“Boston is more of an iso heavy team, so it becomes easier to load up and stop them”: Joel Embiid says Celtics are an easier team to play than Charlotte Hornets after beating them 111-99

Heavily relied on isolation plays of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Celtics are an easier team to play than Charlotte Hornets believes Joel Embiid.

We are well into the era of statistical advancements in every sport, and NBA has been one of the biggest admirers of data and analytics for a long time. But many teams continue to rely on the age-old formula of putting the ball in the best player’s hands replacing all their game plans with Iso-Ball.

There have been proofs of its inefficiency — Carmelo Anthony in his prime with the New York Knicks or even his Nuggets teams before that, most of Kobe Bryant’s Lakers teams in the last decade. Various other teams throughout history have relied on isolation basketball before the Golden State Warriors came into the picture.

Also read:  Stephen A. Smith takes a dig at Kyrie Irving’s part-time availability as a player

With the evolution of the 3-point era, credit to the Warriors, isolation plays have become rare and movement of the ball has increased way more than in the previous eras.

This also has increased more excitement in fans as more players get involved in the game rather than the two or three big stars of a team. But still, there are teams who differ in their beliefs, Boston Celtics are one of them for sure.

Joel Embiid points towards the C’s weakness

It’s uncommon to see one-on-one attacks at any point during an NBA game these days, but as the clock winds down in the fourth quarter, you’re almost assured of seeing some old-fashioned iso-ball. The Celtics, though, prefer playing it throughout the game. The matter has been the subject of criticism over the years since Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s rise to stardom.

It’s one thing when experts or fans critique you and whole another thing when it’s the players or coaches from other teams who point towards your weakness. After their thrashing of the C’s on Friday, the Sixers’ MVP, Joel Embiid, openly said this about his rivals.

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) January 15, 2022

This very team traded their 10th overall pick from the 2001 Draft, who would go on to earn seven All-Star appearances and the nickname – Iso Joe. They did it in an era when isolation plays were at the peak of its fame, with Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, and Carmelo Anthony being the top names on that list.

And now when the whole league has changed more towards being pass-first basketball, the C’s find themselves further behind and 21-22 in the W-L category. Being short of playmakers and not adding new ones from the trade market isn’t helping their cause either. Marcus Smart is their leading playmaker, with just over 5-assists a game. Yikes!

Also read: NBA Twitter reacts as Hornets star throws up a magnificent alley-oop on a breakaway vs Magic 

Very rarely an iso-heavy team makes noise in Playoffs, even if they go on tremendous runs in the regular season. And when they aren’t even playing decent basketball in the regular season, ‘Why are they playing Iso-ball at all?’ Must be the question that bugs every fan in Boston.

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

Read More