Sixers/Celtics Game 4 Recap: The TJ McConnell Game
I didn't write a Game 3 recap, mainly because I was at a fraternity alumni event, and also because I was just too angry to rationally put my thoughts down.
The bottom line was that the Sixers got out-coached in Game 3. Bad turnovers and poor defense led to the Celtics win, and it was Brett Brown who let the team down in my opinion.
Anyways, on to Game 4.
The Sixers live to fight another day, albeit in Boston. They won Game 4 103-92 in what has been dubbed "the TJ McConnell game," after TJ was penciled into the lineup in place of Robert Covington. THIS is an example of good coaching! Brett Brown recognized that his lineup was failing to deliver, and changed it up at the last minute. This change - 15 minutes before tip-off - threw Brad Stevens off guard and didn't give him time to adjust.
And the move payed off, as TJ went for 19 points, 5 assists and 7 rebounds in 39 minutes...a +/- of 18. His electric play, consistent dribbling and probing of the defense, and his overall intensity sparked this team and gave them a win they so desperately needed.
But it wasn't just TJ that willed them too victory, they had a lot of other pro's in the win. Let's examine them.
1. They won the turnover battle. The Sixers had 12 turnovers in Game 1, 11 in Game 2 and 13 in Game 3. In Game 4? They had 8. Compare it to Boston's 15, and it's clear how important valuing the ball is. They lost Game 3 because of three careless turnovers in the final minutes, and it cost them the possibility of being tied 2-2. The catalyst for this? TJ. Ben Simmons has recorded 7, 5 and 4 turnovers in the first 3 games. Last night? Still 4, but TJ had zero, evening it out. He protected the ball and made passes that he knew would connect, he didn't force it trying to see multiple plays ahead, which Simmons is guilty of doing on many possessions.
2. They Adjusted The Offense. This may seem simple, but if one thing isn't working you have to adjust. The Sixers failed to do that in the first three games. Opting, instead, too ride the ship they were in into the ground. Game four saw a change. They saw that the 3-ball wasn't there for them (they shot 29% from deep) and instead opted to go into the paint. They scored 52 points (to Boston's 30) in the paint and forced Boston's inferior big men to foul. Jaylen Brown recorded 5 fouls before the 3rd quarter was done, Marcus Smart had 5 6-minutes into the 4th, and Marcus Morris finished with 5 as well. This led to the Sixers shooting 26 free-throws, and getting 20 points from it (77% which is still not acceptable from my point of view, but a significant increase from the 74%, 71% and 72% from the first three games.
3. Dario Saric Decided To Play I have said - maybe not on Steemit, but in conversation - that Dario is the third leg of the Sixers tripod. The Sixers are at their best when he is averaging near double-double numbers, and last night showed it. In games 1-3 he put up totals of 12/7, 14/9 and 11/5. Last night he went off for 25/8. The Sixers need more performances like that if they want to even THINK about coming back in this series.
4. TJ > Covington. Ok this take might be aggressive, but TJ was the spark. He outplayed Covington, logging the second most minutes in the game (Saric also played 39 minutes.) TJ isn't considered a shooter, but he went 9-12 from the field and did what no other player on the team seems able to do - especially Covington- playing to his strengths! TJ knows his abilities, and plays in-line with them. He isn't a deep threat, so he doesn't launch 3's. He isn't a post-player so he doesn't post-up. He is a quick and agile, so he uses those assets to dip and dive through defenses to get to the rim. He keeps his dribble alive and looks for the open man every time down the floor. He doesn't force it and therefore adds value to each possession.
Look, teams leading 3-0 in a series are 129-0 in NBA history. The odds are stacked against the Sixers, but if Brett Brown can continue to innovate on the offensive end, and the team can limit turnovers and bad shots, the they may have a chance.
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You know me, I'm always Trusting The Process so I say BRING ON GAME 5!
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