Celtics Notebook: Boston throws a block party

The Celtics went into Monday’s game against the conference-leading Bulls with an interesting hold on one particular NBA stat category — their uneven defense considered over the first six games.

Al Horford, at a blocks average of 3.8, and Robert Williams, at 3.2, led the league. Williams and Horford were also second and fourth in total blocks respectively — the former tied with the Lakers’ Anthony Davis with 16 and the latter with 15.

“We’re just being put in different positions. And we’re just being very active, being very active contesting, and really just trying to help off the help side, and just trying to be active on defense,” said Horford. “So (Ime Udoka is) doing a really good job of that. And that’s something that coach has been preaching to us about, just being active, defensively.

“I’ve always taken pride in defending,” he said. “That’s always been a staple of my game. And I feel like that kind of sets the tone for our group in general, that’s how we need to be. We need to take pride in defending and doing the dirty work. And understanding that, if we do that, we’ll be in good position most nights to be able to win the game.”

Horford credits Udoka’s help schemes with enhancing these numbers, even if the Celtics have not been able to support their rim protectors with a solid defensive performance.

“We really emphasize help defense. We weren’t doing a great job early so he’s a guy that’s pretty much been our best team defender, as well as switching and guarding guys on the perimeter, so using his length, using his mind,” Udoka said of Horford. “Rob has been good as well, but a few games early in the season we weren’t coming across helping. He’s been night and say as far as that as a team. But he’s a veteran presence and he knows how to use his body. Last game with six blocks, obviously that was a huge number, but he’s affecting so many more shots and he’s coming across and rebounding. So, he’s been great this year.”

A matter of minutes

The only other time this season the Celtics had a full complement of players, the Celtics were blown out by Toronto. So having all his players available wasn’t necessarily a comforting thought for the Celtics coach. But at least he can take some of the minutes burden off his stars, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

“It’s good to have everybody back — the continuity has been missed a little bit,” said Udoka. “To have the bodies back should take some stress off the guys who have been playing heavy minutes. Just in general we feel great with our depth — our bench and the other guys are getting experience, and then we can throw our starters back in. The other guys off the bench should be able to refresh those guys. I told the group today this is the second time we’ve had our whole lineup — been in and out, up and down a little bit, but do better than the last time we did against Toronto.”

Brown free of restrictions

Brown, who has admittedly struggled with the aftereffects of COVID since returning to action, does not have a minutes restriction. Despite his compromised state, the 25-year-old Celtics wing has averaged 39.4 minutes this season, with the number inflated by three overtime games.

“He’s talked quite openly about it and taken some different approaches to it,” said Udoka. “We’ll keep him on the same minutes and just monitor him in general. He trying to focus on being more active and not letting that get in his head. But he looked so good the last game. We want the carryover there. I don’t think he’s going to have a great game every time without a bad game, but he’s focused, he took a different approach physically to his rest and get his treatment, and I look forward to him putting a few good games back-to-back together.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3bBI6i8