The Boston Celtics did not shoot the ball well during their Game 1 loss to the Brooklyn Nets in Saturday’s first-round matchup.
But, and as they’ve done at points this season, they didn’t exactly help themselves out on the offensive end of the floor, especially in the second half of Boston’s 104-93 defeat.
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens is hoping they can make a key adjustment on that end of the floor during Tuesday’s Game 2 in Brooklyn. Stevens revealed how movement — both body and ball movement — were a key focus during Boston’s two days off.
“They did a good job in Game 1, they played really hard, the Nets. And (they) executed the switches with physicality and toughness, they got good length in that group,” Stevens said on a pregame video conference Tuesday.
“So what you have to do is you have to, when you’re playing against switching, you have to cut before the contact. You have to keep the ball moving side to side. You have to quickly get it to the other side of the floor and drive it, shoot it or move it with quicker decisions,” Stevens added. “The more that we hold it and isolate, it’s going to be very difficult.”
The Celtics have found themselves playing that isolation basketball at various points this season. And while many will first point to Jayson Tatum, he is not alone. That sort of game will not work against a team as talented as the Nets.
“It’s more about movement, both body movement and ball movement, than anything else,” Stevens said. “Against this, you have to, like I said, you have to cut before they can contact switch. So, that’s what we’ve been focused on the last couple days.”
The Celtics assisted on just 19 of their 31 baskets during Monday’s loss. And while shooting 37 percent from both the field and from 3-point land obviously is not a recipe for success, neither is that number of assists. Boston has looked very good in games where they move the basketball and record 26, 27,28 assists.
They’ll have to do that for the remainder of their first-round series if they want to even make it interesting against the most talented team in the Eastern Conference.
Nets-Celtics is set to tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET from Barclays Center.
