Against the NBA's best defense over the last quarter of the season, the Celtics got just about whatever they wanted offensively. Inside, if and when they probed the paint, they logged a franchise-best 60.4% blow-by rate -- which measures how often a dribbler bursts past his defender, per Second Spectrum -- while also shooting a perfect 15-for-15 from the restricted area.
"They mostly play one-on-one. They don't send a lot of help. That's why," Doncic said when asked why he was able to muster only the single assist in Game 1.Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla understands that limiting Doncic's passing can be a winning strategy."We're not here to stop those guys. We're here to play a complete game of basketball and have an understanding of how each possession has an effect on everything else," he said.
"That pass, he makes that look simple," TNT color analyst Stan Van Gundy said while calling the game."This is just a laser -- right on target, off the dribble."