Magic-Celtics: What To Look For

The Bulls-Celtics series was one of the greatest of all time, and a delight to watch.

To me, the key in the Game Seven victory was the Celtics' ability to use the pick and roll and the inability of the Bulls to adjust.

I’m working on getting a video of an example, but let me explain what I saw:

The Bulls, and rightfully so, were extremely concerned with Rajon Rondo’s ability to penetrate and not concerned at all with his outside shooting. Derrick Rose would start his defense around the foul line when Rondo would bring the ball up.

This allowed the initial pick for Rondo to come at the foul line, which benefits the Celtics greatly. The pick would be set by either Kendrick Perkins or Glen Davis, most effectively by Davis.

The Bulls, again being concerned with Rondo’s ability to get into the paint, would send the big man guarding Davis or Perkins to hedge the screen and pick up Rondo to make sure he couldn’t penetrate.

Now you’ve got Big Baby Davis in a mismatch with Derrick Rose on his back and an easy lane to the hole. With Glen Davis, you now have a guy who can knock down a 10-15 foot jump shot, which makes the placement of the pick and roll even more important.

You may be asking yourself, well what about the other three defenders on the court?

What made the Celtics a dangerous team to guard on Saturday night was they made the Bulls stretch the defense. You can’t help on that play if you’re guarding Ray Allen, Eddie House, Paul Pierce, and even Brian Scalabrine. You will leave them too much space for a jumper, which actually happened a lot (six three-pointers between House and Scalabrine).

So that’s what I’m looking for tonight: how will the Magic guard Rondo?

To me the key is Dwight Howard. I think the Magic won’t play off Rondo as much as the Bulls did, because of Howard. His presence in the middle of the paint gives Orlando that assurance that if their point guard gets beat by Rondo, they’re covered by the defensive player of the year.

In the end, it all comes down to defense.