The Boston Celtics live and die by the three. It was above all a solid strategy for the team this season. The Celtics won 61 games in the regular season – and obtained the seeded n ° 2 at the Eastern Conference – thanks to their dependence on the long ball.
But what happens when the Celtic 3-point shot is cold? The team discovered Monday evening.
Advertisement
The Celtics have established a record for NBA qualifiers with 45 3 missed points in their Shocking loss of game 1 to New York Knicks. Boston led by 20 points before the start of the Knicks make your way back.
The Celtic response to the Knicks race? Continue to get three.
The strategy did not work this time. Boston went 10 for 37 on 3 points in the second half and extension, preparing the way for Knicks to withdraw Victory 108-105.
Each member of the Celtics who stopped beyond the arc was responsible for the record evening of the team. Here is how each member of the Celtics drew from the beach of 3 points in the loss:
Advertisement
-
Payton Pritchard, 2-in-5
Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet were the only members of the Celtics to have played, but did not try to shoot 3 points.
It was a forgetable night, although it probably won't dissuade the Celtics in match 2. Boston set the record for the most part for the most part 3 points attempted – And done – during the NBA 2024-25 season. The Celtics pulled an incredible 3,955 three in the regular season. They made 1,457 of these blows. Both establish records in one season.
Given how this approach worked in the regular season, expect the Celtics to continue to use the 3-point shot the rest of the path. Boston's head coach Joe Mazzulla hinted as much, saying: “I thought that for the most part, we fought for beauty throughout the match.”
Brown and Tatum offered more measured answers, saying that they thought that some strokes were forced, or that they should have taken the path more in the loss.
Advertisement
But it was the star of the Karl-Anthony Towns Karl-Anthony Towns who best summed up the situation of the Celtics, saying: “Certain shots (missed) were lucky. They missed some three, I think we all know they are doing.”
With more luck beyond the Arc of Match 1, Boston could have run away with the game. The team will undoubtedly continue to draw from the 3-point beach the rest of the series, and it will be up to the Knicks to understand how to hang with Boston once these shots are starting to fall.
