Boston Celtics: 3 takeaways from Game 4 vs. 76ers

2. Philly dominates the inside

One of Boston’s many strengths is its versatility at both ends of the floor. Brad Stevens can slide Horford down to the center spot, giving the Celtics more space on offense while allowing them to switch pick-and-rolls on defense.

With every positive comes a negative, though, because if the 6’10” Horford is the tallest man on the court, it leaves the Celtics very susceptible to getting man-handled on the glass.

While Stevens has tried to eliminate that weakness with the use of Aaron Baynes, Boston can still find itself hopeless in the restricted area, which is exactly what occurred in Game 4. Philadelphia out-rebounded the C’s 16-6 on the offensive glass, and dominated points in the paint paint by a margin of 52-38.

The 76ers’ somewhat over-reliance on the 3-point shot can lead to some pretty massive shooting slumps, as evidenced in Game 4, where they shot just 7-for-26 from distance.

Limiting Philly’s shooting is always a good move for the Celtics, but allowing them to dominate the interior somewhat negates that, as instead of having to find their footing from beyond the arc, the 76ers are afforded with easy layups around the basket.

Boston’s perimeter defenders need to do a better job of keeping Philly out of the paint, while Baynes and Horford need to make sure the defensive rebound is secured. Otherwise, the 76ers will get all the easy baskets they want, which is great for a team that normally struggles to do so.