The Celtics are the veteran team that takes advantage of any slip-up by their less experienced opponents. Their biggest strength is their ability to execute with precision and timeliness. Forget to box out and Rajon Rondo will sneak into the lane for an offensive rebound. Overpenetrate and Glen Davis will step up to take a charge. Turn your head to help on Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen will burn you with a three.
But in the Miami Heat's 99-90 victory in Game 1 of the conference semifinals, the Celtics made their opponent look like the veteran squad. It was the Celtics' mistakes that defined this game. And playing the role of Allen was the Heat's James Jones.
While the Celtics' offense has been its weakness over the last couple of months, this loss was about their defense. And while Dwyane Wade's offensive explosion had something to do with it, the Celtics can blame themselves for a good portion of Miami
Each of Jones' threes was a perfect example of how the Celtics' let their guard down defensively. On each, a different Celtic made a mistake to allow Jones to get open.
With LeBron James dribbling on the left wing, Jones cuts through the paint, defended by Ray Allen. As James comes off Bosh's screen, Delonte West gets lost trying to close out on Chalmers. As Joel Anthony screens Allen on the baseline, West is actually in good position for a switch onto Jones, but as Jones curls out to the top of the key, West realizes his man has drifted into the corner. He heads there, joining Allen in defending Chalmers, as James finds Jones all alone at the top.
There were sloppy turnovers, two defensive three-second violations, and a play when Wade cut to the basket from the weak side, with the only person there in the lane to defend him being Anthony, his own teammate.
For the Celtics, Game 2 on Tuesday isn't about adjustments. It's not about defending Wade differently, making changes to the rotation, or running different plays. It's about being the team that takes advantage of mistakes, not the team that makes them.
