While no Bothans died to get us this information, the Boston Celtics are in the same position as the rebel fleet: They have a very small window of opportunity against their massively powerful opponent. And just like the second Death Star, Brooklyn’s injuries left them looking incomplete, but still capable of making Boston witness the firepower of a fully armed and operational Nets team.
I guess Jayson Tatum is Luke Skywalker in this scenario. Evan Fournier is probably Han Solo. Marcus Smart is definitely Chewbacca. Kemba Walker is Lando Calrissian. And let’s put Brad Stevens in the role of Admiral Ackbar.
Just like the Rebel Alliance who had to take down a shield, fight off the Empire’s fleet, and get through the defenses to attack the Death Star’s core, there are three things that need to happen for Boston to pull off this miracle.
IT’S A TRAP!
What happens when Tatum gets blitzed and double teamed?
“They’re gonna blitz JT. Across the floor, we’re going to be playing 4-on-3, we’ve got to make the right play,” Smart said. “We have to make them pay. And we know that’s probably what they’re going to do is try to make everybody else beat them except JT. And that’s why there’s four other guys on the court. We have to be ready.”
The Nets’ weakness, obviously, is their defense. There will be opportunities for the Celtics to put up a lot of points. We might have to add a few points to Lawler’s Law and say the first team to 130 instead of 100 will be the team that wins.
Blitzing Tatum will give Boston plenty of opportunities to do just that.
“It's the secondary pass off of that that leaves (guys) open because now it's the third matchup that the Nets are trying to keep their eye on,” said Locked on Nets podcast host Adam Armbrecht when discussing the series with me on the latest Locked On Celtics podcast. “If they're having struggles with their switches, defensively, that is where somebody is going to be in the corner. We've seen this over the course of the season ... you can find guys just standing as if it's a six on five matchup or a five on four, and the Nets forgot to put in their full boat of players on defense. So there is a world where that can become a very big factor.”
Tatum has to recognize it, he has to give it up, and the Celtics have to move with quickness and precision to take advantage of that 4-on-3 situation. Whenever the Nets sell out on stopping Tatum, the rest of the team needs to pounce, and Tatum has to be okay with it.
“When Jaylen (Brown) went down I talked to Jayson a little bit about it,” Stevens said after the team’s Friday practice. “The ironic part of Jaylen being out is you think there would be more shots, but actually you get more attention, and you’ll have to make that easy right read more times than not. You’re probably looking more at a high assist stat line. So he’s just going to make the right read. I think Jayson’s done a great job of that.”
If the Celtics can make Brooklyn pay for this kind of defense, then Steve Nash will have to come up with a Plan B, and then it could be time for Tatum to will his team to a surprise win.
DO, OR DO NOT. THERE IS NO TRY
Somebody is going to get an opportunity off Boston’s bench. Whether it’s rookies like Aaron Nesmith or Payton Pritchard, or old favorites like Grant Williams or Semi Ojeleye, someone is going to be thrown into the unenviable role of surprise X-factor.
“We're gonna have to make shots and have threats to make shots all around (Tatum). I think that's been the case,” Stevens said. “Guys around him know they're going to get the ball when that opportunity presents itself.”
What do they do when they get the ball? This is where Yoda’s wisdom applies. There is no more trying to do things. Either do them, or sit down.
This might lead to Stevens just shoveling stuff up against the wall to see what sticks. Anyone who is not fully taking advantage of that opportunity could get a quick hook. The team can’t afford extended time with underperformers on the floor.
“You want to maximize possessions, you can’t throw away five possessions in a row against these guys because that becomes a 12-0 run really quickly,” Stevens said. “They’re so potent when you’re in front of them and challenging everything that, if you let them have easy things because of a lack of doing our jobs well, then that’s when you’re not going to be able to maintain cuts.”
With the status of Robert Williams for tomorrow’s game still unknown (he hasn’t participated in either practice), Stevens will be grasping at straws and hoping his choice comes through with solid play.
A second interpretation of the “do, or do not” line is also “do your job, or do not do your job, there is no try.” It is immensely important that whomever does get this opportunity off the bench doesn’t try to do more than just his job.
This is all going to be a delicate balance. Boston has almost no margin for error. These guys have to play their roles to the highest levels of their careers without going too far over the line and encroaching on someone else’s job. It’s the only way they have a chance.
IT’S NOT MY FAULT!
The Celtics can’t get bogged down like Han or Lando when the hyperdrive didn’t work. Whenever a mistake happens, they’ve got to fly back and prepare for the next play.
“When you make mistakes, it’s part of the game. You don’t want to think about it and you have to stay in the moment,” Fournier said. “So whether you play the best team in the NBA or the worst team in the NBA, when you play against better players, they’re going to make you pay. It’s the same principle, you have to stay in the moment, you have to make the right play, and there’s going to be mistakes, you have to push through it.”
This is very much an “easier said than done” thing because we’ve seen the Celtics get bogged down in missed shots, miscommunications on defense, and missed calls by the officials.
Any flinch, any brief moment of self-pity, the slightest “and one” glare at the ref could be the difference between getting back on defense, or watching Brooklyn pile up a run.
“When you play against the better teams, you know they won’t let you make runs very easily,” Fournier said. “There’s more pressure on you to not turn the ball over because you don’t want to give that team confidence. That’s the key. It’s going to be high-intensity basketball, everyone is locked in, I’m really not concerned about that at all.”
We all hope he’s right.
The odds aren’t great for Boston, but there is a way for them to at least make Brooklyn come away from this series knowing they earned their win.
Maybe, for once this season, the Celtics get a little luck and a lot of effort and play up to their capability and they pull off a surprise.
Now let’s blow this thing and go home.