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Meet You At the Rim? Not in These NBA Playoffs

In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Boston’s opening play was lifted out of a lazy pick-up game. It started with Celtics point guard Marcus Smart dribbling past the halfcourt logo with Al Horford jogging past him toward the left block. On his way there, Horford brushed past Celtics forward Grant Williams, who sauntered up to the wing.

It’s technically acceptable to say Horford “set a pick” for Williams, but that doesn’t really describe what happened because the Bucks responded as if the game hadn’t even started. Neither Brook Lopez (on Williams) nor Giannis Antetokounmpo (on Horford) budged until Williams caught Smart’s pass behind the three-point line, squared his shoulders and released the ball, which went in.