What the Celtics Need To Worry About: Pick Your Poison?
The Celtics are in a tough predicament.
Facing one of the most talented teams in the league and arguably the MVP, situations like these have no quick fix. The best decision would be to pool your resources into a specific strategy and live with the result, as opposed to everything going wrong.
It will be next to impossible to beat the Bucks when Bledsoe, Middleton, and Giannis all have great games. So the Celtics have to figure out what they want to give up because they can’t stop everything.
It likely revolves around how they help off Giannis. When the Bucks put Giannis in the PnR as either the ball-handler or the screener, it gives him space inside the three point line and clear sight of the basket. That is a recipe for disaster, as the last three games have indicated. The combination of Giannis using the PnR and his teammates stepping it up offensively have caused significant problems for the Celtics.
One potential option for Boston is to provide zero help for Giannis, let him get 40 and then try to limit the scoring opportunities for the other Bucks. However, Giannis has been absolutely clinical in the paint even with help, so one can only imagine what ridiculous numbers he would put up in isolation near the rim. Secondly, Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe are doing just fine on their own, and each has scored over half of their points unassisted by any player.
The other option is to provide ample help to Giannis and leave the Bucks perimeter players open. This is the strategy the Celtics have used so far, and besides Game 1 where Giannis was looking to attack at all costs, it has not worked well. Middleton and Hill are shooting over 40 percent from 3, with both of them scoring over 66 percent of them off assists.
The Bucks are simply looking too good right now. Giannis is systemically breaking down the Boston defense, wreaking havoc in the paint and creating opportunities for his teammates. As long as GA is sharing the ball and picking his moments to attack correctly, the series should be done in five irrespective of the Celtic strategy.