C’s cash in “Charity” to steal one from the Knicks

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The C’s on-again/off-again free throw shooting – they’ve ranged from 94% fine-and-dandy, to 59% bowling-shoe-ugly through five games – picked the right game to right itself Friday night on Causeway Street. It proved to be the difference between winning and losing, no disrespect to Jayson Tatum’s clutch game-winner.

New York’s definitive 15-point edge in Second-chance points (20- 5) allowed them to match Boston’s total of 45 converted possessions. Their shoddy, sub-40% shooting from the field had put them in need of such salvaging.

AP Photo/Elise Amendola

Coach David Fizdale’s Knicks did launch often enough from long-distance to record 14 treys, but squandered half of that “Bonus” with seven missed foul shots.

Despite three fewer treys than their opponents, a mere two FT misses allowed the Celtics to win the “Striping” battle 9 – 7 … the equivalent of one additional conversion in a two-point victory.

With a three-day respite leading into a stretch of steady play (14 games in 27 days), this was an important game NOT to lose.

3PAr

For the third game in a row, Brad’s (small) Ballers exceeded a 40% usage rate for three-point shots. For the second game in a row, the opposition did likewise – Milwaukee’s .549 3PAr on Wednesday is the second-highest for the season to date.




Boston 104

FG: C’s – 33-74, .446
3FG: C’s – 11-34, .324
FT: C’s – 27-29, .931 [12 conversions]
TS%: C’s – .599
OR: C’s – 3 + 0 (team) [minus 0 FT rebounds]
DR: C’s – 41 + 1 (team) [minus 4 FT rebounds]
TO: C’s – 14 + 0 (team)
Poss: C’s – 97 {52 “Empty”}
PPPs: C’s – 1.072
CV%: C’s – 45 / 97, .464
Stripes: C’s – 9 [4.5 conversions]
Adjusted CV%: C’s – 49.5 / 97, .510 {expected production, 99 points}


New York 102

FG: NY – 37-93, .398
3FG: NY – 14-38, .368
FT: NY – 14-21, .667 [8 conversions]
TS%: NY – .499
OR: NY – 16 + 1 (team) [minus 0 FT rebounds]
DR: NY – 35 + 2 (team) [minus 0 FT rebounds]
TO: NY – 13 + 0 (team)
Poss: NY – 97 {52 “Empty”}
PPPs: NY – 1.052 CV%: NY – 45 / 97, .464
Stripes: NY – 7 [3.5 conversions]
Adjusted CV%: NY – 48.5 / 97, .500 {expected production, 97 points}


Note re Calculation & Notation:

The number of “possessions” is an accurate count, not a formula-based estimated value. For purposes of clarity, the bracketed digit following the FT% is the exact count of “conversions” represented by those FTA’s.

“Possessions” calculation: FGA’s + FT conversions + TO’s – OR’s (including Team OR’s) – FT OR’s

“Conversions” calculation: FG’s + FT conversions

“Stripes” calculation: 3FG’s – missed FTA’s

TS% = True Shooting Percentage

PPP = Points per Possession

CV% = Conversion Percentage



Abacus Revelation for the Road

For the first time this season, the Celtics allowed more Points off Turnovers (12) than they scored off the other guys’ miscues (6).