"I've never seen a result so correlated directly to a stat" - JJ Redick outlines major reason for Boston Celtics' struggles against Warriors
With Game 6 looming over the Boston Celtics, JJ Redick dissected the flaws in the Celtics' performance throughout the playoffs. With special emphasis upon the Finals, Redick provided major reasons for their losses.
On his podcast, "The Old Man and Three," the former NBA player broke down Boston's mistakes. Making a simple, yet obvious connection between their on-court performance and their success, Redick said:
"I don't know what the problem is. I mean, I've watched the film, I've dissected it. They don't make good decisions when they get in the paint. The Celtics don't. And I've never seen a result so correlated directly to a stat.
"They're 1-7 when they have 16 or more turnovers in the playoffs. And they're 13-2 when they have 15 or less turnovers in the playoffs."
Redick also directed attention towards Golden State's defensive schemes for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Placing an emphasis on the traps the Dubs set, he said:
"They continue to make the same mistakes to me. Golden State, a lot of times when they get a mismatch with Tatum or Brown, they're sending a second defender early, basically to the middle of the paint, playing that drive.
"And Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are getting downhill, they're playing off one foot and then making poor decisions out of that. They're bobbling the ball. They're getting stripped. They're trying to draw fouls. They're making bad kickout passes."
Redick also offered some sound advice, saying:
"That, to me, ultimately, is, like, the marker. If they can limit their turnovers in Game 6 and 7, they have a real chance to win the series."
Quite the turnover stat.
Watch @jj_redick and @talter's Game 6 preview: youtu.be/U-ed72jetjs https://t.co/H4zqtRdOc1
JJ Redick sees potential for the Boston Celtics to win the Finals
The Boston Celtics have no room for error as they head into what might be their final game of the season. Trailing 3-2, Boston hosts Game 6 on Thursday.
Having lost two games consecutively for the first time in five months, the C's have suffered a huge blow. However, these losses haven't been surprises in any way.
As JJ Redick said, Boston has repeatedly made poor decisions with the ball in the last two games. With Jayson Tatum contributing 10 of Boston's 33 turnovers in that stretch, the Celtics had little chance of success.
Jayson Tatum is having a wild playoffs:
— 1st in points
— 1st in assists
— Most turnovers ever https://t.co/yi7FKnbDTB
While individual performances shine, the team as a whole hasn't been impressive. However, Redick said there is hope for Boston.
While keeping turnovers down seems like an obvious key, this holds a lot of value. The Celtics are guilty of making errant and careless passes. While Tatum and Brown are the general suspects, the whole team is culpable in this matter.
We weren’t able to keep up during the fourth quarter before falling 104-94. https://t.co/m11nBulRFQ
With Game 6 taking place at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics will have a home-court advantage as they try to keep their title hopes alive. To do so, they will need to renew their emphasis on the team basketball that has brought them success.