad Wanamaker isn’t going to match Powell’s production off the bench, but he doesn’t have to. Wanamaker just needs to be solid in his 15-20 minutes per game behind Walker and Smart. He’ll have places to attack against Toronto’s defense, especially with his pullup jumper.
The Williamses and Langford need to show up when called upon for the Celtics. Both Grant and Robert Williams will have a chance to have roles in this series against the Raptors backup bigs. Grant Williams is a solid option against Ibaka, because he’s comfortable guarding on the perimeter. Robert Williams needs to play like Boucher and provide energy and to be a threat around the rim when Stevens calls his number
Finally, Langford is going to have moment in this series because Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam are so good at getting opponents into foul trouble. All Langford has to do is compete defensively. Anything he provides on offense is a bonus at this point.
Advantage: Toronto. It’s closer than it might seem though. Powell and Ibaka are better than anyone Boston brings off the bench, but the Celtics depth has been more reliable during the re-start. If the Raptors roll up big games from their reserves, the Celtics are in trouble. Toronto set an NBA record with 100 bench points in the Game 4 clincher against Brooklyn. That surely caught Boston’s eye.
Coaching
Brad Stevens vs Nick Nurse
Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald
It’s the Coach of the Year against the coach everyone loves to praise in the playoffs. This is going to be a really fun chess match. Nurse is going to do some stuff on both ends that Boston didn’t see in any of their regular season matchups. And then, as the Celtics adjust to it, Nurse will change it up in-game. No coach is better at changing on the fly than Nurse is.
Stevens is going to have to make sure his team avoids the window dressing the Raptors do on both ends. They’ll do a bunch of movement on offense on the weak side, to distract from the simplicity they play with at the point of attack. The Celtics cannot get caught ball-watching in this series, but can’t overly focus on the off-ball deception either.
On the other end, it’s up to Stevens to diagnose what Toronto is doing defensively and to put Boston in position to attack it. The Celtics have some match-ups in their favor, even despite being down Hayward. Look for Stevens to try and bleed those mismatches dry.
Advantage: Toronto. As good as Brad Stevens is, Nick Nurse won the title last year and is the Coach of the Year for a reason. He’s going to throw so much different stuff at Boston throughout the series. It’s going to be up to Stevens to find ways to ride the hot-hand and get the Celtics into mismatches they can pick on. More than anything, the sideline chess match may decide the series.
Prediction
Celtics in 7. If Gordon Hayward was healthy, Boston’s size advantage on the wing would have shown up more and the pick would have been Celtics in six. As it is, this is as about as evenly matched a series as you can ask for. Look for Boston to try and make this a little more of an offensive series than you might expect. The Celtics can outscore the Raptors with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker. If Kyle Lowry is out or limited to start the series, that makes it even tougher for Toronto to keep pace.
Three things to keep an eye on:
1. Can Boston create second-chance opportunities by hitting the offensive glass? They surprisingly beat up Toronto in this category during the regular season.
2. On the other end, can the Celtics slow down the Raptors in transition? Whoever wins those two categories may end up winning the series.
3. Who makes more shots out of Marcus Smart and OG Anunoby? In a series this tight, it might come down to something as simple as that.
The reason for Boston in 7? The Celtics can create offense easier than the Raptors can in late-clock and late-game situations. Toronto tends to bog down a bit, while Boston can ask Tatum, Brown or Walker to find a good shot. That’s the small difference in giving the Celtics the nod here
Mostly, we all win as basketball fans. These are likely to be close games between two very good teams and two very good coaches. We’ve asked for Boston vs Toronto for years, and finally 2020 delivered something we actually want.
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Post by quagmire on Aug 27, 2020 19:51:43 GMT -5
Back to basketball..... in my preview above I gave Toronto the EDGE for mental toughness:
(MENTAL TOUGHNESS; Which team is the strongest MENTALLY to overcome living in the bubble, the recent Blake shooting that seems to Have affected both teams, and all other social issues. Gasol, Lowry, and Ibabka are all veteran leaders who are in thier 30’s. Hayward (gone), Kemba (first time in 2nd round) and Wanamaker (role player) are the only veteran C’s in thier 30’s. EDGE- TORONTO)
In light of current events, I would have to change that now to HUGE EDGE.
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Post by fierce on Aug 29, 2020 1:10:38 GMT -5
It's either some Celtic fans are underestimating the Celts or overestimating the Raptors.
Worst case scenario Celtics win in 6 games.
Best case scenario Celtics sweep the Raptors.
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Post by Cabutan on Aug 29, 2020 13:27:27 GMT -5
my prediction was Cs in 5. Now that there was a break in between, I hope we didnt forget how to play Ball. As a team sharing the ball. If we have not, we are on schedule. Cs in 5.
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