How the Celtics Proved Their Offense Is Unstoppable Despite a Loss

The Boston Celtics, renowned for their unstoppable offense, showcased their dominance even in defeat. Their recent game against the Memphis Grizzlies highlighted how Boston’s offensive firepower challenges conventional defensive strategies. While the Grizzlies claimed victory, their approach only reinforced Boston’s status as an offensive juggernaut.

The Evolution of Defensive Tactics

Nearly a decade ago, the Golden State Warriors transformed the NBA’s defensive playbook. In a critical playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies in 2015, Golden State deployed a revolutionary strategy. The Warriors assigned their center, Andrew Bogut, to “guard” Memphis’ Tony Allen—a player with a career 28.2% shooting average from deep. By essentially ignoring Allen on the perimeter, Bogut could focus on protecting the paint, neutralizing the Grizzlies’ interior-oriented offense.

This tactic, born out of necessity, became a template for exploiting weak perimeter shooters. It forced teams to evolve, making perimeter shooting a prerequisite for success. Over time, the Celtics epitomized this evolution, fielding a lineup with virtually no weak links offensively.

Memphis’ Bold Strategy Against Boston

Fast forward to Saturday’s game, and Memphis revisited a similar defensive approach. However, unlike targeting a weak link such as Tony Allen, the Grizzlies faced a different challenge: Boston has no weak perimeter players. Instead, Memphis singled out Jrue Holiday as their target—not because he was a liability, but because he was the “least threatening” among an elite group.

Jrue Holiday, a multi-time All-Star, had never attempted more than 13 three-pointers in a single game before Saturday. Against Memphis, he took an astonishing 17 attempts from beyond the arc, making only four. This was no accident. Memphis’ strategy revolved around leaving Holiday open, daring him to shoot while using their big men, like Jaren Jackson Jr., to guard him in unconventional ways.

Analyzing Holiday’s Performance

The Grizzlies’ approach was evident early in the game. On multiple possessions:

• Jackson barely contested Holiday’s shots, focusing instead on protecting the paint.
• Holiday found himself wide open on kick-out passes from teammates like Derrick White and Jaylen Brown.

One particularly glaring moment came during an inbound play where Jackson, positioned in the restricted area, backtracked as White passed to Holiday for an uncontested three. These repeated opportunities were part of Memphis’ calculated risk.

While Holiday’s 4-of-17 shooting performance seemed to justify Memphis’ strategy, the bigger picture paints a different story. Holiday remains a highly capable shooter, and his career numbers suggest he would punish such defensive schemes over a sustained period.

Boston’s Offensive Depth and Versatility

This game underscored a fundamental truth about the Celtics: there’s no easy way to defend them.

• The Celtics boast the league’s most efficient offense, averaging over 1.2 points per possession.
• Their core group of guards and forwards—featuring stars like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White—offers no weak links.

Even Holiday, deemed the “weakest” perimeter option, is far from a liability. He’s a stellar playmaker, lethal near the basket, and a seasoned shooter with career numbers to back him up.

The Grizzlies’ plan to concede open threes to Holiday was rooted in probability. Statistically, an open three-pointer from Holiday might yield fewer points per possession than letting Boston execute their usual offense. Yet, this strategy is far from foolproof. Holiday’s shooting slump on Saturday doesn’t negate his ability to hit critical shots in future games.

Memphis’ Victory: A Rare Feat

Memphis emerged victorious, handing Boston a rare home loss—something only six teams have accomplished in the past two seasons. Their defensive gamble paid off in this instance, aided by outscoring Boston 64-40 in the paint. But this success feels more like an anomaly than a replicable blueprint.

The Grizzlies’ win underscores how difficult it is to devise a defensive scheme against the Celtics. Boston’s blend of elite shooting, playmaking, and depth ensures that opponents are forced to make tough choices, often with no truly “good” options.

What This Means for Future Matchups

The Grizzlies’ approach could inspire other teams to adopt similar tactics. Opponents might test the waters by leaving Holiday or another Celtic open, hoping for an off-night. However, this strategy is inherently risky:

• Holiday is a seasoned veteran who can adapt and punish defenses.
• Boston’s offensive versatility means that if one player struggles, another can easily pick up the slack.

The game also highlighted Boston’s ability to expose the limits of defensive schemes. Memphis’ victory may prompt more experimentation, but it also reaffirmed Boston’s dominance as a team that stretches defenses to their breaking point.

Conclusion

The Celtics’ loss to the Grizzlies was less a reflection of Boston’s shortcomings and more a testament to their offensive brilliance. By forcing Memphis to resort to extreme measures, Boston demonstrated just how challenging it is to slow them down.

While Memphis’ strategy worked for one night, it’s unlikely to hold up over a playoff series. For teams hoping to contain the Celtics, the takeaway is clear: good luck finding a better plan than daring a player like Jrue Holiday to shoot. Boston’s offensive machine, fueled by its depth and shooting prowess, remains one of the NBA’s most formidable forces.