BOSTON — The Celtics dealt with the New York Knicks by the point the fourth quarter rolled round and set their eyes on an NBA file Tuesday night time with loads of time to perform the feat.
Al Horford splashed in Boston’s twenty ninth triple with 8:54 left to tie the file for many 3-pointers in a single sport. It appeared like a foregone conclusion that the Celtics would shatter the file given their ferocity from past the arc on the night time.
However then got here miss after miss after miss. And when the ultimate buzzer sounded on a 132-109 win for Boston at TD Backyard, the Celtics had been nonetheless caught on 29 treys after lacking their last 13 3-point makes an attempt.
It was actually the one blemish in an in any other case dominant efficiency.
“It was virtually like we received jinxed or one thing,” Jaylen Brown stated. “After we had been simply enjoying, having enjoyable, enjoying our type of basketball, every part was entering into. After which as soon as the group received into it and we began looking them, we couldn’t even hit the the best aspect of the barn. Like, every part was off. We received a bunch of nice appears to be like and it was like a lid on the basket.”
Story continues beneath commercial
The Celtics, who completed 29-of-61 (47.5%) from deep, torched the Knicks with their long-range photographs from the get-go. Boston transformed a staggering 10-of-17 3-pointers within the first quarter and drained seven extra within the second quarter. The avalanche of 3-pointers continued within the third quarter with Boston hitting 9-of-13 makes an attempt.
The barrage got here from each path, too. Jayson Tatum, who scored a game-high 37 factors on an ultra-efficient 14-for-18 capturing, knocked down eight triples whereas Derrick White sunk six and Brown knocked down 5.
“Shot felt good,” Tatum stated. “I used to be in a great rhythm and issues like that. I believe simply offensively, I felt like we picked up from the place we left off final 12 months.”
The Celtics a season in the past averaged probably the most 3-point makes an attempt per sport with 42.5. In the event that they sustain the tempo they’re at, they may shatter that mark.
Story continues beneath commercial
Jacking up 3-pointers is a staple of Joe Mazzulla-ball, the place it appears like the very best shot is one behind the arc. However the Celtics discovered a useful lesson from the way in which their capturing clinic ended towards the Knicks.
“That simply reveals we’re not a workforce that’s looking threes,” Brown stated. “I imply, we play the sport and we do what we’re speculated to do. However I believe towards the top it was robust as a result of we wasn’t enjoying the way in which we had usually performed. However we nonetheless had a bunch of nice appears to be like.”
Listed here are extra notes from Tuesday’s Celtics-Knicks sport:
— The Celtics started the night time in celebratory vogue. They obtained their championship rings and raised Banner 18 to the TD Backyard rafters. Mazzulla even had an surprising second in the course of the pregame ceremony.
Story continues beneath commercial
— The Celtics shortly moved on from the festivities to overwhelm the Knicks, which galvanized Mazzulla. The Celtics led, 43-24, after the primary 12 minutes and notched 74 factors by halftime
“The most important factor I’m pleased with is the mindset of the blokes,” Mazzulla stated. “They weren’t caught previously. We had been capable of transition from what received us to the place we had been to the place we’re attempting to get to with the intangibles and so they got here out and it was an amazing begin. We had been bodily on protection and we performed collectively on offense and it’s a credit score to them.”
— Boston’s beginning 5 continues to pack a strong punch. Tatum, Brown, White, Jrue Vacation and Al Horford mixed to attain 113 factors.
— The Celtics look to make it two wins in a row to start the 2024-25 season after they face the Washington Wizards on Thursday night time. Tipoff from Capital One Enviornment is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
Story continues beneath commercial
