ECSF: P2 | (2) Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers (3) | BOS 3-0

[jfs1000d]

Who would you suggest reddick guard when Jaylen plays?

The issue is they don't want Simmons chasing Tatum around. And, the crossmatch issues will make finding Tatum in transition impossible.

To your first comment, you don't know that. To the second issue, crossmatch, maybe. But it seems counterintuitive that an athletic 6'10" guy can't guard a slightly less athletic 6'8" guy but can guard an athletic and quick 6'2" guy.

It is about finding him in transition. Simmons is the PG. He guards a sf, that is a tough switch to make. He penetrates, passes for a 3. Celtics get rebound and Tatum is filling a lane on the break and spotting up from 3. That also takes simmons out of rebounding position.

Crossmatch is the reason.


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[Darth Celtic]

The Celtics are really up 2-0 if you include Ainge fleecing Colangelo this past offseason

It is actually incredible to think that with tatum and fultz switched this is probably a sweep in favour of Phila. Obviously no one could have predicted fultz troubles and the guy can very well become a superstar still. Problem is, if you already know Simmons is going to be your starting PG, why do you go for another PG and not for a forward?

Well, this has been said before, Fultz Tatum switch would never have happened. Danny would have taken Tatum at 1 if not trade. The full impact of the trade won't be seen for years as it's a 3% chance at the 2/3 pick this year, or whatever the kings end up next year (if not 1) added to the Celtics team.

No trade wouldn't affect this year or playoff series, like at all.

[Hipster Doofus]

The Celtics are really up 2-0 if you include Ainge fleecing Colangelo this past offseason

[NoDopeOnSundays]

Having watched the Sixers in the playoffs, can some of the fans answer a question for me. Why don't they ever run high pick and roll between Simmons and Embiid?

[Feel_the_Heat15]

Having watched the Sixers in the playoffs, can some of the fans answer a question for me. Why don't they ever run high pick and roll between Simmons and Embiid?

Think the ball-handler has to be able to shoot for it to be effective.

[Tomjas]

Having watched the Sixers in the playoffs, can some of the fans answer a question for me. Why don't they ever run high pick and roll between Simmons and Embiid?

People tend to forget that both are relative novices with Simmons playing his first ever season at PG and Joel having played something like 150 games in his life

From what I've seen, their offence is weighted far more towards taking advantage of their respective natural talents than running set plays

Hopefully, that will come with time/further development of their games

[hookshot199]

The issue is they don't want Simmons chasing Tatum around. And, the crossmatch issues will make finding Tatum in transition impossible.

To your first comment, you don't know that. To the second issue, crossmatch, maybe. But it seems counterintuitive that an athletic 6'10" guy can't guard a slightly less athletic 6'8" guy but can guard an athletic and quick 6'2" guy.

It is about finding him in transition. Simmons is the PG. He guards a sf, that is a tough switch to make. He penetrates, passes for a 3. Celtics get rebound and Tatum is filling a lane on the break and spotting up from 3. That also takes simmons out of rebounding position.

Crossmatch is the reason.

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I understood your point. The thing is, our roster isn't complete and there always will be times when you don't want Simmons (the hound) chasing Rozier (the hare). It may be that in the future that 6'4" Markelle Fultz will be able to handle 6'2" Rozier. I don't want to get into a Fultz trash-a-thon because his injury kept him off the court most of the season and he still seems tentative on long shots. But in the future, maybe. If not, the Sixers, unless the sky falls in with the Lakers pick, will be able to add another two-way player in the draft.

So, with that background: Our best defender is Robert Covington. He can't stop a hot Rozier from driving around him. But he's skilled enough to drive him off the 3-point line or throw a 6'9" body at him when he shoots, possibly disrupting his shot. And except for experience, the C's do this all the time - put your best defender (Smart) on the other teams' best player.

