Celtics-Knicks: 4 things that can be seen in the massive game 6

The semi -finals of the Eastern Conference between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks was somehow crazy.

The Celtics had at least 14 points all five games and exceeded the Knicks with 35 points in the series. But they used up great information in games 1, 2 and 4 and scored an incredibly anemic 12 points with 24 coupling owners. If a few possessions had their way here and there, they could have grasped this series very much.

They lost Jayson Tatum at the end of game 4, but then they blown out the kinks in game 5 and received great achievements by Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Luke Kornet.

This is a huge game 6 in Madison Square Garden (8 et, ESPN) on Friday.

Here are some notes, numbers and films while the Knicks try again to switch off the champions …

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1. The crime of the Celtics was on fire

After the Celtics achieved less than one point per property in the first two games in the first two games in this series, they achieved in the last three 129.6 per 100. This is the worst defense of the Knicks this season.

Good (and bad defense) begins in the transition, and that was a big difference in the last three games. After the Celtics achieved only 30 points for 40 transitional possessions (0.75 per) in the first two games, they achieved 80 points in the last three 82 for 52 transitional possessions (1.54 per), according to Synergy tracking …

Celtics' transition crime, conference -Semis

Diff. = BOS -transition points -NYK -transition points
Via synergy tracking

Almost half (15) of the 31 transition points of the Celtics in game 5 were either white 3 points or a foul with a white 3-point attempt, and you cannot expect that white will shoot so well in the future.

But a consistent urging of the transition can do two good things for the Celtics crime, apart from the fact that you only get simple buckets …

A) It can trigger the ball movement against a defense that is not entirely determined …

B) There can be mischiefs like Al Horford against Jalen Brunson after a change at the other end of the floor …

Since Brown Brunson protects when the Knicks have the ball, this is a mismatch that the Celtics could continue to come on the offensive if they don't give New York time to change.

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2. Can the Knicks put together another big offensive game?

Although the offensive of the Celtics was super efficient for three games in a row, the Knicks game 4 won because their own offenses had their best game of the series (121 points on 94 possessions) with a huge lead. In the other four games in this series, New York only achieved 104 per 100.

In game 5, Josh Hart shot 5: 9 from the 3-point range and Mitchell Robinson went 6-to-6 from the free-wire line, and the Knicks lost at 25.

The offensive fights begin with the Knicks starting line -up, which only achieved 100.9 per 100 in the 107 minutes in this series. Brunson obviously bears a severe cargo and Hart shot 10-against-26 (38%) from the 3-point range, although he could shoot a little faster if the Celtics leave it open.

The other three starters of the Knicks have come together for an effective field target percentage of only 46.7%. Mikal Bridges and Karl Anthony cities are 8-opposite-37 (22%) from 3-point range, while OG anunoby is only 10- against 31 (32%) inside the arch. Bridges (zero) and Anunoby (eight) also summarized only eight free throwing attempts over the five games.

It was difficult to make these boys open and the appearance of the in-rhythm, since the Celtics do not send several defenders at Brunson. They are defensively so good because they have several defenders who can protect him one to one.

They led double when Brunson was isolated against Luke Kornet, Kristaps Porziņģis or Payton Pritchard, but the willingness of the Celtics to leave hard in these situations enables them to remain connected to the other three kinks on the floor.

At the beginning of the third quarter of game 5, there was a property in which Kornet was switched to Brunson. Brown came back with a double team and left hard for a second. But Kornet crawled back quickly and deleted the advantage of the kinks …

When Bridges had two large fourth quarters in this series, the crime went through him. But mostly the ball was in the hands of Brunson, which leads in this round (10.0 minutes per game) with a healthy lead in this round.

Brunson certainly has the ability to produce a big game on Friday, but the Knicks probably need more of their wings to end this series.

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3. Celtics were better with a big one

When Porziis could not start the second half on Wednesday, the Celtics replaced him with cockets. That was a great move and Kornet had the game of his life and paid 10 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks.

But the Celtics were better when Kornet was the only big one on the floor when he played next to Horford, who took his fourth foul less than two minutes in this third quarter.

For the series, the Celtics with only one of their three centers on the floor (plus 16.4 points per 100 possessions) were much better than with two (minus 7.9 per 100). A smaller line -up and more guards give them more games, and the crime was with only one big one. But the greater difference was in defense …

Celtics with 1 or 2 bigs on the

Offrtg = points per 100 possessions achieved
DefrtG = points per 100 possessions permitted
NTRTG = point difference per 100 possessions

A large part of the two-big problem were Porzi 'problems with his illness. Of these 80 two big minutes, 48 ​​of them either played next to Horford or Kornet, and the Celtics were exceeded in these 48 minutes with 15.4 points per 100 possessions.

The combination of Horford cornet was positive (Plus-3.7 per 100), and we will surely see more of it in game 6. But we could also see a lot more of the Celtics that play smaller, with just one big one on the floor. And if Porziis (currently not in the injury report) is ineffective or cannot play, this does not necessarily mean that we will see a fourth large (Neemias Queta) in the rotation.

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4. Can cities play big against the Celtics Guards?

If the Celtics play smaller, it is more likely that cities are defended by a guard. The Celtics were consistent in putting their centers tough. With Tatum in game 5 was the main defender of the cities of Jrue Holiday.

The Knicks only used this matchup in the middle of the fourth quarter when they went back by more than 20 points. The cities achieved three direct possessions against the vacation in a row and received a driving layup, a short dip hook and a few free throws.

Then the Celtics sent a double team and he turned the ball …

The Knicks could surely explore this matchup in game 6. If the Celtics double, it will surely be hard that remains open. But if cities get out of the ball and the Knicks move it quickly, the lanes could open.

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John Schuhmann is a high -ranking statistical analyst at NBA.com. You can send him an email Herefind His archive here And Follow him on X.

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