The Celtics earned a day off after their sweep of the Brooklyn Nets, but they were back on the practice floor at the Auerbach Center on Wednesday in preparation for whomever they will face in the semifinals.
“The coaches who have those scouts are already working behind the scenes and then as the series starts to shift, obviously, you get a better sense of what could happen,” Ime Udoka said after practice was over. “We started today on a team, but we had some practice with it going into the play-in situation where we had to focus on three or four teams. Obviously, Brooklyn had to play Cleveland, so we prepared for both and so we have some practice with it knowing what team is the likely winner. We'll shift our focus there a little bit more.”
The coach won’t say it publicly but I can say it here: There's no chance the team they started on today was the Chicago Bulls. The Milwaukee Bucks lead Chicago 3-1 in the series, Game 5 is tonight, and the Bulls won’t have Zach LaVine (health and safety protocols) and Alex Caruso (concussion protocols). They're already without Lonzo Ball (knee), so I feel like the Celtics can start making their reservations for cheese curds at the Brat House.
The Bucks will present a big challenge, but will be without Celtics-killer Khris Middleton to start the series. The team said he’d be evaluated in two weeks after he was injured on April 20. That means he’s likely to miss at least two games, but he’s hopeful he can play in the series.
“I hope so,” he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “For sure, they say two weeks. Hopefully I’ll be ready or close to getting back to the court around then.”
That swings things a little more in Boston’s favor, but there's still the matter of a very big, very good Bucks team led by Giannis Antetokounmpo. After four games against the Nets, a defensive team with Milwaukee’s size might be a bit of a shock in Game 1.
“It's different. Every team presents different challenges,” Udoka said. “It's more traditional coverage. Nothing that we haven't seen this year. We've had success against both teams. So understanding that they're not going to beat themselves, they're going to play with a more physical style defensively and we're prepared for that. I think our record and what we've done over the last few months has shown we've seen a lot of really good defensive teams, some really good offensive teams, and we've managed that well.”
Once again, the coach doesn’t seem too bothered by his upcoming opponent. Udoka always seems to carry himself with that kind of confidence, but it’s been boosted by accepting the challenge of facing the Nets and dismissing them in four games.
“It's a great boost. We talked about doing it the way we wanted to do it, which was letting the chips fall where they may,” Udoka said. “To do it against a high-quality team that is not your typical seven seed, that bodes well for us going forward. But we understood it's the playoffs and we're going to have to play really good teams regardless. So one thing we talked about is we're a basketball team, not a track team, not running from people. So focus on it that way.”
The Celtics game plan will now adjust from one of the most lethal jump shooters in the game with a human wrecking ball in Antetokounmpo. He is a true force of nature that will require a different kind of plan.
“That’s one of the things that’s made our defense become one of the better defenses in the league,” Al Horford said. “Being able to adjust, to understand how we want to guard different guys. …It’s something that’s made the biggest difference for our group, and that’s why I feel we can adjust to any style we need to.”
And for Horford, even though the Nets were not a great defensive team, it doesn’t mean the Celtics will be ill-prepared for the next round.
“This was a physical series, too,” he said. “This did not feel like a first-round series on that level. It’s the playoffs, it’s going to be another challenge, Those teams are bigger teams, no question. That’s how we play. That’s what we do. Defensively that’s who we are, and I’m looking forward to it.”
CELTICS HEALTH METER FILLING UP
Jaylen Brown grabbed at his right hamstring late in Game 4, but later said he’d be fine. Udoka confirmed today that Brown was good and had practiced.
Robert Williams was on the floor as well.
“Feeling good, feeling great,” he said afterward. “No pain at all. Knee is responding well. On recovery days, it's responding well after days that are hard loads so it's good.”
Williams didn’t look like himself in Games 3 and 4, other than some flashes of his usual athleticism.
“Physically, he is fine. The wind I don't think was quite there in those last two games,” Udoka said. “You can scrimmage all you want, there’s no way to really emulate that live game pace and action, and so to get his wind back up will be big this week. Just get some live work in the last few days and just get him built back up so he can get back to his normal rotation, lineups, and minutes.”
That means a likely return to the starting lineup. Getting back onto the floor now can ramp him up closer to where he needs to be, though he probably won’t be fully back until he gets a few more games under his belt.
“There's really nothing you can do to prepare to play in the NBA game,” he said. “You can ride the bike all you want but it doesn't compare. … I felt like I was a step behind defensively, to be honest. Just knocking the rust off, being able to move certain ways goes back to the being in shape part. Just playing in games is the only thing that can help.”
