The Boston Celtics have installed a zone defense that’s proven to be a challenge for the opposition to break through. It’s a defensive scheme that has definitely been in the works and something of a wildcard in head coach Joe Mazzulla’s back pocket.

It was first noticed against the Indiana Pacers during their two-game mini-series at the start of January. And then it happened again against the Toronto Raptors earlier this week on MLK Day.

In the first game against the Pacers, the Celtics ran a 2-3 zone with Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard at the top. Jrue Holiday in the middle directing traffic while Jayson Tatum and Luke Kornet are down low. This puts Holiday in the center position so he’s in control of the floor and responsible for all cutters trying to come through.

In a more recent game, Boston utilized a 2-1-2 zone against the Raptors. It had Pritchard and Tatum at the top with Kristaps Porzingis and Kornet down low. Once again, Holiday is in the middle controlling everything and calling the shots on the floor as the defensive captain.

The most important element to Boston’s zone defense is how quickly they’re able to transform into man defense through the zone, which is most impressive. Utilizing both schemes at the same time causes major confusion and is problematic for the offense, similar to a defense in the NFL showing one look pre-snap but doing something completely different when the play begins.

These defensive concepts are something the team is still working the kinks on, as Tatum expressed after their game against the Raptors on Monday:

“We f*** it up sometimes, but just our communication. We’re always talking and everybody has to be out there talking. It’s like, fun being in it. We’re still figuring it out ourselves.”

The Celtics have something unique with their defensive schemes and Mazzulla understands that being able to pull out a zone in the middle of a game can be another curveball in his arsenal, but one that works well for his team.

“It just kind of fits out team’s personality, fits our roster.”

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