C’s flaunt their “stop”-ability in easy win over New Orleans

AP Photo/Winslow Townson

On the heels of a Q4 against Philly two nights ago when they could manage a mere seven defensive stops in 22 Sixer possessions, the Celts clamped down on the road-weary (third game in four nights) Pelicans with 18 stops in 27 first quarter tries … then put the game away coming out of halftime with another 17 (in 26 possessions) more in Q3.

Q’s 1 and 3 also saw Boston execute its offense at near 70% efficiency (36 conversions in 52 opportunities), Jayson Tatum’s fingerprints on 17 of those successes (13 FG’s and four assists) on his way to a career night of 41 points on uncanny 73% accuracy (16 for 22).




Boston 140

FG: C’s – 55-100, .550
3FG: C’s – 14-29, .483
FT: C’s – 16-18, .889 [8 conversions]
TS%: C’s – .649
OR: C’s – 10 + 5 (team) [minus 0 FT rebounds]
DR: C’s – 43 + 1 (team) [minus 3 FT rebounds]
TO: C’s – 10 + 1 (team)
Poss: C’s – 105 {42 “Empty”}
PPP: C’s – 1.333
CV%: C’s – 63 / 105, .600
Stripes: C’s – 12 [6 conversions]
Adjusted CV%: C’s – 69 / 105, .657 {expected production, 138 points}


New Orleans 105

FG: NO – 40-100, .400
3FG: NO – 14-45, .311
FT: NO – 11-18, .611 [8 conversions]
TS%: NO – .486
OR: NO – 15 + 3 (team) [minus 0 FT rebounds]
DR: NO – 28 + 3 (team) [minus 1 FT rebound]
TO: NO – 16 + 0 (team)
Poss: NO – 106 {58 “Empty”}
PPP: NO – 0.991
CV%: NO – 48 / 106, .453
Stripes: NO – 7 [3.5 conversions]
Adjusted CV%: NO – 51.5 / 106, .486 {expected production, 103 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

We’ve just about reached the mid-point of the regular season – Wednesday will be the 84th of 168 playing dates on the 2019-20 schedule – and for the first time in quite a while, there seems to be no clear favorite in the NBA’s championship chase.

By totally different means, both of last season’s finalists have been dismantled – and all contenders have shown evidence of vulnerability.

Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

By the numbers – and despite a tough week – Coach Stevens and his guys seem as capable as anyone else of producing elite play. Case in point, for the entire year, Boston has ranked in the Top Ten in Turnover Percentage and Opponent TO% -- among the best in taking care of the ball as well as preventing the other guys from doing the same. To date the C’s are +131 in Points off TO’s.

As for the backboards, through 37 games Boston is +43 in Defensive Rebounds and +24 on the offensive glass (+1 in Second-chance Points). [Those rebound differentials include “significant” Team Rebounds.]

In the matter of shooting – the seven-day team totals have ranged from .401 (Week 1) to .519 (Week 7), settling in at just about the league average (.457). The opposition’s shooting range has been from .491 (Week 8’s two games) to .404 (Week 3), averaging out to .440 (No. 7 in the league).

Brad Stevens’s coaching “mantra” seems to be “Make the right play on the next possession!” … the data is suggesting that his team does so on a fairly consistent basis.

Side-note to Manny Loco: Don’t Give Up!!!