In their 132-109 victory over the New York Knicks, the Boston Celtics made history. The defending NBA Champions were on fire from beyond the arc on opening night, tying the all-time record for three-pointers made in a single game. The Celtics converted 29 three-point shots on 61 attempts, shooting 47.5% as a team. The Celtics were hot from the start and the percentage was even higher for most of the game. However, once they tied the record, the players and crowd realized the history at stake and began to chuck up shots, missing many threes in a row, receiving ironic boos from the crowd.
The Boston Celtics’ Dominance
The Boston Celtics’ offense under Head Coach Joe Mazzulla has always been reliant on the three-point shot. Last season, they led the NBA in three-pointers, and if opening night is any indicator, they are set to lead again. Boston got off to a hot start, as a close first quarter quickly turned into a 19-point Celtics lead. It was something Celtics fans became accustomed to seeing last year, where the Celtics would pick up the pace, move the ball, and the shots would rain down.
Jayson Tatum played especially well, scoring 37 points with 10 assists. Tatum has been working on his jump shot over the offseason after poor shooting in the playoffs and Olympics and put it to use against the Knicks. He shot 14-of-18 from the field and an excellent 8-of-11 from three. Tatum’s hot shooting is what propelled the Boston Celtics to jump out to a large first quarter lead, and they never looked back.
Boston’s next best shooter was Derrick White, who had 24 points. White shot 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-10 from three. Most of his shots came off open looks on catch-and-shoot plays. The Boston Celtics’ spacing and ball movement allowed for many players to get open perimeter shots, and White was one of the biggest beneficiaries. Each Celtics starter contributed to the 29 total threes. Jaylen Brown went 5-of-9 from three, Jrue Holiday shot 4-of-6, and Al Horford went 3-of-5.
Boston Looks To Sustain This Style
In the victory, the Boston Celtics shot 61 three-pointers, and while they made a good amount of them, many are worried about what it means for basketball. More than half of Boston’s shots were threes, and they shot twice as many threes as the New York Knicks. Many fear that this could lead to teams replicating the Boston Celtics style until every team is putting up 50 or more threes a game. But what makes the Celtics different from previous shooting teams is how they create their open shots.
One of these differences is the Celtics personnel. Every single player in Boston’s starting five, from guard to center, can shoot from the perimeter. This allows them to run many sets and actions out of five out, with every player standing on the perimeter. The second difference is the spacing and movement of the offense. The Boston Celtics offense is designed to force the opposing defense to collapse and rotate. Whether it is driving and kicking or swinging the ball around, the Celtics want to make the defense scramble and then find the open man. So, with five shooters on the floor, once the offense gets rolling, the three-pointers can rain down like they did against the Knicks.
Final Thoughts
The Boston Celtics won big on opening night, raising their 18th banner and tying the NBA three-point record in a single game. The Celtics were hot from the start and were close to breaking the record on multiple occasions. At the end of the game, there was a funny moment where the Boston fans booed as the Celtics dribbled out the clock instead of going for the record one more time. Regardless, it was a big win and a three-point barrage from Boston that put the entire NBA on notice.
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