The Knicks got torn apart by the Celtics on Tuesday, 132-109. That's already pretty bad, but it should've been worse. If not for the Celtics' benchwarmers going ice cold at the end of the game, the C's would've shattered the NBA 3PM record instead of just tying it at 29.
The Celtics' offense lives and dies by the three-pointer. They led the NBA with 42.5 3PA last year. Now, chucking the ball doesn't work if you can't make them. They did in droves. 38.8% from 3 was second best in basketball. 47.1% of their field goal attempts last season were threes and tonight, they leaned even heavier on the outside shot.
A baffling 64.2% of the Celtics' shot attempts last night were 3's. Until they went ice cold at the end, they started... checks notes 29-for-48???? 60.4% from 3 is absolutely bonkers. Although there were definite holes in the Knicks' defense, we don't need to push the panic button. This was generational offense by one of the best teams we've seen since the Warriors' dynasty fell apart. Could Indiana blaze us on Friday? Sure. Is this realistic to expect all season? Absolutely not.
By the second half, I was resigned to a loss. I spent the whole third quarter watching the game within the game. Instead of gluing my eyes to whoever had the ball, I focused on off-ball action. What happened to the Knicks wasn't quite solely on them. It was a nasty concoction of elite offensive in an elite scheme, a poor defensive scheme, and an experienced group vs one playing together for the first time in a real game.
Let's dive in:
Right off the opening tip. This is just exploiting a team's system. Horford sets a good screen on Bridges, and KAT stays home instead of stepping up. The problem here is that the right play here is to switch. Bridges didn't come close to getting over this screen. If he was able to, KAT playing drop here isn't indefensible. Unfortunately, Jayson Tatum's jump shot looks a LOT better than last season. Too easy.
This is just bad defense by KAT. Against many bigs, you can reasonably do this. Unfortunately, KAT might've forgot that Al Horford is 38 and over 60% of his shot attempts come from deep. Way too open.
You know, I'm starting to pick up a trend. They are sending screens to free up Tatum from a good wing defender, it's smart basketball. What isn't smart is either the Knicks' communication or Bridges' awareness. He again gets stonewalled by Kornet (this is close to a moving screen) and Sims is playing drop, leading to Tatum walking into an easy 3. This is very fixable, which is why the alarm bells aren't sounding for me.
Again. It's the same play. Come on.
I feel like Boston got away with a lot of moving screens. This is just good basketball on an inbound play.
Boom! They adjusted. KAT sees how much Bridges and Anunoby have struggled in getting over screens and blitzes Tatum. This almost goes very good, Deuce McBride takes a gamble swipe at Tatum. Unfortunately, Tatum recovered well and Deuce's man is wide open. Oh well.
Oh man. KAT again forgets how good Horford is from deep and goes to help Deuce, a phenomenal 1-on-1 defender, against Holiday down low. Long rebound and now everybody is out of position. There are three guys in the paint against a 5-out offense. Bad.
When you're down big, you take risks. They blitz the ballhandlers and Brunson has a choice after Kornet gets the ball. He either stays home and takes away the open layup or go out on Pritchard. I'm not mad at this, it's just good basketball from Boston. The downside of a double team is an open man, and they frequently got burned on that.
Part of the reason I don't get my head in a spiral about Tuesday is that the Celtics were perfect on offense. They blitzed Tatum, leaving Brown open on the far side. It makes sense, a pass from Tatum to Brown here is impossible. Towns does good here, as Bridges is slow getting around the screen. This is just great basketball. You see OG and Brunson covering Tatum's easier options but Derrick White makes a brilliant cut on a desperation pass from Tatum and he seamlessly kicks to the open Brown. Good offense is good offense. I can't hate.
As you can see, a majority of these good looks are coming from two sources: an unsuccessful drop coverage or a double team. This one comes from Mikal abandoning Kornet (I can't see the beginning of this possession, not sure how Sims got on Tatum) to double Tatum, leading to the same two passes that leads to an open corner 3 opposite the Knicks' bench. Thankfully, we actually got a miss here.
I don't like the Celtics. I looked to discredit them as much as possible last season. That said, they are a machine. Joe Mazzulla's offensive sets were brilliant and he outschemed Tom Thibodeau all night. That said, a lot of this is on the players.
Think about how many times Mikal Bridges got lost on a screen. Someone needs to call it out, or if someone is calling it out, Bridges needs to be more aware. I will give him benefit of the doubt, though. A handful of Celtics' looks were generated on very suspicious screens.
But also, this was happening all night. Right here, you see Bridges get stuck and KAT is in drop. Jayson Tatum cannot be guarded like this!
Lastly, I want to note that not all of these were NYK's fault. Good shooter sometimes can't miss. Jayson Tatum literally could not miss.
That happened a few times. Jericho Sims is a good perimeter defender but that's just good work from Tatum. Sims probably gets beat downhill if he gets too close. Tatum did this a few times against guys like Anunoby and Bridges, making some nice spot ups.
You ever play pickup against your friend and you smother his jumpshot and it goes in? That's the kind of game Tatum had.
If I got to sit down with Tom Thibodeau and explain what I would do differently, I would say to emphasize getting over screens. We'll see how much they had it drilled into their heads this week when they play Indiana. Tyrese Haliburton will have 7+ threes if the Knicks can't execute the drop coverage at all, like they did in Boston.
Most importantly, this team is fine. These guys have barely played together and they'll look a lot better at defending this Boston juggernaut in February. The important thing is getting it to gel. Oh yeah, I'd also have OG guard Tatum next time. No shade to Mikal but Tatum had multiple shots where his wingspan is just too long for him.