Praise be to the Celtics defense. After being beaten on the court for the first three quarters by the Toronto Raptors, the bleeding was finally stopped and Boston's swarming defense is the culprit.
You could sense the Celtics weren't going to let the Raptors back into the game. They threw off their rhythm entirely, forcing scrambling mistakes and uneasiness as the game ticked away. This Boston defense is potentially the best in the league, and it really is no suprise, but that doesn't make it any less of a topic ot talk about.
Boston is able to break down the most poised opponents, forcing turnovers and bad decisions. Shutting down offense. That team can defend, from starters to the bench, and with Kevin Garnett as an emotional catalyst night in and night out, it's scary to think that this defense is playing so cohesive early in the season.
Though, sometimes, that swarming defense is also a bad thing. Too many times in the first half last night I saw pump fakes and flying Celtics. Pull it back down, wide open, swish. Too much of a good thing can be bad, and sometimes an aggressive defense is too much.
Regardless, while the Celtics offense has looked stagnant for too many stretches this year, the defense is able to hold it down till one of the big three takes over. Paul Pierce has been answering offensively, and his ability to take over any game is arguably underrated. When he has the hot hand he needs to be shut down before the game is either a) out of hand or b) no longer in your control.
Looking at the East, there isn't another team I can think of that can match what Boston has shown us so far this season. As cliche as it sounds, the champs are defending their ground, literally.
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