[hookshot199]

To your first comment, you don't know that. To the second issue, crossmatch, maybe. But it seems counterintuitive that an athletic 6'10" guy can't guard a slightly less athletic 6'8" guy but can guard an athletic and quick 6'2" guy.

It is about finding him in transition. Simmons is the PG. He guards a sf, that is a tough switch to make. He penetrates, passes for a 3. Celtics get rebound and Tatum is filling a lane on the break and spotting up from 3. That also takes simmons out of rebounding position.

Crossmatch is the reason.

Sent from my iPhone using RealGM mobile app

I understood your point. The thing is, our roster isn't complete and there always will be times when you don't want Simmons (the hound) chasing Rozier (the hare). It may be that in the future that 6'4" Markelle Fultz will be able to handle 6'2" Rozier. I don't want to get into a Fultz trash-a-thon because his injury kept him off the court most of the season and he still seems tentative on long shots. But in the future, maybe. If not, the Sixers, unless the sky falls in with the Lakers pick, will be able to add another two-way player in the draft.

So, with that background: Our best defender is Robert Covington. He can't stop a hot Rozier from driving around him. But he's skilled enough to drive him off the 3-point line or throw a 6'9" body at him when he shoots, possibly disrupting his shot. And except for experience, the C's do this all the time - put your best defender (Smart) on the other teams' best player.

Tatum and Brown are better matches for Simmons. At least that's my opinion.

[510TWSS]

I’m not sure how many more times Scary Terry can shoot lights out from 3pt land.

On the other hand, The C’s would abuse whoever Reddick and Belli were guarding really helping to mitigate that great 5 man lineup that worked against Miami. Well, at least for one game anyway.

I don’t think the series is over or going to be a series of blowouts. Sixers need to cover the 3pt line and stop penetration, unfavorable mismatches. I think they can do it, although the magic of Brad makes you think twice.

[Green_teamer]

Game plan for sixers is simple.

Just feed embiid the ball. Get fouls. Force Stevens hand whether to use Montoe or put Al Horford on embiid full time. Stevens is managing Al’s energy on the defense end.

Embiid had his way against baynes most of the night. Anyone who saw the game knows it.

Issue is embiid can’t sustain that intensity himself. Something has to give. And his overall defense suffered. Celtics were 7 for 8 within 6 feet without embiid on the floor. They were still 7 for 16 with embiid on the floor within 6 feet. Which is still a big difference. But embiid usually limits opponents even more inside the paint.

So get baynes out. Go to work on Monroe who is even less mobile than Baynes.

Stevens even said it. He’ll take his chances with embiid scoring 31 points. But if embiid is getting more or creating more. Than that becomes a big problem for Celtics.

I'd be shocked if you see Monroe at all. unless it's a blowout game and he gets some garbage time in. Expect alot of Baynes and horford with a few other guys mixed in here and there.

[Childs]

I got to admit I want Casey to win COY. But if Brad wins it, I wouldn't be mad. Good job by the Cs.

[ajones9219]

Dammit, I meant Sixers in 6 but voted Celtics in 6.

That's because you subconsciously know it in your heart

[kuclas]

I’m not sure how many more times Scary Terry can shoot lights out from 3pt land.

On the other hand, The C’s would abuse whoever Reddick and Belli were guarding really helping to mitigate that great 5 man lineup that worked against Miami. Well, at least for one game anyway.

I don’t think the series is over or going to be a series of blowouts. Sixers need to cover the 3pt line and stop penetration, unfavorable mismatches. I think they can do it, although the magic of Brad makes you think twice.

I re watched some of the highlights and analysis. While embiid had good offensive game. He was caught in no man’s land a lot trying to “help” out on defense. The final nail in coffin was 97-88 with 5 min left. Forgot if it was Larkin or someone driving to the lane on reddick. Embiid “help” defense followed Larkin to the rim. Larkin kicked out to wide open Horford for 100-88 lead and basically ended the game there.

