What if Lu Dort and Cason Wallace shutting down Luka and Kyrie forced them to get teammates involved, gave Washington and Jones jr the chance to get into a rhythm and establish confidence?
What if, shutting down Luka and Kyrie, is a LOSING strategy?!?
by ManufacturerPale5024
17 Comments
Try telling that to Minnesota
Wolves didnt let PJ or DJJ beat them and , they still lost.
Ahhh yes…shutting down the players who average 34/9/9 and 25/5/5 is the losing strategy
Much better to key in on the guy who averaged 13 points this season on 44/32/68 shooting splits. That’s the guy you have to focus on
Cs took away the corner 3s and they don’t help much on defense so not as many open 3s. I am more surprised at how much of a non factor djj is…
P.J ‘s stats have all decreased in the last 2 years. Dallas gave him more minutes during the season and because of his size and athleticism try to make him a 3 pt shooter. Fact is his 3pt% was .314 during season and .413 during Thunder/Celtics playoffs. He’ not a 3 pt shooter, he just got hot.
Boston has taken away the lob threat by putting a smaller defender on Lively and Gafford so that when Luka or Irving call for a switch there is almost always an able defender on the ball handler. Boston is also smartly rotating a third defender to help take away the lob. They are living with Luka and Irving attempting/making contested layups or 2pt shots.
Dallas was trying to exploit this by switching Horford on to Luka or Kyrie and it really wasn’t working. Horford is a competent defender and funneled them in for a contested layup.
Averages
Boston is shutting down everything else and making Luka beat them on his own. We were not doing that to the degree that Boston is.
The law of averages.
I do think he played better against us, but it’s also true we were letting him have uncontested looks.
Because Bostons team is way better
Wide Open vs Not Wide Open.
Case Closed
WE! LEFT! HIM! OPEN!
Boston is just better across the board than every other team in the league. This concept is not difficult to understand. They have high level players at every position.
Thunder let him get comfortable. I have only watched the box score for The Finals. However, I know Boston’s defense doesn’t let shooters get comfortable.
The big difference is kyrie is playing like shit . Celtics are staying home and not doubling kyrie or Luka . This is taking away buckets from the role players . As well stopping the lob . This is literally the reason .
I bet and made money off of him ,he had 3 3s in game 3 3-6 from 3 and 2-8 before game 3 this isn’t accurate. [pj Washington’s stats](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/washipj01.html)