Should the Celtics put Tatum on Luka?

[sam_I_am]

If we put Tatum on Luka today I predict Indiana will blow us out.

Seriously though, I think we should always have somebody rotate over so that a big never switches onto Luka. That probably means more zone coverage.

[Parliament10]

I think Jaylen Brown.

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

I'd prefer Jaylen. He's somewhat better on Defense, and often takes the most difficult opposing player.
After Jaylen I'd go with Jrue, in stints. Jrue has defended Centers for short periods.

[fallguy]

This is a very Joe thing to say but one way we'll defend Luka is with our offense. He's got a bad knee. We need to put him in space and make him defend.

[SLCceltic]

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

Siii
Cs are uniquely equipped for the Luka-Kyrie show. We have best D-backcourt in the League plus Jays to throw at Luka (AL can even somewhat hang with Luka)
Kyrie, in addition to having to beat all of these ELiTE defenders, must FACE his Boston demons..

...not sure why everyone outside of Boston thinks LukaKy will continue to just roLL, or that Dallas's role players can win games for them

[Birdon]

JB all the way. Make him run.

[zoyathedestroya]

This is a very Joe thing to say but one way we'll defend Luka is with our offense. He's got a bad knee. We need to put him in space and make him defend.

Read on Twitter

This isn't to say Wolves were perfect in their execution. But maybe best defense against Luka would be to tire him out with our offense. Keep involving him in our (early) attacks.

[fallguy]

This is a very Joe thing to say but one way we'll defend Luka is with our offense. He's got a bad knee. We need to put him in space and make him defend.

Read on Twitter

This isn't to say Wolves were perfect in their execution. But maybe best defense against Luka would be to tire him out with our offense. Keep involving him in our (early) attacks.

Luka is more bothered by physicality/strength than length. Which benefits us.

But yeah - our offense is so mismatch focused and he's such an inviting target that we should constantly be making him work on defense, not just early.

Really, I'm just hoping we can tire out his legs enough that those fourth quarter threes fall short.

[zoyathedestroya]

This is a very Joe thing to say but one way we'll defend Luka is with our offense. He's got a bad knee. We need to put him in space and make him defend.

Read on Twitter

This isn't to say Wolves were perfect in their execution. But maybe best defense against Luka would be to tire him out with our offense. Keep involving him in our (early) attacks.

Luka is more bothered by physicality/strength than length. Which benefits us.

But yeah - our offense is so mismatch focused and he's such an inviting target that we should constantly be making him work on defense, not just early.

Really, I'm just hoping we can tire out his legs enough that those fourth quarter threes fall short.

I only inserted "early" there 'cos sometimes when Cs are too mismatch-focused, they become slow and stagnant. Go to initial action earlier than usual instead of spending 16 seconds just to get the mismatch they want with everyone and their mothers fully aware of what they're trying to do. Our offense dies because of that habit. Recall this happening in our loss to the Warriors in December IINM when we were intent on hunting Curry.

[31to6]

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.

I'm tempted to be like 'hedge' and/or 'pre-switch' but that's a huge part of what makes Luka Luka -- he is prepared for and looking forward to taking apart whatever P+R coverage you show him.

Go big. Start Queta at the 1, Tillman at the 2, Al 3, Kornet 4 and KP at the 5 and how will they even get a shot off?? If we can throw one in we win 2 - 0 and LET THE HATERS HATE (this second part was hopefully obviously sarcasm but I'm sure some of you liked it).

[JimmyFromNz]

I think its defense by committee, like for any superstar.

I'd prefer Jrue and Jayson - Jaylen would be ok for spurts to give Luka different looks against superior athleticism, but I don't trust his ability to be fully engaged and communicative in pick and roll situations for large periods, frankly because we see the communication (falling asleep) lapses regularly.

[Parliament10]

I think its defense by committee, like for any superstar.

I'd prefer Jrue and Jayson - Jaylen would be ok for spurts to give Luka different looks against superior athleticism, but I don't trust his ability to be fully engaged and communicative in pick and roll situations for large periods, frankly because we see the communication (falling asleep) lapses regularly.

Defense-by-Committee is the way to go. I think that we have to go with Jaylen as the Primary, and Jrue as the Secondary.
After that, mix it up with Jayson, White and whoever else works.

How do people feel about Tillman on Luka, for spurts?

[La Flame]

I think its defense by committee, like for any superstar.

I'd prefer Jrue and Jayson - Jaylen would be ok for spurts to give Luka different looks against superior athleticism, but I don't trust his ability to be fully engaged and communicative in pick and roll situations for large periods, frankly because we see the communication (falling asleep) lapses regularly.

