In Game 1, the Boston Celtics made the strategic decision to intentionally foul Mitchell Robinson.
In the debut of the “hack-a-Robinson” tactic, the logic was sound and multifaceted. First, when the defense broke down, they would foul Robinson off the ball, sending him to the free-throw line. With Robinson shooting just over 50% from the charity stripe for his career, the Celtics preferred to send him to the line rather than allow an easy Knicks bucket. Here’s a perfect example:
Alternatively, the strategy could force Robinson off the floor. As a threatening paint presence who could muck up the Celtics’ offense, turning him into an offensive liability gave Boston the upper hand.