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“It’s easier to post someone out of pick and roll than it is just straight post,” Rivers said. “Their weakside is so athletic with LeBron or Wade, it’s difficult to throw a pass up in the air. But at the end of the day, Kevin’s still the biggest guy on the floor. The longest guy.”
Now the Heat have to adjust.
“They were able to get probably the easiest buckets they’ve been able to get all playoffs, and particularly in the paint, at the rim,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters at Miami’s practice on Saturday. “They were making one-trigger plays to get deep catches in the paint on any situation that they wanted to. It could have been a pick-and-roll, it could have been a post-up, it could have been a catch-and-shoot.”
It’s not just Garnett. The Celtics want to post everybody.
“We want to post all of them and that’s one of the points we made before the game, not just Kevin,” Rivers said. “Brandon [Bass], if they keep switching, wherever they switch, let the ball find them and we want to post anybody, any mismatch we have. Throw it in and see how they react.”
WEEI – Four for Game 4: What Celtics need to do to even series
The Celtics strategy in the post is similiar to my approach with the ladies back in the 90s (rimshot).
How will Miami adjust to Garnett's dominance? They can go with a bigger lineup, stop fronting or send an immediate double team to Garnett.
Bass in the post is a bit scary. He never seems quite sure what he's going to do.
Another nugget from Paul Flannery's column:
Rajon Rondo has been on the floor for 140 minutes out of a possible 149 in the first three games of the Eastern Conference finals and has recorded just nine turnovers. In between, he’s scored 81 points, grabbed 23 rebounds and handed out 27 assists while shooting 55 percent from the floor and 77 percent from the free throw line.
Head-shaking statistics.
Related link: Herald – Garnett gives Celtics advantage on inside
On Page 2, Doc Rivers is winning the chess match with Erik Spoelstra.
Rivers has consistently outcoached Spoelstra, considered one of the game’s bright young minds, over the last few years. The Celtics have hardly matched Miami’s talent in playoff series the last two years, but Rivers has scripted ways for his team to remain competitive, and last season, Miami’s athleticism and the 3-point shooting of James were the only reasons they won the Eastern Conference semifinal duel with Boston.
“I’m so focused on beating Miami and figuring out a way to beat this team,’’ Rivers said. “They beat us last year and we want to break through against them. Really, that’s my focus.’’
Rivers has worked tirelessly breaking down film to exploit the Heat’s few weaknesses and to use the Celtics’ staunch defense to make James and Dwyane Wade uncomfortable. So far, it’s worked on Wade, who has gotten off to slow starts in three consecutive games, and scored just 18 points in Game 3.
Globe – Doc Rivers winning the chess match
No surprise here. Doc is a freakin' genius.
The pressure is on Spoelstra. He better find ways to get better looks for Dwyane Wade or his superstar bully might bitch slap him in the huddle. Remember this?
Related link: CSNNE – Adjustments a team affair for Celtics
The rest of the links:
Herald – Not much has changed | Paul Pierce giving his all on defense | CSNNE – Heat not pressured by Game 3 loss | ESPN Boston – Off day: We talkin' about practice? | Bosh out for Game 4 | Short term memory loss for Cs | Globe – Garnett's greatness always worth notice | Celtics know they need to improve to beat Heat | Hobbled Ray Allen surprised Heat with dunk |
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
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