EXPOSED: How The Celtics Defense Stifled KEVIN DURANT

This is the moment that decided everything. In a scramble situation, on the kick out, Tatum goes to the basket for what he thinks would be a shot by Smart, but his defender KD gets caught up watching the ball. And just moments later, this loss of concentration by Durant gets punished with an instant classic moment and the game winner by Tatum.
However, as memorable as this would turn out to be, it was actually the Celtics defense on Durant and overall against Brooklyn that won them this game.
And I’ll break down everything for you. What up everybody, my name is Stefan and this is Heat Check. Let’s get into it.
This is pretty much what the game plan was for the Celtics defensively.
Have Grant Williams as the primary guy, but then as soon as Durant puts the ball on the floor, have everyone else shrink and close the driving lane. Make somebody else take the shot.
This was even more obvious in this example when Kyrie wasn’t in the game.
On the handoff from Dragic as we stop it right here, you see Williams attached to the hip, and Al Horford closing the driving lane.
At the same time, notice how White is watching Dragic, meaning that he’s ready to rotate over there if there’s a pass outside, and Tatum is splitting the difference between his guy out here, and Claxton, so that he’s ready to rotate down here if the pass goes to the big man.
As we let it roll, KD takes a contested shot which of course he can make, but this execution is all that you ask from the players if you’re Ime Udoka.
Again, on the drive, Kevin is swarmed by Boston players, and check out the textbook example of going vertical and contesting the layup cleanly. The body contact, no foul and another miss.
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And I gotta give a major shoutout to Al Horford who as an almost 36 year old did a phenomenal job on multiple switches against Durant.
To be able to keep up with one of the deadliest scorers in NBA history at his age is unbelievable, and this is just a stunning possession. As you can see Kevin has Horford on an island way out here, with room to go both left and right.
But check out the incredible defense by Al, literally hounding Durant all over the perimeter, eventually forcing a tough fadeaway with the shot clock expiring and a bad miss.
This was absolutely amazing.
The Celtics have a lot of long and athletic guys to throw at KD, whether that is Tatum like in this situation, or Brown right here following the action and getting another block, they really made it difficult for him.
Even with all of that however, Kyrie still went nuclear on Boston, and the Nets almost won the game.
This is going to be the story for the rest of this series, as the Celtics will have to pick their poison and shut down 1 only to have the other guy explode.
But as long as they keep playing this type of defense, and the size advantage that they have, they are in a good position.
Before the series I picked the Nets in 7 and although they almost won game 1 on the road, I’m much higher on the Celtics right now. Still there’s no switching and I’m staying with my pick. Brooklyn in 7. That’s it for now, subscribe and talk to you in the next one. Peace out.