Podium Game Playbook: A Boston Celtics UOOB flex action

In their final game of their brutal six-game Western Conference road trip, the Boston Celtics traveled to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves, who were bolstered by the return of Kevin Martin. It was his first game since the middle of November, and his 21 points helped lead the Wolves to a 110-98 win.

But what I want to take a quick look at today comes from the Celtics, and it’s another one of their out of bounds plays. Last time we looked at a sideline out of bounds (SOOB) they ran late in the game against the Nuggets. This time we’ll look at an underneath out of bounds play (UOOB). This is a flex action, which is a type of offense predicated on “flex cuts” (a cut across the lane), screening for the screener, and crisp ball movement. Let’s get into it.

It starts like this. Evan Turner is inbounding the ball, and the Celtics are lined up in a four across formation.

Turner gets the ball into Brandon Bass at the strong side elbow. Bass does a good job showing him a hand, which gives Turner a target when inbounding the ball. Once he gets the ball in, Turner steps in to set a back screen for Jae Crowder.

As Turner sets the screen for Crowder (and he sets a great one), Jared Sullinger has popped up to the other elbow and receives a pass from Bass.

This is where Crowder then makes the “flex cut.” Usually, it would be across the front of his defender, but because of the angle in which Turner sets the screen, it makes more sense for Crowder to go along the baseline.

In this video here, you can see Jordan Crawford cutting across on the high side when the Celtics ran this play in a game last season.

Because of Turner’s terrific screen, Andrew Wiggins has to hold and help out Thad Young until he can get back to Crowder. This gives Turner plenty of room as he comes off the screen.

The Celtics also take advantage of bad communication by the Wolves on this play. Once Young had been crunched by the screen, it would have much more sense for him and Wiggins to switch in order to defeat this play. Wiggins could have just stayed with Crowder, and Young could have trailed Turner off the screen.

Wiggins is a great defender, and an even better athlete, so he is able to recover fairly well, but Turner still has way too much room when coming off the screen, and knocks down the open jumper. Straight cash homie, as they say.