Keys to Building a Defensive Wall Against Giannis
Boston's bevvy of defenders formed a defensive wall that kept Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in check for most of their first-round series. Can it work against Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Throughout Boston’s first-round series against Brooklyn, we saw how the Celtics and their defensive wall limited Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for most of the series.
It worked better than anticipated as Boston pulled off the only series sweep in the first round of the playoffs this year.
While there are clear parallels when you look at Boston’s approach defensively in the Brooklyn series to what they will look to do against Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, there are subtle nuances that Boston already knows will make this a much tougher series.
So as the Celtics put on some last-minute touches to the Wall of Giannis prior to Sunday’s Game 1 matchup in Boston, here are three keys to that wall standing firm enough to withstand one of the most unstoppable forces in the NBA.
THE IMPACT OF TWO-WAY TATUM
The points put up by Jayson Tatum (29.5 per game) in the first-round series against Brooklyn were certainly impressive. But his defense on Kevin Durant was out-of-this-world good and to be frank, was the driving force behind Boston’s ability to put away the Nets so quickly.
But defending Antetokounmpo is a much different and far more challenging battle for Tatum. It certainly was during the regular season when Tatum had to defend him.
In the three games Tatum played against Antetokounmpo this season, he scored 16 points when guarded by Tatum, on 8-for-10 shooting from the field with one assist.
Part of Tatum’s success in Boston’s first-round series against Brooklyn, was the ability of Tatum’s teammates to be in the right position to take away the first and second options when Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving were thinking about making a pass.
CENTER OF ATTENTION
Al Horford and Robert Williams have been an integral part of the Celtics’ frontcourt all season. And their value isn’t much higher than it has been when Boston faced the Milwaukee Bucks this season.
In the two games Boston played with both Williams and Horford in the lineup, Boston won both of those games.
The two games when one or both were out?
Celtics losses.
So the idea that both will be available to play in Game 1 on Sunday bodes well for Boston’s chances to continue its playoff success.
WINNING AT THE BOARD GAME
Boston’s rebounding numbers were really good in their first-round series against Brooklyn, although they’re somewhat inflated due to the Nets' lack of frontcourt size. They won’t be so fortunate against a Milwaukee team that grabbed 81.5 percent of their defensive rebound opportunities, tops among all teams in the playoffs.
But a deeper dive into the rebounding numbers by the Bucks shows that they are one of the worst offensive rebounding teams, snatching just 22.4 percent of their offensive misses which ranks 14th out of the 16 teams that qualified for the postseason.
Meanwhile, the Celtics average 11.9 offensive rebounds per game in the playoffs, which ranks fourth among postseason squads.
So what does that mean when it comes to defending Antetokounmpo?
It’s really simple.
The more opportunities the Celtics can create for themselves offensively, that means fewer offensive possessions for the Bucks. And that means fewer opportunities for Antetokounmpo to score which means less time spent by Boston’s defenders in trying to limit Antetokounmpo who will see some semblance of the Celtics’ defensive wall all game.
“That (defensive) wall has to be there,” said Boston’s Marcus Smart, this year’s Defensive Player of the Year award-winner who will be among the Celtics to spend time on Sunday defending Antetokounmpo.
Smart added, “He’s a force; we know that. The dude is 7-plus feet…and he’s athletic with it. And he’s strong. It doesn’t matter who is on him; we still have to build that wall.”