There’s been a ton of speak concerning the Celtics being unhealthy within the clutch. They’re now 4-8 in one-point video games within the closing minute this season (h/t Bobby Manning). Many have pointed to their offensive execution as the principle cause for the shortage of success. It’s honest, nevertheless it’s not the one cause why they lose a number of these video games.
They’re simply as unreliable on the glass as they’re on offense.
Boston holds the eighth-best defensive rebounding share within the NBA at 72.7% on the season. The issue is, any time that they’re in a good sport that quantity drops considerably. In conditions the place the rating differential is three or much less within the closing minute, the Cs seize simply 54.5% of the boards, which is the Nineteenth-best within the league.
Thursday’s extra time loss to the Atlanta Hawks might’ve been prevented had the Cs simply grabbed a rebound up three with lower than 15 seconds to play. As an alternative, Clint Capela discovered an open Bogdan Bogdanovic who sank the game-tying shot.
Closing out defensive possessions with a cease simply over half of the time hasn’t been adequate in shut video games all yr. We’ve seen the Celtics come up brief a number of instances this season not less than partly as a result of they couldn’t seize a vital rebound.
Within the case that you just’re trying to make your self upset right now, listed below are a number of cases the place a Boston board would’ve been improbable. Not all of them come within the closing minute however are nonetheless at key elements of a sport the place the Cs might’ve used a cease.
Now, not all rebounds are created equal. A few of these have been flukey. Bizarre bounces, airballs, and even decrease stakes “hey, the sport’s over already” moments can impression whether or not or not Boston will get the board.
Nonetheless, there’s no query that a big chunk of those clips above straight impacted the Celtics’ possibilities of successful the mentioned sport. Even when there may be some luck that goes into late-game rebounding, the 18% drop off in defensive-rebounding share within the closing minute is a bit jarring.
Sure, Kristaps Porzingis could be higher at securing these stops, however the crew as an entire needs to be higher right here. Porzingis is a wonderful participant, however everybody is aware of that one in every of his weaknesses is physicality. There are a number of cases within the above clips the place the opposite Celtic gamers fail to field out their man and it results in an additional probability for the opposition.
That is simply one other occasion of their focus not at all times being at peak type because the seconds tick down.
When the playoffs roll round, the Cs’ potential to shut out late-game possessions with a rebound might finally swing a collection.
