Roland NBA Playoffs Physicality Report

Series NYK @ BOS | NYK 2, BOS 1

New stat: Player vs Player PHYSICALITY MATCHUP WINNERS!

For the series as a whole through three games, here's how it looks so far, sorted by "most frequent physicality interactions" --

NYK Player	Physicality Stats	BOS Playyer	Physicality Stats	Verdict
Towns	38 plays, 11 wins, 7 knockdowns	Brown	39 plays, 12 wins, 0 knockdowns	draw
	...pretty even in wins, Towns with some defeats, but also a one-sided toll on knockdowns!
Towns	36 plays, 14 wins, 2 knockdowns	Tatum	38 plays, 14 wins, 0 knockdowns	draw
	...another close battle, similar to Towns' tussles with Brown.
Brunson	34 plays, 15 wins, 2 knockdowns	Brown	40 plays, 10 wins, 6 knockdowns	BRUNSON
	...Brunson (+5 physicality wins) has hung very tough guarding Brown on supposed mismatches, drawing several offensive fouls and absorbing contact on drives and postups
Towns	36 plays, 14 wins, 1 knockdowns	Horford	38 plays, 9 wins, 3 knockdowns	TOWNS
	...this was a blowout for KAT in game two, when three straight dominating physicality wins (and scores) against Horford forced Boston to switch to Brown guarding Towns.
Hart	35 plays, 15 wins, 0 knockdowns	Brown	33 plays, 19 wins, 2 knockdowns	BROWN
	...Brown has had strong success bullying Hart on physical drives and postups, even fighting over Hart screens with physicality wins on occasion.
Brunson	24 plays, 12 wins, 1 knockdowns	Holiday	39 plays, 19 wins, 0 knockdowns	HOLIDAY
	...Jrue has dominated Jalen, with powerful postups/seals when on offense, and constant hounding on defense, even picking up in the backcourt at times.
Brunson	31 plays, 13 wins, 1 knockdowns	White	32 plays, 15 wins, 3 knockdowns	draw
	..you can lean a little to White so far, but it's close.
Hart	32 plays, 12 wins, 3 knockdowns	White	22 plays, 10 wins, 3 knockdowns	draw
	...Hart spends a lot of effort trying to screen White and has some success but White fights over screens well. They also have some good battles at the rim.
Towns	21 plays, 5 wins, 3 knockdowns	Holiday	31 plays, 14 wins, 2 knockdowns	HOLIDAY
	...Jrue has had a big impact here, +9 wins, and keeping Towns to a very low success rate on his attempted physicality (5 out of 21).
Anunoby	29 plays, 12 wins, 2 knockdowns	Tatum	18 plays, 6 wins, 3 knockdowns	ANUNOBY
	...OG has +6 wins, +11 physicality plays, and has hit Tatum with a mix of offensive and defensive physicality.
Brunson	22 plays, 7 wins, 0 knockdowns	Pritchard	21 plays, 12 wins, 0 knockdowns	PRITCHARD
	...Pritchard has made it tough and uncomfortable for Jalen so far, and could be a big difference maker as the series continues...
Hart	26 plays, 13 wins, 0 knockdowns	Holiday	19 plays, 8 wins, 1 knockdowns	HART
Robinson	20 plays, 9 wins, 0 knockdowns	Porzingis	21 plays, 4 wins, 1 knockdowns	ROBINSON
Anunoby	11 plays, 5 wins, 0 knockdowns	Horford	27 plays, 13 wins, 3 knockdowns	HORFORD

Full Player Physicality Stats

Header notes:
RPR = "Roland Physicality Rating" (in development)
Plays = Physicality Plays (adjusted by level of force)
Wins = a Physicality play that is deemed a 'win'
L = Losses (non-intentional fouls and soft plays)
L2+ = level 2 or high force physicality plays
Falls = player hits the ground
KD = Knockdowns: causes opponent to hit the ground
Net Pts = 'results over process' calculation

NEW YORK KNICKS

...NEW YORK KNICKS "physicality suffered"

Analysis:

• Josh Hart physciality is the name of his game -- sets a lot of screens, makes a lot of contact on physical effort plays, absorbs a lot on drives...and +12 in net physicality wins.


