Defense is what got the Celtics to the NBA Finals in 2022, and as they look to get back to that point, the team will also look to return to that defense-first mindset.
“Defense is what gets you in the door, defense is the admission ticket,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said at the start of training camp. “If you want to be great, you have to play defense… Defense and toughness gets you in the door.”
Mazzulla admitted at times last season he didn’t emphasize the importance of defense enough because he felt it was “Obvious.”
That has changed this season, as the Celtics have entered the 2023-24 campaign with a clear emphasis on defense.
A word used regularly by Mazzulla has been “Mindset.”
The second-year head coach has continuously preached the importance of playing with the right mindset, as he wants his squad to form an identity built on humility, mindset, toughness, passion, togetherness, and nastiness.
Part of that is regaining the defensive identity that carried the Celtics to the NBA Finals in 2022. Boston took a step in the right direction in that regard in Wednesday night’s win over the Knicks in the season opener.
The Celtics defense was swarming all night, intercepting passing lanes and disrupting the flow of the offense, as they finished the night with 20 deflections.
At times, the effort on the defensive end looked '22-esque, and it started with the newcomers – Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
The length of the 7-foot-3 Porzingis made things difficult for the Knicks on the interior all night long. New York finished the night shooting just 18-of-56 (32.1%) from inside the arc, with Porzingis contesting 13 two-point shot attempts. As a team, the Knicks shot just 6-of-25 (24%) with Porzingis as the primary defender, as the big man finished with four blocks.
Porzingis is a perfect fit for this Celtics team that uses switching and drop coverage often and takes their interior defense to another level.
“Kristaps with that backline was great, protecting all of us,” Al Horford said. “I think he was the biggest difference because at the rim he was protecting us time after time.”
Holiday was equally as impressive. In a surprising move, Mazzulla matched the 6-foot-4 Holiday up with 6-foot-8 big man Julius Randle. Despite the four-inch height and 45-pound weight difference, Holiday did a terrific job on the two-time All-NBA selection Randle.
Randle finished the night with just two points on 1-of-10 shooting with Holiday as the primary defender. Holiday also blocked Randle twice. As a team, the Knicks shot 4-of-23 with Holiday as the primary defender.
When asked what went into matching Holiday up with such a strong guy like Randle, Mazzulla said, “Jrue’s a really strong guy, that’s where it started.”
Horford echoed nearly the same sentiment when asked about the Holiday-Randle matchup.
“Jrue is a really strong dude. He is a guard, but he’s strong, and he has the ability to guard one through five. That’s the luxury of having a guy like him,” Horford said.
The versatility of Holiday and Porzingis, paired with a Celtics team that was already among the top of the league in defense, is a scary thing for teams around the NBA.
Boston's versatility gives them plenty of flexibility, something Mazzulla has been preaching the importance of.
“We have like four or five guys that can play different kinds of coverages,” Mazzulla said. “That’s where we get into what curveballs can we have throughout the year? Can we be more creative in our matchups? Can we do different things with different types of defenders?”
Yes, it’s only one game, but the additions of Holiday and Porzingis put Boston’s defense over the top. Based on their resumes and what we have seen so far, it’s not crazy to say that as long as the “Mindset” is there, this team should finish with the league’s top defense, and the defense is what will guide them back to the NBA Finals.
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