Celtics’ Defensive Masterclass or Mavs’ Awful Offensive Strategy?!Mazzula vs. Kidd

[@melmartinez7002]

This question is easy to answer by just looking at what happened outside just the Finals. The Mavs were a top 10 offense in the regular season and were red hot through the playoffs, until they ran into the Celtics D. Similarly, the Pacers were the #2 offense in the regular season and the #1 offense in the playoffs … until they ran into the Celtics D. Both teams were extremely different types of offenses, but Boston shut down both.

[@myvids4329]

Eh the Celtics slowed down the Pacers particularly in the 4th quarter but certainly didn't shut anything down that offense is electric

[@melmartinez7002]

@@myvids4329 The Pacers had an ORtg just over 120 through the regular season and 121.7 through the first two playoff rounds. It was just 114.8 in their series against Boston. So Boston shaved a whopping 7 points off their ORtg. On the way to a sweep.

[@robotboy719]

@@melmartinez7002 Scoring always slows down in the playoffs. The Pacers gave the C's everything they could handle and only some late-game execution and a miracle shot by JB stopped that from being a six or seven game series. In fact, the Pacers played the C's a heck of a lot better than the Mavs did, and that was with Haliburton injured and then out. If the Pacers can work out a few defensive issues, they're going to be dangerous next season.

[@melmartinez7002]

@@robotboy719 Except your assertion doesn't apply given that up until the Pacer's played the Celtics, their scoring was HIGHER in the playoffs than in the regular season. And then it dropped like a rock. The fact that a couple of the games were close doesn't change the fact that the Celtics defense dramatically nerfed the Pacer's offense.

[@sbrady1790]

​​@@melmartinez7002I admire your ability to prove your point and back it up. Can we also acknowledge the celtics didn't play their best offensively and didn't shoot well even with wide open looks and still won by double digits

[@cvgodd1432]

Before the finals started, Mavs fans were soooo cocky and had no idea how good the Celtics are! “How will they stop our verticality and Luka?!” 😂😂😂😂😂 talking about Lively and Gafford like they’re all star when they’re really trash!!! Idk what y’all see in Lively but he’s not good! Dude doesn’t even know where to position himself. I saw Luka and Kyrie tell him where to go 100 times 😂.

[@HoopsIQ]

Yeah, everyone was saying there was no way to stop Luka and Kyrie. Wow, that flipped quick

[@cvgodd1432]

@@HoopsIQ yup it turned into.. “who’s going to stop JB and JT” REAL QUICK. Even before the finals started mavs fans couldn’t answer the question. Who’s sticking Tatum and JB?!

[@MKHLX]

From Mavs in 4 to mavs in 7 Mavs has the best backcourt to no luka has no help Mavs are more Battle tested Jays are chokers All the stupid narratives from these experts and haters are just hilarious.

[@GB-ez6ge]

Yet another example of people that didn't learn Bill "11 ring" Russell's lesson from the '60s: "DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!". Ask Wilt "2 ring" Chamberlain.

[@JT_for_Three]

They didn’t run into a switch all 5 in the “ Wicked West “ . Especially when BIG AL could lock up KYRIE.

[@Robin-xt7yo]

Jaylen Brown to Mazzulla: "If Luka stays I stay. If Luka stays, keep me in". 😤☘️

[@leeswift7883]

I just remember how much Mazzulla was clowned for last season. The turnaround and growth in year 2 has been impressive to watch and the Celtics are set for title runs for a while

[@HoopsIQ]

👍

[@thejewishpeople1970]

I feel like a lot of this is being looked at in a vacuum. We can talk about passing the ball to Gafford at the nail all we want, but Gafford is not the type of player to make good decisions out of that position and you’re playing into what Boston wants defensively anyway. This just boiled down to Boston made people who do very specific things well do anything but those things and Dallas just didn’t have a response that they could go to, especially with Kleber’s injury turning him into a complete non-shooter

[@HoopsIQ]

Fair points. 👍

[@gym_bob]

Luka admitted during an interview that the celtics were running a defense he had never seen before.....

[@andylozano5193]

Eh the Warriors kinda did this against him but mixed in some more zone sometimes to keep him guessing. Wiggs when he could pressured him full court etc.

[@HoopsIQ]

🤔

[@dh5363]

Shouldn't answer this question in isolation like this. Mavs' bad offense/Celtics' good defense is also a result of good Celtics offense in targeting Luka to exhaustion. Luka gives the ball up early that lead to bad offense is a result of JB's multiple pick-6's from games before. Kyrie forcing shots because he's been denied all games by Jrue and the media have been inflating his ego on being a difficult shot maker so he thinks he can carry.

[@HoopsIQ]

Well, exactly. His ego was in the way of winning.

[@mikewood8561]

If jones and Washington could make the 3 from anywhere besides the corner than Dallas would've scored more. Luka and Kyrie know their chances of making the 3 with those guys is slim so they don't pass them the ball. They need to get better or Dallas needs to get guys in that can shoot

[@GB-ez6ge]

If only

[@HoopsIQ]

Ya think?💭

[@GB-ez6ge]

I can dream too. If the Celtics had 28 year old Russell, Bird, Pierce, Cousy, Havlicek, Garnet, and Parish they would have swept. Dallas played weak defense and had no answer to the Celtics' strong defense. Nobody consistently shoots well against a good defense.

[@RafaelSang-tq8ur]

The finals were played by the Boston Celtics against Luka and the Lukanaires of Dallas.

[@HoopsIQ]

🤨

[@doge1590]

Tatum versatility are amazing

[@HoopsIQ]

Yep tough

[@retailmanagement2438]

Mazzula is a strategic mastermind who is clearly superior to nearly all coaches.

[@HoopsIQ]

Yeah, Mazzula did a great job!

[@papaonn]

You can't force a super star to give credits to other teammates for team win, because super star needs personal achievements more than others.

[@HoopsIQ]

🤔

[@seanzibonanzi64]

IMO the series could've at least gone longer if Dallas version Kyrie showed up in Boston. The fact he played well vs. the same defense in Dallas is indefensible, he hung Luka out to dry.

[@HoopsIQ]

Yep, Kyrie didn’t show up.

[@coolmoe3289]

Awesome Defense By The Celtics..👍🏿 Terrible Defense By the Mavs.. Mavs Offense Is Their Defense.. 😂🤣

[@HoopsIQ]

😂

[@2ellas2]

Mavs got out classed. Kry-ree is a drag on any team. He'll never win again unless he's riding the bench behind good players

[@HoopsIQ]

🤔

[@chrislee367]

And of course, is cursed because of stomping on Lucky. (1-14 since stomping on Lucky)

[@2ellas2]

@@chrislee367 and the 1 win was a gift lol

[@ericccchua5797]

Celtics is better team. Its simple. Mav 3rd to 6th players is celtics 7 to bench warmer. Elementary. You just want people to think you're smart.😂😂😂😢😢😢

[@HoopsIQ]

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