But the Celtics are only one game away from elimination small samples are all they have left. That chart isn’t based on a tremendously large sample. The Lakers, for comparison, lead the way as they’ve held their opponents to an average offensive rating that’s 7.9 ticks worse than their regular-season figures.ħ6ers Pick-and-Rolls Against Boston Ballhandler But other than the Suns, every other team that’s still alive in the playoffs has done better by this relative measure. Granted, both the Hawks and 76ers boasted top-10 offenses in the regular season, and Boston has held its two playoff opponents to an average offensive rating that’s 2.1 points worse per 100 possessions than those opponents managed in the regular season. But the Celtics struggled to contain the Hawks over the final four games of their surprisingly tight first-round series, and have found similar difficulty guarding the 76ers through five games (including one without MVP Joel Embiid). ![]() Boston Celtics: Can they guard the 76ers’ pick-and-rolls?Īlternatively: Where did the Celtics’ defense go? Boston ranked second in the regular season in defensive rating, after ranking first last season with largely the same rotation. So as NBA fans settle onto their couches for another 10 hours of hopefully exhilarating playoff basketball, here is one key question that Boston, Phoenix, New York, and Golden State need to answer as they all try to win Game 6 and bring those clichéd best words in sports into play. Houston’s improbable comeback against the Clippers.Īnd lo and behold, the second round of the 2023 playoffs has blessed us with four Game 6s over the next couple of nights. ![]() Klay Thompson’s explosion against the Thunder. ![]() Some of the NBA’s most dramatic and memorable moments of the past decade came from Game 6 classics, when the trailing team eked out another chance. The two best words in sports, the adage goes, are “Game 7.” But Game 6s are no slouches, with built-in stakes and two desperate teams: one fighting to survive, the other to avoid being pushed to Game 7.
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