The NBA playoffs are like a chess match, and Joe Mazzulla is eager to make the first move.
The Boston Celtics return to action Thursday at TD Garden for Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals, following a nine-day hiatus. The Celtics and Dallas Mavericks have had enough of time to prepare for each other, and the media has had plenty of time to analyze every aspect of this series.
However, when it comes to talking strategy, Mazzulla provided an important reminder to reporters on Tuesday.
On a recent Celtics Talk Podcast, NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg and the Boston Sports Journal’s John Karalis noted that Mazzulla was discussing narratives in this series when he gestured toward a television in the press conference room that was playing NBA TV. The piece focused on the Mavs’ superb lob game, and how it was “imperative” for Boston to prevent Dallas big men Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II from receiving alley-oops at the hoop.
🔊 Celtics Talk: Kristaps Porzingis Ready to Play in Game 1 of Finals; What to Expect? | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube.
“(Mazzulla) looks at it and says, ‘See?” We can accomplish it, but there’s always — you’re giving it up,'” Karalis told Forsberg during Celtics Talk. “And he said at his press conference, ‘If you stop A, you’ll give up B, and if you stop B, you’ll give up C. And it is a decision.
“So he said, ‘Look, we’re going to stop the Mavs’ lob game.'” We will put a stop to that. But then we’ll give up something else, and you’ll say, ‘Oh, you have to stop this, that, and the other thing.’
“Basically, he was saying that they’re going to stop certain things, but that will open them up to other storylines, and that the team needs to block out the narratives. (He was) kind of putting it on us (reporters) to be smarter in our coverage and say, ‘They’re giving certain things up because they’re taking away the lob.'”
Both the Celtics and the Mavericks thrive in several offensive categories. It’s why they’re the only two teams still in the playoffs and have the NBA’s two best records since the February 8 trade deadline. To Mazzulla’s point, it’s about what the C’s are willing to give up rather than what they need to stop.
And Mazzulla is challenging the media to highlight the latter rather than harping on the former.
“If he’s true to his word and the Celtics have taken away the lobs to Lively and Gafford, then he’s kind of telling us in that moment, ‘You guys have to figure out what we’re living with by taking that away,'” Karalis said.
“Don’t write, ‘P.J. Washington is killing them!'” They need to figure out how to stop P.J. Washington.”You have to write, ‘P.J. Washington is what they’re willing to live with because they’re taking away all these lobs.'”
Mazzulla’s remarks are a nice reminder that most defensive decisions are deliberate. So if Mavericks forward P.J. Washington gets many open looks in Game 1 and scores 20 points, it’s most likely because the Celtics are attempting to take the ball away from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, as well as guarding against lobs in the paint to Gafford and Lively.
At the end of the day, the only statistic that matters is a win, and it will be interesting to see what techniques Mazzulla and Mavs head coach Jason Kidd employ to position their teams for success.
Also featured in this episode:
Did Kristaps Porzingis’ press conference help you feel better about his current situation?
Kristaps Porzingis’ complete news conference.
Leave a Reply