Celtics Spread the Floor and go Inside Out

Congrats to the Boston Celtics, the 2008 NBA World Champions. They dominated every facet of the game and the outcome of the game was never in doubt after the first quarter and a half. The Lakers weren't able to get that early lead like they did at home and when the Celtics made their run, nothing was stopping them this time.

Here is the key 2nd quarter sequence for me. The score is still pretty close, up by 5 or so points. The Celtics get a big offensive rebound, which they convert into a 3-pointer out of a Paul Pierce double-team to skip pass. On defense, they stop the penetration by Vujacic and come back the other way for a fast-break 3-pointer. Boom, 9-point lead, turn out the lights, game over. Take a look,



I love the spread setup here by the Celtics. It's why Phil Jackson hates to double-team, because it causes so many residual problems when you try to recover. This is exasperated by the Celtics spread, which prevents the close outs,



The Celtics really won this series with their defense. With the exception of a few quarters, they really locked down. We all know they have the capability of shutting anyone down in the half-court, but their ability to transition back on defense was the key. The Lakers got some fast-break points, but not much. That was also helped by their methodical offense, playing possession basketball and taking quality shots minimizes the Lakers opportunities to push the ball.

Again, congrats to the city of Boston, home of the 2007 World Series Champs and now the 2008 NBA World Champs. Paul Pierce is the best player the Celtics have, and was well-deserving of the Finals MVP. What a playoffs, what a season, can't wait to do it all again in November.

Lets face it, we all could use more help on teaching better shooting. Take a look at Ed Palubinskas's DVD on Becoming a Great Shooter. Coach Palubinskas has worked with professionals such as Lisa Leslie, Shaquille O'Neal and recently Lauren Jackson. To discuss this and many more of your favorite basketball topics, head over to the X's and O's of Basketball Forum to talk with other coaches from around the world.