Despite some inconsistent outdoors shooting in Bostons first-round playoff series versus the Sixers, Walker handled to typical 24.3 points per video game and rediscover his All-Star footing. In Sundays commanding win against the Toronto Raptors, he finished with 18 points and 10 helps. However without Gordon Hayward, who severely sprained his ankle in the first round, the Celtics will need Walker to regularly carry an even higher problem throughout Round 2, versus among the stingiest and most adaptable defenses in the NBA. For coach Brad Stevens, the answer must be discovered by turning him loose in a simple sequence that has actually brought opponents to their knees all season.
View how smooth Bostons offense runs after Brown screens Josh Richardson off Walker and forces Tobias Harris to change in the play below. Less than a second later, Enes Kanter pancakes Harris, permitting Walker to skate toward Joel Embiid, who has zero interest in leaving the paint. With Brown inhabiting Richardsons attention and Harris not wishing to leave Kanter all alone, Philly has nobody near Walker when he increases at the elbow.
The hope behind setting 2 screens at the same time is that it will take full advantage of confusion and impart the game with a degree of chaos that benefits the offense. When somebody as quickly as Walker is the initiator, protectors are never ever not on their heels. Trapping him is futile, considered that few big guys can consist of Walker in space, and dropping too low lets him feast in areas where hes very comfortable.
Walker is a pick-and-roll genius. He can score in so numerous methods: stop on a penny, pull up for 3, skip his way into an elbow jumper, or slide downhill, squirm his shoulders by a much bigger protector and finish at the cup. However, to zoom in much more, whenever he has two screens to deal with, Bostons attack reaches another level.
According to Second Spectrum, the only player who had more double picks set for him in the routine season was Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young. Walker balanced 8.75 per video game, and in overall he ran more than 14 entire groups.
In other words, when Bostons offense appears like an outhouse, these plays turn it into a rental property; there are few options more rational than providing Walker the ball and having two fellow Celtics set a screen in the middle of the flooring. The play provides countless options for him to select from, as a pair of proficient colleagues place themselves to pop or roll. Walker is nimble, skilled and perceptive sufficient to penalize defenses in a lot of ways for them to cover their arms around. These plays either hit the other group with a punchy burst of shotmaking or unfold slowly until a mistake or mismatch can be attacked upon.
For the Charlotte Hornets, Walker likewise found himself using double picks quite a bit, but in Boston, his volume has actually escalated. Walker averaged 1.15 points per opportunity (83rd percentile) while squeezing out a lucrative 127.5 points per 100 possessions (85th percentile) for the Celtics.
Heading into the seasons restart, Boston Celtics point player Kemba Walker was among the leagues more crucial on-court enigma, as Bostons highest-paid gamer, assist-rate leader and 2nd scoring option. Early on, remaining discomfort in his left knee forced him to use a minutes limitation, and before the bubble, he had passed the 20-point mark only two times since Feb. 1. Even provided the production of young stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, it didnt seem possible for Boston to win four straight playoff series without Walkers offending firepower.
Dont change, and the result is a cleaner version of the same thing:
Weve yet to actually see it this year, but the beauty of putting Walker in a double pick with this specific lineup is that it lets Boston straight involve all three of its best gamers in a manner that puts each of them at a benefit on their male. Even if its just to get Tatum or Brown isolated versus a smaller sized protector, or turn them into playmakers gazing at a four-on-three edge, this development produces issues for anyone attempting to slow it down.
Heading into the seasons restart, Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker was one of the leagues more crucial on-court concern marks, as Bostons highest-paid gamer, assist-rate leader and second scoring alternative. Even given the production of young stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, it didnt seem possible for Boston to win four straight playoff series without Walkers offensive firepower.
Heres him doing similar work versus Pascal Siakam:.
Despite some inconsistent outside shooting in Bostons first-round playoff series versus the Sixers, Walker managed to average 24.3 points per video game and uncover his All-Star footing. In other words, when Bostons offense looks like an outhouse, these plays turn it into a vacation home; there are few recourses more rational than giving Walker the ball and having 2 fellow Celtics set a screen in the middle of the flooring. Enjoy how smooth Bostons offense runs after Brown screens Josh Richardson off Walker and forces Tobias Harris to change in the play below.
Put yourself in Terence Daviss shoes if youre brave enough. A flash after you changed onto Walker, you need to avoid him from using Williamss screen. For a minute, things appear to be going well … and after that Walker reaches into his bag and chars your ankles as Williams flips the screen and develops a wide open free-throw-line jumper.
Corralling Walker in space is a lot like poking a bumblebee with a toothpick. Here are a couple of plays that show why. The very first starts with Marcus Smart forcing Kyle Lowry to change, then letting Walker immediately enter into a middle choice and roll with Rob Williams.
Its against such athletic and versatile groups that Walkers shifty handle is available in helpful; he might be the very best gamer in the NBA at using a live dribble to lead his guy into a screen. As one of his former coaches, Steve Hetzel, informed me a few years ago: “Good pick-and-roll defense is when the protector gets into the ball-handler to negate and try separation on the screen.”
Misdirections and Easter eggs establish out of this basic development, too. Notice listed below how Walker begins on the left prior to he slaloms right at midcourt. The Grizzlies hedge and recuperate in reaction to Tatums first screen, however that was just a decoy. The real action happens when Daniel Theis flies over to set a flair screen for Brown on the weak side.
When he integrates such a spontaneous live dribble with two screens and one of the most destructive pull-up jumpers in the league, thats incredibly tough. (According to NBA.com, 76 gamers balanced at least 4 pull-up field-goal attempts this season, and Walker had a greater reliable field-goal percentage than all however 4 of them.).
Theres a popular, perfectly logical narrative about the Boston Celtics that basically states the height of their playoff ceiling will be set by Tatum and Brown. In numerous methods, this is real. Neither is older than 23, but both already have a flashing green light to be aggressive with the ball and are stone strong guardrails for one of the NBAs sturdiest defenses.
Inspect out our latest NBA predictions.
Even though Walkers double-pick chances have actually dropped somewhat on a per-100-possession basis considering that the season returned, he has still scored the third-most points in the bubble in double-pick scenarios. And according to Second Spectrum, his points per possibility in those areas is up in the 89th percentile, too.
Compared to Walker, theyre no longer variables however repaired integers that make Boston the title competitor it is. And instead of questioning how far Tatum and Brown will take them, the more pressing problem is Walkers function. The Celtics have myriad weapons at their disposal, even with Hayward out for the next few weeks. However when they wish to break the backs of their opponents, few options are better than putting the ball in Walkers hands, offering him 2 high screens, then sitting back to take pleasure in the program.
And in shift, when the Celtics have the ability to offer Walker a double drag screen, the hazard of his outdoors shot makes big males seem like theyre in no guys land till he blows past them for a layup.
Going forward, in Hayward-free lineups, the Celtics might want to offer Walker as lots of chances as he can physically deal with. The Celtics scored 1.4 points per possession when they supplied Walker with a double choice against the Raptors during the regular season; no gamer who had at least 10 openings here has been more efficient.
