Should the Celtics put Tatum on Luka?

[Jammer]

Yeah, I'm counting my chickens before they've hatched. Well, they are ready to pop out of both hen houses (3-0 for each team).

Luka is an SF who gets to play SG.
Tatum is an SF who is forced to play PF.

Dallas Lineup
PG Kyrie Irving
SG Luka
SF Derrick Jones, Jr.
PF P. J. Washington
C Dan Gafford

Using Tatum on Luka takes a rebounder away from the defensive boards, somewhat.
But Derrick White can check Kyrie.
Jrue Holiday can Handle Derrick Jones or P. J. Washington
Jaylen Brown can handle whoever Jrue Holiday isn't on
Al Horford has Gafford (and hopefully Zinger returns).

Just saying ... Trying to stymie their Alpha option. Thoughts ????

[165bows]

I think Jaylen Brown.

At any rate, Doncic is a -66 in his last 108 minutes against the Celtics.

[Fierce1]

The key here is not to defend Luka like how the Wolves are defending him.

How Spo defends Tatum is how the Cs should defend Luka.

Using a double big, like the Wolves, will not work against Luka and the Mavs.

[31to6]

Celtics tend to mix up coverages a lot. I’d imagine — and be comfortable — with Jaylen, DW, Jrue, and JT all getting turns against Luka. Plus some zone looks too. And no doubt DAL will try to get Al switched onto him much as possible.

[Fierce1]

Celtics tend to mix up coverages a lot. I’d imagine — and be comfortable — with Jaylen, DW, Jrue, and JT all getting turns against Luka. Plus some zone looks too. And no doubt DAL will try to get Al switched onto him much as possible.

True.

Wolves coach is doing a bad job.

[Larry_Russell]

First off, this is an incorrect time to start some sort of thread like this as neither team is in the finals.

I expect Celtics there, but there is still the chance that Wolves win the next 4.


Also, we do not put tatum on him excluding some set plays. Brown is a perfect defender against Doncic.

Jrue/White/Brown all swap in and out againt Kyrie and Luka and make life VERY hard on them.

[ConstableGeneva]

Tatum on Lively/Gafford
Brown on Doncic
Holiday on PJ
Porzingis/Horford on DJJ
White on Kyrie

...would be my initial configuration. Tatum onball would be a waste on D. We want him as a helper, disruptor, and rebounder. JB is best utilized onball to keep him engaged. Big on their weakest offensive weapon so they can roam. Pre-switch so big can stay baseline/paint.

Whatever defensive scheme they use, best defense against Luka (and Kyrie) is to make them work on the other end like they did with Haliburton in G2.

[Fierce1]

First off, this is an incorrect time to start some sort of thread like this as neither team is in the finals.

I expect Celtics there, but there is still the chance that Wolves win the next 4.


Also, we do not put tatum on him excluding some set plays. Brown is a perfect defender against Doncic.

Jrue/White/Brown all swap in and out againt Kyrie and Luka and make life VERY hard on them.

I don't totally disagree with you, but the Wolves are done.

No way they win 4 straight against the Mavs.

[Larry_Russell]

Tatum on Lively/Gafford
Brown on Doncic
Holiday on PJ
Porzingis/Horford on DJJ
White on Kyrie

...would be my initial configuration. Tatum onball would be a waste on D. We want him as a helper, disruptor, and rebounder. JB is best utilized onball to keep him engaged. Big on their weakest offensive weapon so they can roam. Pre-switch so big can stay baseline/paint.

Whatever defensive scheme they use, best defense against Luka (and Kyrie) is to make them work on the other end.

Jrue on Kyrie
Brown on Doncic
White on Djj
Tatum on Washington
KP/Horford on Gafford and Lively.


This keeps Al and KP close to the rim defending, which is the best spot for them. They took 7 combined shots last game and all are at the rim. I want my bigmen there.

Washington is a big boost to them, so I want Tatum taking that away.

Brown, White, Jrue take on Luka, Kyrie and Djj. White on Djj as he is a zero on offense (imo) and I want Derrick helping over with his elite shotblocking and steals.

[ConstableGeneva]

Tatum on Lively/Gafford
Brown on Doncic
Holiday on PJ
Porzingis/Horford on DJJ
White on Kyrie

...would be my initial configuration. Tatum onball would be a waste on D. We want him as a helper, disruptor, and rebounder. JB is best utilized onball to keep him engaged. Big on their weakest offensive weapon so they can roam. Pre-switch so big can stay baseline/paint.

Whatever defensive scheme they use, best defense against Luka (and Kyrie) is to make them work on the other end.

Jrue on Kyrie
Brown on Doncic
White on Djj
Tatum on Washington
KP/Horford on Gafford and Lively.


This keeps Al and KP close to the rim defending, which is the best spot for them. They took 7 combined shots last game and all are at the rim. I want my bigmen there.

