One of the primary questions for the Celtics entering the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat was, who would slow down LeBron James and Dwyane Wade?
The answer, quite simply, was that nobody on the Celtics would be able to handle James and Wade — at least, not on his own.
The Celtics have gone with a defense by committee against Miami's two superstars, with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Mickael Pietrus and Marquis Daniels matching up most frequently in Games 3 and 4. From a statistical standpoint, James, who has averaged 32.3 points per game in the first four games of the series, and Wade, who has averaged 20.8, have easily won those matchups.
But the Celtics' intent is not to stifle James and Wade entirely, which would have been an impossible goal. The Celtics are merely trying to create as much hesitation as possible by varying the defensive looks both James and Wade face, while preserving Pierce and Allen's legs for the crucial possessions in the fourth quarter and overtime.
"It's huge for them," Daniels said. "Paul needs his legs for later on in the game. If we can come in and tie LeBron down, him and Wade, that's better for us."
"Paul has guarded him almost too much at times," Rivers said. "That's why Paul's fouled out two out of four games, and that's too much for us. The other looks have been helpful, especially Pietrus. He's done a terrific job overall. Listen, guarding LeBron is hard. He comes at you in so many different ways. He drives, he posts up, he shoots, then on misses you've got to look out for him when he rebounds. I think you have to have two or three different looks to try to slow him down."
Pietrus, who has drawn 12 personal fouls in 73 minutes with James on the court, virtually has abandoned his own offense to focus on defending James.
"I think it's good to give him a different look defensively with different guys," Pietrus said. "All of us just try to play our game and do the best we can to help the team win."
Against James, who essentially has no weaknesses, the Celtics have few avenues beyond simply mixing it up. Against Wade they have at least one clear-cut advantage, however.
Allen, Pietrus and Daniels are all taller than the 6-foot-4 Wade, even though none of them possess Wade's speed. Not known as a noted defender, Allen has nonetheless found a way to effectively guard the unguardable Wade, similar to his success against Kobe Bryant. Pietrus and Daniels, meanwhile, use their wiry frames to bother Wade's dribble and get their hands into passing lanes.
"He's so explosive, and he's going to get shots," Rivers said of Wade. "We know that, but we're hoping the shots are over longer people. We tell our guys, make him make shots and make him make shots over extended arms. The fact that 'Quis and MP have a height advantage, we're hoping that plays to our advantage."
On the final play of Sunday's game, Daniels illustrated just what the slightest edge in length can do. After Rondo came out of the timeout covering Wade, the Heat forced a switch into Daniels. Wade pump-faked Daniels almost out of the play and had an open look at the potential game-winning 3-pointer, but as Daniels sailed past, he was able to keep his left mitt extended in Wade's shot line for an extra moment.
Wade had to pause for a millisecond and leaned slightly to his right as he released his shot just before the final buzzer. It missed, and once again the Celtics showed that their defense, however thrown together, can almost always give them a chance.
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