So it’s reddick/beli getting abused by Celtics all game. Saric isn’t strong enough to defend Horford either.

It’s a problem. If Embiid stays with Horford. The paint is open for Celtics to drive to the rim. Maybe embiid has to just stay with Horford and let the Celtics have the 2 points rather than shoot wide open 3 pointers.

After all. That’s what the Celtics are letting embiid do. They are letting embiid abuse Baynes and get 2 points rather than give up the 3 point shot

[robbie84]

Philly just need to break serve once and hold serve the rest of the way and they win in 6.
Will Philly break serve in Game 2?
Will Boston again go 17-35 downtown, and Philly go 5-26?
Will Philly continue to out-rebound the Celtics? (Philly 45, Boston 36)
Will turnovers continue to remain low for both teams? (Phlly 12, Boston 10)

Lol. We could also ask:

-Will Philly find a way to shoot decently from 3 against the best defense in the NBA- with their most versatile defender returning in Brown?
- how will Philly guard Tatum, Rozier and Brown for the rest of the series? Clearly Covington on Rozier is unlikely to work, and JJ and Saric can't stay in front of Tatum and Brown, whilst Tatum and Brown won't have any problem staying in front of their guys and continuing to contest those Philly 3's.
-how are the 76ers going to replicate the scoring they had vs Miami when Reddick was the 76ers top scorer for the series with Brown and Rozier/Tatum and then Smart/ Ojeyele all switching on him?
-how are the 76ers going to get scoring from their bench when they had Bellinelli scoring 16 ppg in the Miami series?

Anyway, your 'talking points' can be a bit diversified. It's about a lot more than Boston shooting well. Its also about the 76ers scorers having to score over a much better defense and better athletes, and having to guard bstter athletes on the other end.

[ajones9219]

As a Celtics fan I was much more concerned about the bucks than Philly. Philly is better than Milwaukee but we just match up better. Giannis was much more of an offensive threat than anyone on the sixers and Middleton always torches us. We just seem to always have an answer for Philly

[commentatorer]

Simmons played his worst and still had 18 points, and Embiid had 31, both guys shot over 50%.
Boston seem to have no impact on Simmons/Embiid's scoring.
The issue is Boston's defensive ability on the 3-point-line, and that impacts Philly's role-players, and we'll see if that trend continues in Game 2.

[Celts17Pride]

Read on Twitter

Celtics defense is good. #1 in the NBA

[Celts17Pride]

Simmons played his worst and still had 18 points, and Embiid had 31, both guys shot over 50%.
Boston seem to have no impact on Simmons/Embiid's scoring.
The issue is Boston's defensive ability on the 3-point-line, and that impacts Philly's role-players, and we'll see if that trend continues in Game 2.

Celtics let Embiid do whatever he wanted. That was the game plan. Stop Simmons in transition and cover the 3 point line. Embiid had to beat the Celtics by himself.

Most of Simmons points were in garbage time

[commentatorer]

Simmons played his worst and still had 18 points, and Embiid had 31, both guys shot over 50%.
Boston seem to have no impact on Simmons/Embiid's scoring.
The issue is Boston's defensive ability on the 3-point-line, and that impacts Philly's role-players, and we'll see if that trend continues in Game 2.

Celtics let Embiid do whatever he wanted. That was the game plan. Stop Simmons in transition and cover the 3 point line. Embiid had to beat the Celtics by himself.

Most of Simmons points were in garbage time

Not really, Simmons had double figures before the 4th quarter.
Boston failed to pick-up Philly's trey-shooters in transition many times, but Philly were rusty and missed.
There were plenty of open threes.
But yes in the half-court Boston's defense was effective on the trey-shooters.

[commentatorer]

Yeah I just checked the play-by-play, Simmons had 13 points at 3/4 time, so only 5 in the 4th quarter.
Embiid and Simmons did what they wanted, so its really all about Saric, Covington, Belinelli and Ilyasova making their shots.