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Udoka’s coaching style relies heavily on direct, honest communication. One way he did it was to put the players in a spot normally reserved for getting through tough times.
“One thing I have done this year had monthly players-only meetings,” he explained. “It's not always a negative connotation with it. It's if we're doing something well, we give those guys 15 minutes, we show them the numbers, where we're at over the last month or so. Then I give them 15 minutes to talk amongst themselves, then I walk back in and, what do you guys got for me?”
Udoka says that encourages leadership and communication, even with him as to what he could do better as a coach.
“We’ve done it a couple of times, but this is the most I’ve seen people engaged with it, really buying in and everyone getting a chance to voice their opinion,” Robert Williams said. “Whether it’s a position group or not, just voicing their opinion. People listening, taking stuff into consideration. And I feel like it’s definitely something that’s helped us.”
Horford, though, objects to the way the meetings were characterized.
“I don't like using the word meetings,” he said. “The whole meetings thing. I mean -- at the end of the day, it's just, I just think we figured out what we needed to do and how we needed to play and we're at the point now that we can hold each other accountable. And if guys see something, we can call each other out. I'm not going to make a very big deal out of those things. Is what it is. … we’re rolling and if we need to say something we're saying it and just enjoying this run.”
TATUM AND BROWN SHINE AS LEADERS
Call it what you want, Horford, but these assemblies to discuss work-related issues attended by coworkers have given Brown and Jayson Tatum opportunities to show greater leadership.
“Jaylen, since my rookie year, each year I’ve been playing with him he’s made tremendous jumps. I’m really proud of him,” Robert Williams said. “I think this year he took the role of being a vocal leader. A lot of people are made leaders, even if they don’t want to be a leader. A lot of people lead by example, and it’s the person JB is. He got out of his comfort zone this year. He’s a great vocal leader. He showed us that, so I’m proud of him for that.”
Brown is often seen in team videos speaking to his teammates and delivering words of wisdom. The team has had leaders in Horford and Marcus Smart, but Brown and Tatum, as the team’s best players, needed to fill that role as well.
Tatum spent a lot of time on the sidelines talking to teammates during the Brooklyn series. At one point in Game 3 during a rest he called Smart and Brown over to the bench to relay something that he’d seen. After he fouled out in Game 4, he was seen giving instruction on the sideline.
But for Williams, it’s more Tatum’s on-court actions that inspired him.
“I’m proud of him for just selling out and giving his all, especially on defense this year,” he said. “I’m proud of him, man. I’m just gonna leave it at that. I’m proud of my dog for stepping up, and when you got leaders like that, we’ve got to follow … When you see JT sitting down at halfcourt, ready to play defense, everybody behind him. We got his back. It’s a great way to lead and I feel like it’s the best way to lead.”
LOVE FOR GRANT WILLIAMS DEFENSE
I’ve pointed it out a number of times, but Grant Williams was tremendous defensively in the first round. Horford went out of his way Wednesday to make the same point.
“Grant, I’m pointing him out, just his ability to be able to guard small guys, big guys, just all over the place,” Horford said. “His presence was huge for us in this past series, and down the line all of our guys took that challenge.”
In Game 4, Williams spent 6:07 on Kevin Durant according to the NBA’s matchup data. Durant shot 3-11 (27%) and scored 8 points.
“A VERY EMOTIONAL MOMENT”
The game-sealing play in Game 4 was a Brown rebound off a missed Durant free throw that he pitched ahead to Smart, who ultimately missed a layup that was put-back by Horford.
Brown admitted after the game that “it really was a dangerous pass. I really probably shouldn’t have thrown that. It ended up working out, but it definitely probably wasn’t the smartest pass. But it ended up working out.”
Afterwards, this video of Horford giving a wide-eyed Brown an extended hug went viral. Horford explained that moment.
Instant classic GIF@Al_Horford @FCHWPO pic.twitter.com/43JZmHD8PO
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) April 26, 2022
“Well, that was a very emotional moment,” he said. “It was a very hectic – I don’t know how much time went through there, but it was intense, you know. It was intense. Jaylen made the pass, it was a very close call, could have been turned over. And obviously we scored, they called a timeout at that point, and my biggest thing was, my first reaction was like, I kind of saw in his eyes, like, so I just went over to him and just made sure that, ‘I’m there with you, we’re gonna get through this, we’re good,’ type thing. And we’re all continuing to learn to figure things out, but at that moment, it was kind of like, let me go over to my guy, there’s relief, we got the basket, and now let’s move onto the next play and let’s finish this game.”