dailyloe.com – Philadelphia chose aggression in their defensive coverage, but the Boston Celtics turned it into opportunity. The Celtics dissected the Sixers’ hedge coverage possession after possession, generating elite looks at the rim. This analysis comes from a CelticsBlog article by Azad Rosay, published on April 20, 2026.
Going into the series against the Sixers, the Celtics had to wait to see which coverage Nick Nurse would pick on ball-screen actions. As most modern basketball plays start with a screen for the ball-handler, the chosen coverage reveals a team’s philosophy and capabilities. If Joel Embiid was healthy, the Sixers would probably have been in drop coverage.
With Embiid out, Nurse has to make do with either Adem Bona, Andre Drummond, or sometimes Dominick Barlow. With these bigs, drop coverage makes less sense as their rim protection isn’t elite. They are a little more mobile than Embiid, offering an opportunity to switch or hedge. Nurse is an adept of aggressive coverages and defensive playmaking.
It was somewhat expected to see a hedge coverage, and the Celtics totally exposed it. With this approach, the Sixers wanted to force the ball out of Tatum’s hands and create chaos. However, Tatum has improved so much as a playmaker that he has learned how to deal with these coverages.
On one example with Neemias Queta, Tatum finds him on the short roll around the free-throw line. He expects him to be free from his matchup. Because of his size and basketball IQ, this coverage doesn’t work if nobody comes to tag the roll man.
Basketball is like an onion and has many layers. If the Sixers tag the roll man when executing a hedge coverage, a third defender must leave his man open. This takes away the paint but creates an open shot beyond the line, like for Sam Hauser, one of the best shooters alive.
While this approach makes Tatum’s passing shine, it at least takes away his scoring. On another play, Barlow is too slow to step up on the ball screen and leaves space. Tatum’s handle is sharp enough to split the defense as he crosses.
