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Celtics won’t attack LeBron James at point guard

lebronboston

Let’s take a second here, because, guys. You guys. We have actual basketball-related stuff that actually matters to talk about. I know. I’m excited too.

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled program.

Turns out the Celtics have been talking a little bit about how they’re going to defend the Heat come Thursday’s opener. Particularly, the question was brought up about how the Celtics would be defending point-guard LeBron in the sets he’s carrying the ball. Typically, the Celtics take advantage of Rajon Rondo’s tremendous on-ball pressure to try and harass the opposing point guard into turnovers. But with James, there are too many ways he can hurt you should your swipe attempt fail and he reaches the open floor.

From the Boston Globe:

“We’re going to fall back and then guard him,’’ Rivers said.

Rajon Rondo, for one, isn’t exactly bowled over by the whole “LeBron-playing-point” thing.

“They did it last year in Cleveland,’’ he said. “Wade did it for [Miami] last year. Kobe [Bryant] brings the ball up for the Lakers. It’s really no different. They’re still going to get into their sets. I just won’t be putting the pressure on the ball. It’ll be Paul [Pierce] or Ray [Allen].’’

That’s true, the best players in the league do handle the ball well. They just typically don’t have a superstar of their caliber running next to them. But then, this is the Celtics. Defending is all they do. They are militant in their discipline, ravenous in their approach, and vicious in their relentlessness. Things will not come easy for the Triad come Tuesday, especially with Mike Miller out.

You know who’s not being referenced by the Celtics here? Chris Bosh. I’m going to bet that the Celtics are going to get pretty deep into Bosh’s head and in their dismissal. The best part? We’re starting storylines in four days that last seven months.