What does this mean or stand for?

[Sweet Serenity]

This is a very Joe thing to say but one way we'll defend Luka is with our offense. He's got a bad knee. We need to put him in space and make him defend.

Read on Twitter

This isn't to say Wolves were perfect in their execution. But maybe best defense against Luka would be to tire him out with our offense. Keep involving him in our (early) attacks.

Jaylen did a really good job of baiting Luka into fouling in the game in Dallas which is what I’d like to see again.

[playa-hater]

I still don't see how this question matters. Luka will be calling for a pick and roll against whoever he sees as the weakest threat.. His goal will attempt to get inside the free throw line area.. His choices will always be the same.. double team either pass to 1 of his vertical spacers or a kick to the corner. If he is single covered or going against the drop coverage he will try to score..

How Boston decides to handle that to me is everything..

[zoyathedestroya]

I still don't see how this question matters. Luka will be calling for a pick and roll against whoever he sees as the weakest threat.. His goal will attempt to get inside the free throw line area.. His choices will always be the same.. double team either pass to 1 of his vertical spacers or a kick to the corner. If he is single covered or going against the drop coverage he will try to score..

How Boston decides to handle that to me is everything..

I do think it matters a bit.

If we go drop, we need our best guy that can fight through screens defending him which is Jrue. If we're hiding our big(s) in their worst corner shooter and pre-switching, then maybe it doesn't matter cos you just switch 1-4. If by chance you have Tillman as your 5, then switch 1-5. I would also try White on him on a drop since he's our best chaser from behind and someone who can disrupt lobs too. But he probably just backs White down in the post.

Anyway, I liked Joe's answer re guarding Luka/Kyrie. No one scheme or no one person can stop them. You make it hard on them but also excel on all the other aspects of the game, not just defense since it's all connected.

[31to6]

I think its defense by committee, like for any superstar.

I'd prefer Jrue and Jayson - Jaylen would be ok for spurts to give Luka different looks against superior athleticism, but I don't trust his ability to be fully engaged and communicative in pick and roll situations for large periods, frankly because we see the communication (falling asleep) lapses regularly.

Defense-by-Committee is the way to go. I think that we have to go with Jaylen as the Primary, and Jrue as the Secondary.
After that, mix it up with Jayson, White and whoever else works.

How do people feel about Tillman on Luka, for spurts?

I’ve been a big Tillman booster, and he could be an interesting matchup against Luka in, like, an emergency, or just as part of a game-wide strategy of giving Luka as many different looks as possible, but I am not expecting Xavier to see the court in this series unless we are missing multiple rotation players.

[playa-hater]

I think its defense by committee, like for any superstar.

I'd prefer Jrue and Jayson - Jaylen would be ok for spurts to give Luka different looks against superior athleticism, but I don't trust his ability to be fully engaged and communicative in pick and roll situations for large periods, frankly because we see the communication (falling asleep) lapses regularly.

Defense-by-Committee is the way to go. I think that we have to go with Jaylen as the Primary, and Jrue as the Secondary.
After that, mix it up with Jayson, White and whoever else works.

How do people feel about Tillman on Luka, for spurts?

I’ve been a big Tillman booster, and he could be an interesting matchup against Luka in, like, an emergency, or just as part of a game-wide strategy of giving Luka as many different looks as possible, but I am not expecting Xavier to see the court in this series unless we are missing multiple rotation players.

Agreed..Luka doesn't out speed as much as out muscle..x man can't be out muscled.

[Fierce1]

Blow up the Luka PnR earlier so that instead of having 10 seconds left on the shot clock to get a shot off, Luka will only have 5 seconds or less to work with.

Blitzing Luka when he's about to get a pick will force Luka to get rid of the ball.

That will disrupt their PnR offense.

Little things will add up.

[Triple7]

I prefer brown. Tatum can guard him in the 4th. Don’t want Tatum get into foul trouble, and ruining his rhythm, when he needs to go out. Luka gets all the soft whistles, apart from him doing tons of pump fakes to get fouls

[Jammer]

For years I hated Luka because of all the soft whistles that he got. Not even LeBron in his heyday got that. Tatum and Brown certainly don't.

But rather than get called out in the Minnesota series for soft whistles on Luka, the NBA changed their game and allowed the Dallas Bigs to set moving screens without being called. That is going to be key in the next series. Will the Dallas Bigs be made to play fair, or will the NBA cut them the slack they had in the Minnesota series? I am specifically referring to Lively and Gafford.