EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: NBA analyst Tim Welsh describes keys for Celtics’ success in NBA Finals

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: NBA analyst Tim Welsh describes keys for Celtics’ success in NBA Finals

Celtics Tim what’s your biggest concern going into this series well I think it’s it’s both guys the two-headed monster and you’ve got to find a way to control one of them and that’s what Minnesota’s problem was I mean Luca and Kyrie you can’t let them both get over 30 you know you’ve gotta control Luca’s probably gonna get his so you got to try to find a way to control Kyrie because Luca is gonna have those nights where he’s just going to go get 35 but you know they had two games in the Minnesota series Luca had 36 and so did Kyrie and one another game they both had 33 so that makes it so much easier when both of them are on fire like that that makes it so much easier for those roll guys to now step up because you’re paying so much attention to those two then Lively’s going to get his and gafford’s going to get his and Washington they’re all going to contribute enough where you can go uh I think they’ve got they’ve got to they’re going to make them take tough twos you know they don’t shoot a lot of Threes they only take in the playoffs they’re only taking about 34 a game which is a low number the Celtics shoot 40 so make them take the tough twos don’t put Luca on the line and don’t let both of them go off it’s easier said than done but they’re going to have to find a way to contain Kyrie and not let him get those straight line drives to the rim how would you match up how would you defend him who on who and how would you play the high screening role with Luca when they bring the big guy out how would you defend all of that you know I I think you got to mix it up you can’t give him one look because he’s so Luca’s so smart that whatever you do do he’s going to take advantage of the opposite so I would say you put a you got to put a big body on him I put Jaylen Brown on him for sure I put holiday on on Kyrie and try to give him a little bit more size as well and white can guard him at times they’ll do some switching outside but what you don’t want is you don’t want Al Horford chasing Luca around on the perimeter because that’s gonna number one Luca is gonna have his way even though Al’s capable and it’s also going to wear Al out because you’re going to need him you’re going to need him to make some shots you know showed in the last series he’s still capable of making some threes um you’re going to have the drop covers are so good at the lob you’re going to they’re going to get some lobs which is okay I think the lobs are better than Luca stepping back for threes that’s that’s easy math you’ve got to give him some switching you got to double them once in a while and see who who you leave open out on the perimeter you know they they’re not a great great three-point shooting team I mean they Luca and Kyrie are gonna hurt you and PJ Washington but other than that they’re not a guy you can help off guys and help off on Kyrie now the other issue and I heard you guys talking about a little bit is of the edge I think the overall edge of the Celtics is really important you know I point back to when he was with Brooklyn you know he making straight line D drives to the rim like he’s driving down the pike with nobody else on it I mean you’ve got to make it difficult for him in the lane someone’s got to put some resistance you know someone’s got to slide over and try to block his shot or foul him at times to make it make him feel uncomfortable because if he feels comfortable he’s pretty much Unstoppable if he thinks he can get to the rim with no resistance he’s going to go he’s going to put his head down and go Tim what about the other end of the floor A lot’s been made of the Dallas defense where are they vulnerable if at all well I think you got to make Luca work Tony uh Luca is not a great defender everybody knows it and he’s going to have his work cut out for him in this series because they try to hide him on defense because they they’ll funnel stuff to their big guys because they do have the big guys in the Middle with Gafford and Washington and Lively that can make plays at the rim and Luc maybe extend a little bit but you’ve got to put him in situations where he’s got a guard and and they’re going to do that they’re going to attack him they’re going to put him in situations whether they’re in switches or straight down isolation plays on the wing where he they’re going to make him work and number one he’s not a good Defender but number two if you make him work it’s going to maybe take away from the offensive end although he he’s so good he’s so smart he knows how to when to go when to slow and how to save himself for the offensive end on the floor but there’s no doubt since the trade trade deadline they are much better defensively I mean Lively was has had a really good rookie year but the other two guys Gafford and Washington have given him extra bodies to throw at you so they’re going to pressure out on the perimeter take away the Celtics three so the Celtics are going to have to isolation ball is not going to work in the series they’re going to have to move the ball and move the men out on the perimeter a little bit to move those big guys try to get them outside of the lane so there was news today porzingis is going to be ready to go for game one to him if there’s any question or concern about him not being 100% should they consider ke Horford in the starting lineup uh yeah I would I think you got to just try to try to get him in there though if you’re going to sit him sit him after he warms up and and plays for a little bit uh if he comes in Off the Bench cold I think that there’ be a concern maybe he comes in and he is cold and he maybe tweaks the injury again you know he’s a seasoned veteran Jim I I just think that uh he knows his body it sounds like he’s still concerned about playing at a high level as far as when that the lights go on and the scoreboard goes on even though he has been in scrimmages I think he’s they’re gonna they’re gonna manage it they’re going to be smart about it they’ve been smart about it I think he probably could have played at the end of the Pacers series that’s what I’ve been told but they’ve been very smart about it and you have to because you got to kind of ease him back into it I would throw him out there right away and then see how he looks three or four minutes and then get him out and try to keep him warm on the sideline it’s Tim Welsh of ESPN former head coach Providence College you know him well around here watch him on NBC Sports Boston and other venues Tim when you watch Jason Tatum uh are you left wanting for more or do you think people are too critical of his game you know