**10,000 fans incentive plan The Celtics, who are currently ranked No. 1 in the East, have finally become the team with the highest call for the championship this season since the formation of the team.
This year's Celtics are extremely dangerous in terms of three-point shooting, with the main rotation of eight players shooting more than 35% from three-point range, and excellent defense can reduce the opponent's average shooting percentage by 28% ranks first in the league, and the defensive efficiency value of the whole team is also the leader in the league, this lineup and team building concept are likely to become the prototype of the NBA teams to follow in the future.
Compared with the offensive and defensive statistics of the champion teams in recent years, I think the Celtics have the capital and potential to win the championship this year.
The Celtics currently have a total of eight players in the main rotation lineup, all shooting above 35% from three-point range, with Jaylen Brown shooting the worst percentage at 352%, such a lineup is lined up, it is difficult to give opponents a chance to help defend when the Celtics cut in, or even to cover the outside of the ball, if you underestimate their outside control, the consequences will be like the Warriors on March 4, the consequences will be taken away by a large wave of points, and leave an embarrassing result on the scoreboard.
At present, no team in the league has a major 8 rotation players who shoot more than 35% of three-point shots, and usually the center or the forward with better physical conditions has a low three-point threat level, which makes it easy for defenders to choose to let go of the weak side and then help defend the players who cut into the strong side, but it is difficult to make such an easy choice when facing the Celtics.
The most frightening thing is not the threat from the Celtics' offense and three-point grasp, but the league's top defense, but this is also the most puzzling place, although the Celtics are famous for their forward sea, there is no shortage of guards in the team, and like the Magic, although the whole team has excellent height and arm span, the single defense is full of oppression, and it has also successfully reduced the opponent's number of shots (DFGA) and shots (DFGM) in the data, but the effective defensive value (diff%) is a perfect 0%, The so-called "diff%" refers to the difference between the opponent's shooting percentage and the average shooting percentage under defensive interference, so although the Magic group of young players are fierce defensively, it is actually useless, and the opponent's shooting percentage has not decreased.
On the other hand, the Celtics used the rotation of the system, and only sacrificed the player's talent for single defense when necessary, and did not stick to the defense without leaving gaps, but appropriately created defensive traps, and used positioning and arm span to interfere, and the successful defense reduced the opponent's shooting rate by an average of 28%, ranking first in the league.
At this time, I have a question, if in the face of the opponent's three-point shooting rate is so high, the defense goes high to go around the cover, and does not take the initiative to help the defense, can the defensive strategy of reducing the opponent's three-point shooting and three-point shooting rate work? The Pacers have proven that the Pacers are the league's best in reducing the number of three-point shots (DFGA) and shots made (DFGM) by opponents, but the overall defensive efficiency value is only ranked 25th in the late class, which is completely consistent with everyone's impression of this team.
In order to test whether this team building policy can lead the Celtics to win the championship, I asked the champion teams in recent years to compare the offensive and defensive statistics discussed above, and on the offensive side, I will use the team's main eight rotation players to shoot 35% from three-point range as the standard, and the defensive side based on the team's effective defensive value (diff%) in the season ranking in the league.
The diff% for last year's championship Nuggets season was +04%, ranking 20th in the season; Two of the eight players in the main rotation shot less than 35 percent from three-point range. The 2021 Warriors diff% is -23%, ranked 2nd in the season; Three of the eight players in the main rotation shot less than 35 percent from three-point range, with Kevon Looney not even shooting three-pointers. The 2020 Bucks diff% is -08%, ranking 5th in the season; Among the main rotation players, Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez are shooting less than 35 percent from three-point range. The Lakers diff% in 2019 is -12%, ranked 5th in the season; Three of the eight players in the main rotation shot less than 35 percent from three-point range, the other being Howard, who made the occasional throw-in, but it was clear that his three-point shot was unthreatening.
From the above data, it can be seen that in terms of effective defensive value (diff%), except for last year's Nuggets, a team with championship potential will not perform too badly in this data, and the season is the best time to review the team's defensive policy and establish a defensive culture, unlike the playoffs with a dense schedule and the same opponents, the coaching staff can carry out targeted defensive deployment for each game, and it is easier to see a team's defensive level in the season.
In terms of three-point shooting, although the small ball culture has risen in recent years, and the style of play has become more and more magical, there are still a few players in each team with clear functions but not excellent on the outside, among which the center players are the most obvious, but this year's Celtics completely surpassed the champions of previous years in these two statistics, they not only have excellent defense, and everyone has a stable three-point hand, in a rational summary, they do have the potential to compete for the championship.