• Jalen Brunson is the runaway leader for both teams in physicality suffered (71 wins against, 205.2 xRPR). His toughness is unquestioned though as shown by some of his matchup success above versus bigger players, as well as his clutch performance despite all the hits he is taking.


• KAT has 16 knockdowns to emphasize his physical side is there, but has been inconsistent and dealing with foul trouble at times.


• Mikal Bridges is not the most physical player, and has a net negative -21 physicality wins, but he has had a few fourth quarter moments to be proud of.

BOSTON CELTICS

...BOSTON CELTICS "physicality suffered"

Analysis:

• Al Horford was impressive in game three, and outside of trying to guard Towns one on one, has been solid. He leads both teams with 18 knockdowns, and in part because of his offensive role has low 'physicality suffered' numbers.


• Jaylen Brown is the workhorse for Boston physicality wise, not afraid to do the dirty work. He's fighting over screens, posting up and defending the post, and driving with intent.


• Jrue Holiday has been sneaky good on the physical plays, giving both Brunson and KAT trouble, although getting hit a bit by Hart when facing his "counterpart" of sorts on the Knicks.


• Jayson Tatum hasn't shown a lot of physicality, especially in the first half of games, but we may see an uptick going forward.

Signature Physicality Moments from Game 3

• Q1 (5:56) Brown dominates Bridges
  Jaylen screens Bridges forcing a switch, then takes him right down mid paint for the catch and quick power drive from dots to the rim overhwleming Bridges for an easy two.


• Q1 (:52) Knicks have to work hard to score
  Brunson drives past Horford, kicks to the corner, while Robinson sets an offball screen to prevent KP from rotating. Achiuwa makes a strong physical drive and finish, but it takes three physical plays to score versus the ease at which the Celtics are generating good looks.


• Q2 (3:58) Brown multi-effort physicality
  Jaylen first pushes off Hart to get clear and then clips Brunson on a screen. Once he gets the ball it's a power drive at Hart to the rim and finishes even though Hart got his hand on the ball on the way up.


• Q3 (11:18) Jrue with the play of the game
  Holiday gets an early seal on Brunson, who battles hard, and with the ball coming his way and Bridges closing to help, Holiday somehow through contact for the catch redirects pass to White for an open corner three. "Ridiculous" says Doris!


• Q3 (6:17) White gives Celtics all the momentum
  White fights over a Hart screen to get back in front of Brunson and proceeds to knock the ball away, leading to a fastbreak and one.


• Q3 (5:54) Knicks looking desperate
  Bridges tries to fastbreak Horford but Holiday is there to deter the shot. The ball gets to OG, but White knocks it out and OG over, and Horford outhustles Bridges to the ball.


• Q3 (3:38) Brown gets a win on Brunson
  Brown guarded by Jalen drives him hard, keeps the ball through a Hart slash from the nail, and sends Brunson flying to clear space for the calm all-the-time-in-the-world open shot from the high paint.


• Q4 (11:10) Celtics say "No comeback this time!"
  Horford first holds Towns to make movement hard, then Tatum outworks KAT on the catch to knock the ball out, Horford beats McBride to it and outlets, Tatum tips it away from Bridges for an open FB three.


• Q4 (10:13) Brunson holds his ground
  On another postup mismatch at the free throw line, Jalen falls and draws the offensive foul on Tatum. Comes back with a 3 to pull the Knicks within 20.


• Q4 (8:28) Brunson makes a statement
  Jostling hard with Horford, who's trying for the early postup. No call from the ref either way, so Jalen ups the ante by pushing Horford to the ground. Still no foul but chirping as we head to a timeout.


• Q4 (7:32) Horford with another great block
  Towns makes a great drop off pass around KP to Robinson for the dunk but Horford meets him at the rim and rejects it.