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Nobody expected Boston to be 20-2, but, then again, nobody’s terribly surprised the rebuilt Celtics are among the NBA’s best teams. What is surprising – stunning, perhaps – is how the Celtics are doing it.
With their defense.
Garnett has long been considered one of the league’s premier defenders, but defense doesn’t make the top 10 of admirable qualities when the careers of the other two-thirds of Boston’s Big Three, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, are discussed.
Yet there the Celtics sit atop every relevant NBA defensive statistic. First in points allowed (86.5) by a wide margin – the Pistons are second at 91.2. First in field-goal percentage defense (.413). First in 3-point percentage defense (.305). First in allowing opponents’ rebounds.
Which begs the question: How? Garnett aside, it’s not a roster loaded with great individual defensive players.
“They’re more known for team defense,” said Flip Saunders, who insisted the Pistons would have as many mismatches to exploit as they usually do and said “I don’t think we’ll get shut out.”
Break Boston’s defensive success down to its basic elements, here’s what you get:
“To be honest with you, I attribute most of that to KG,” former Minnesota teammate Chauncey Billups said. “He has that ability to make everybody better at both ends. That’s what the great ones usually do.”
Saunders says Garnett is at least as good as any big man in the league at taking away the pick-and-roll option, which has become the staple of almost every half-court offense in the league.
“What they make you do is beat them from outside,” Saunders said. “They pack it in and take away the paint.”
The connection is even more tangible in basketball. Because Boston’s offense has been so dangerous – the Celtics are third in the league in field-goal percentage – the opposition starts more possessions than usual by taking the ball out of the net, which allows Boston’s defense to get set.
“They’ve been so good shooting the ball and scoring, they’ve been able to get their defense set,” Saunders said. “They’ve played a lot of half-court and really controlling the tempo of the game.”
“He’s been playing great lately,” Tayshaun Prince said. “If you’ve got a point guard who’s a great defender, that pretty much can stop the (opposition) point guard from setting plays up. That’s a great start to good team defense.”
So there you have it. The Celtics also have two pretty good defenders off their bench in wing players James Posey and Tony Allen, and nominal starting center Kendrick Perkins is strong and thick in the middle, a nice complement to the willowy and athletic Garnett.
It puts the onus on the Pistons, Billups especially, to be purposeful and efficient in their half-court execution. It also can’t hurt that the Pistons play superb defense themselves. So if they can get Boston to shoot a little more like other Pistons opponents (.436) instead of the Celtics’ .479, Detroit should get more transition opportunities than Boston is accustomed to surrendering.
It all makes for an interesting chess match that has the Pistons anticipating the matchup as much as fans around the NBA surely will be.
“I really don’t like playing against teams under .500,” Billups said. “You’ve got nothing to win. If you win by 20, you’re supposed to. I don’t like it. But I love playing games like this. It’s a great challenge.”
“A game like this, you know your players are going to be attuned to what’s happening,” Saunders said. “Both teams know if they don’t play well, they’re going to get their butts kicked.”
