We’re back, and so is Jayson Tatum! Welcome to the Celtics’ Top-5 Highest IQ Plays of the Week!
Sure, we love the high-flying dunks and the deep, off-the-dribble step-back threes, but this is a place for the under-the-radar plays that might not get the credit they deserve. The plays that get the basketball sickos and nerds out of their chairs. The plays that even YOU could make in your weekly rec league game.
Each week, the plays will be ranked from five to one—one being the smartest—and will only be taken from games that occurred within the past week. For this week, games from March 14th to March 21st are considered. The Celtics went 4-0 this week, with wins over the Wizards, Suns, Warriors, and Grizzlies.
And listen, I understand that these have basically become Derrick White’s top-5 highest IQ plays of the week, but it’s not my fault the guy is a complete and utter genius.
5. Patience
What a fun play this is. White finds himself in the paint without his dribble, but he doesn’t panic. He waits for his teammates to cut around him, because he knows their defenders might come to double as in common in situations where ball-handlers pick up the ball. And as soon as Garza’s defender loses sight of the cutter, Derrick knows Luka is open. But he doesn’t throw it right away; rather, he waits for Garza to make a cut, thereby improving his passing angle. Patience is key. Also, nasty finish from Garza.
4. Learning from peers
The Celtics are a principled team, built on a shared foundation of certain philosophies and tactics—and one of those principles is sealing on drives. When Boston’s big men set on-ball screens, they do a great job of immediately getting into the middle of the paint and positioning themselves in a screening position such that both their defender and the guard’s defender are blocked from an easy contest. Theis used to do an amazing job of this years ago (and of course Gortat originally), and Garza has made it a cornerstone of his game this year, as mentioned in previous weeks of this column. Queta is learning from someone—whether it be the Celtics’ coaching staff, his teammates, or a combination of both—and it’s paying dividends for him and the entire offensive system.
3. Double O-boards
You could put this in the category of hustle rather than IQ, but it’s still important to note how good Derrick White is at tracking the ball off the rim and getting a fingertip on it. He somehow simultaneously lines up his attack of the offensive glass while also keeping track of where the ball is most likely to go, and it makes him one of the better corner crashers in the entire league. And then, after his second offensive rebound in 5 seconds, he beautifully throws the ball off a Wizard defender. Wow.
2. Mind-reading (what can’t Derrick do?)
This is the definition of off-ball instincts. While starting in good enough help-position to close out to a corner shooter, White instantly reads Hauser’s overplay and knows Jalen Green is going to cut backdoor even before he does. Derrick then beats Green to the spot and contests beautifully before getting hosed by the refs. This is what it looks like to be engaged and active even when you’re not involved in the offensive action.
1. Fastbreak finishing as a short guy 101
If you’re short and wondering how to finish in transition against bigger, longer, and more athletic players, watch this clip. The key to converting fastbreak layups as an undersized guard is disallowing the defender a running late to time up their steps. If you don’t make contact, the defender has a clear path to time accurately their jump and contest your layup. But if you get in front of them like an annoying car on the highway, you force the defender to slow down and throw off his timing. That’s exactly what Pritchard does on this play, and it’s textbook stuff.