uh of course you want more any coach any you know player any guy you guy that’s in the front office you’re saying does he have that extra gear when things go tough I saw it a little bit in the Indiana series at times uh you want it all the time I think he’s been better this year I I do think he’s been better uh you guys have talked about it today I heard you talking about the edge uh that sometime it’s hard to put into people it’s hard to put into players he’s got the talent he’s very good he understands there’s going to be a lot of pressure I think he’s going to play well in the series I do I think they’re gonna have a hard time matching up against him and he’s going to see early and often that he can score in this series and he’s going to go get it he’s got to get it within the within the scope of the offense uh but I think he’s growing I like that he and brown kind of are Twan tandem right now as far as Leaders go and I think Brown is rubbing off them a little bit I’d like to see a little bit more though do you worry about the iso bowl a little bit but I think they’ve grown out of that especially with porzingis uh back in the lineup he helps pass the ball he helps move the ball I think they’ve learned over the course of the year that doesn’t work uh you saw that in in game two after game two believe in the Miami series uh they went back to the film room you know Joe Missoula is not going to come out and say this to us but he’s going to go back to the film room they’re going to have some hard talks and hard sessions back there and you know he’s got a great coaching staff with him that these guys are going to tell it like it is and I think they’ve been consistent with that all season long you know they may throw one up one night where they just don’t show up on offense and they take bad shots that’s going to happen but over the course of a seven game series I don’t think that that will rear its ugly head you mentioned Missoula I know you have a little bit of a history with them down in Providence right I forget exactly what the connection is but I I I know you’re you know really familiar with them what have you seen from him do you think he’s grown here in the last year or two oh absolutely yeah Joe was Joe used to come to our camp when he was 12 years old he grew up about 10 minutes from Providence College campus a great young guy his dad was a heck of a high school coach in Rhode Island uh listen he was thrown into a tough situation a year ago you know anytime I I thought about it myself if if I was handed the keys to say when I was an assistant at Syracuse and Jim beheim stepped away one day from the first G first game of the season uh here coach the team now no you don’t get to hire your own assistance and good luck uh so he did he did pretty darn good with what he had was faced with last year but this year now he’s got his own staff had a whole year to evaluate he’s got Brad there to help him and talk to him about growing as a coach you know Jeff F Gundy I’m sure has talked to him and and right now he is I mean he is coached terrifically playoffs he’s been he’s been faced with different situation Indiana series I Thought He adjusted well in-game adjustments lineup changes the one game in Indiana where he went small ball and he brought in brette he gave him good minutes he’s had his b he’s developed a bench all year long and that hasn’t always been the case you’ve seen coaches just really try to grind it out and not develop bench you saw it in New York I mean New York had no bench at the end of the year with the injuries their guys weren’t ready to play but he’s had he’s developed a bench you know with Pritchard and Hower and even cornette to a certain degree those guys can give you some minutes if needed and he’s used them and he has them ready for the playoffs and I think you know he’s been really good with the media this year and he’s comfortable in his shoes and you know he’s he understands that the he has the support of the upper management and that’s important as a coach if you don’t feel that support uh then you’re G to always be doubting and you’re going be on the defensive but I think the marriage is is really worked out this year all right Tim who do you like and why I like Boston I I really do and and I know the concerns I just don’t see enough on the other on the other side I don’t see enough where they can stop uh Boston you know Boston you know with Drew holiday playing like he did in the Indiana series with Al Horford steping and listen we know he’s not going to make seven threes every night but he’s feeling like he could he’s back playing in a good Groove again I think Brown feels like this is his time and I think Tatum will say listen I’ve got a great support system I don’t have to do everything but I can still be the leader of the band and I think that their defense is good enough to slow down Kyrie and Luca to a certain degree take away their bigs stretch the floor out a little bit and offensively I just think they’re just too dangerous I don’t think I can’t see a way where Dallas can outscore them every night well let me just so you like the Celtics but let me ask you this donic or Tatum who would you take oh uh you know I like I like Tatum only because because of the fact that of the size and the athleticism and he gives you a little bit more on the other end and he’s a heck of a rebounder I mean he’s just re been rebounding the ball terrifically uh in this series you know can you reach down and find that extra gear maybe not but the talent I think will oversee any over Loop any of that over the Long Haul but listen you’re you’re split and hairs they’re both great but what I’m driving at is and I’m sorry Tim what I’m driving at is the best player usually wins right so is it a problem if Tatum’s not the best player I’ll just leave you with that uh yes it is a problem in this series for sure I mean if Luca’s you know putting the team on his back like Steph Curry did a couple years ago and Tatum is having off nights then it is going to be a problem although they’re built differently now they’re totally built differently they’ve got more leadership they the the coach has got the team under his hand I mean you got no Marcus Smart you’ve got no brogon the locker room lawyer these were a detriment a year ago and I think they’re really connected this year so I think that can overcome if Luca is the best player but uh I wouldn’t want to see it if I’m Boston I think he he could be an issue but I think Tatum will be able to step to the plate and at least be close to Luca

NBA analyst and former NCAA basketball head coach Tim Welsh joined Felger & Mazz for an exclusive interview, and he described all the things the Celtics need to do to be successful and to get over the hump in the NBA Finals.

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