Washington is a big boost to them, so I want Tatum taking that away.

Brown, White, Jrue take on Luka, Kyrie and Djj. White on Djj as he is a zero on offense (imo) and I want Derrick helping over with his elite shotblocking and steals.

Our bigs on their bigs make little sense since they'll just call for 1-5 PnR. Tatum is tall and strong enough to cover their C. He's done that against Mobley and now against Turner. White on DJJ is a waste of his chasing ability.

[threrf23]

I'd like for us to throw different looks at Luka.

Would love to see DWhite get a chance, he is as good a rim protector as we have, and I sort of feel like he is a little bit wasted on Kyrie; Kyrie is barely defendable if he is feeling it and not so hard to defend if he isn't.

Would love to see Tillman get some minutes on Luka, as he is generally capable and is our most physically imposing defender and this would help the rest of our guys save a slight bit of energy.

I do think that Tatum should still be our main option against Luka, he is our best SF/PF defender and shouldn't take a back seat just because Jaylen is an alpha who will ask for a marquee matchup. He is also smart enough to improvise a bit and to figure out the right thing to do in the event of screens and picks.

I'm more interested in our strategy, overall. Luka's a guy who will kill you with his passing if you double him, but we can at least try and stop him from getting good position inside. We should be able to take away their lobs, just cause that is our own game and we know damn well how it works.

If we give Jones Jr decent looks, he probably won't kill us. If we give Josh Green open looks he might hit a few threes, we just need to be careful because passing might be the one thing he does outright well.

I don't want to see us ignoring PJ, IMO he's vaguely comparable to Myles Turner, an underrated two way player at his best, but also prone to disappearing.

[fallguy]

Celtics tend to mix up coverages a lot. I’d imagine — and be comfortable — with Jaylen, DW, Jrue, and JT all getting turns against Luka. Plus some zone looks too. And no doubt DAL will try to get Al switched onto him much as possible.

Agreed on all this. I think Tatum might be the guy in crunch time. But Jaylen/Jrue will get the majority of the minutes.

[brackdan70]

I think Brown primarily. A bit of Jrue as well. Maybe some X in spurts.
Tatum can guard the PF and Horford the C.
White on Kyrie.
Jrue can guard Jones.

Match up pretty well.
The bigger question is who on their team guards Tatum and Brown.

[Hal14]

Woah, let's get by the pacers first. Mavs have to get by the wolves first.

[Ben-N1ce]

It's Jaylen or Tatum. He's too big for White and Jrue

[playa-hater]

Celtics tend to mix up coverages a lot. I’d imagine — and be comfortable — with Jaylen, DW, Jrue, and JT all getting turns against Luka. Plus some zone looks too. And no doubt DAL will try to get Al switched onto him much as possible.

Agreed on all this. I think Tatum might be the guy in crunch time. But Jaylen/Jrue will get the majority of the minutes.

Exactly this from both posts..

[playa-hater]

Celtics tend to mix up coverages a lot. I’d imagine — and be comfortable — with Jaylen, DW, Jrue, and JT all getting turns against Luka. Plus some zone looks too. And no doubt DAL will try to get Al switched onto him much as possible.

Agreed on all this. I think Tatum might be the guy in crunch time. But Jaylen/Jrue will get the majority of the minutes.

Exactly this from both posts..

[Jammer]

Celtics tend to mix up coverages a lot. I’d imagine — and be comfortable — with Jaylen, DW, Jrue, and JT all getting turns against Luka. Plus some zone looks too. And no doubt DAL will try to get Al switched onto him much as possible.

Agreed on all this. I think Tatum might be the guy in crunch time. But Jaylen/Jrue will get the majority of the minutes.

Exactly this from both posts..

I like the idea of throwing Tatum at Luka in the last 2 or 3 minutes of a close game even if Jaylen, Jrue and Derrick have him for most of the game. Luka makes a living overpowering, and shooting over, smaller players. Tatum would too if we could play him at SG.

[playa-hater]

Agreed on all this. I think Tatum might be the guy in crunch time. But Jaylen/Jrue will get the majority of the minutes.

Exactly this from both posts..

I like the idea of throwing Tatum at Luka in the last 2 or 3 minutes of a close game even if Jaylen, Jrue and Derrick have him for most of the game. Luka makes a living overpowering, and shooting over, smaller players. Tatum would too if we could play him at SG.

If any defender is playing well, Luka will just call for a PnR anyhow. I am more concerned how we handle that.

[Fierce1]

Exactly this from both posts..

I like the idea of throwing Tatum at Luka in the last 2 or 3 minutes of a close game even if Jaylen, Jrue and Derrick have him for most of the game. Luka makes a living overpowering, and shooting over, smaller players. Tatum would too if we could play him at SG.

If any defender is playing well, Luka will just call for a PnR anyhow. I am more concerned how we handle that.

Blitz the PnR.