Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla’s honest take on shot selection after missing 45 3s

The Boston Celtics suffered a significant Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. This loss was especially devastating considering that the Celtics made history by taking 60 three-point attempts, but they lost 108-105 in overtime. 

The Houston Rockets previously held the record with 58 attempts in the 2020 Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Celtics missed 45 three-pointers and were a meager 15/60. 

But to hear Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla tell it, he seemed content with their shot selection, per Bobby Manning of CLNS Media. 

“I think for the most part,” he said. 

Aside from squandering a 20-point lead, the Celtics’ best players didn’t hit from beyond the arc. Jayson Tatum missed 11 times. Jaylen Brown missed 10 times. 

Derrick White missed an untold number of 3s. They each finished the game with solid overall numbers. 

Tatum had a double-double with 23 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists. Brown finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. White also had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. 

Mazzulla’s words seem perplexing, but they are very much in keeping with his character of saying things that are seemingly out of the realm of convention. In the first-round series, Mazzulla downplayed the Orlando Magic’s physicality, and the Celtics won in five games. 

The Celtics and Knicks will play Game 2 on Wednesday. The Knicks will undoubtedly exploit the Celtics’ vulnerabilities at the perimeter, but only if they can clean it up.

The Celtics are golden from beyond the arc

The Celtics can shake off the humiliating spectacle of Game 1 by obviously hitting from the three-point line. 

They finished in the top five this season for three-point field goal percentage, with 37.8%. It sounds like a low number, but the Indiana Pacers had the highest percentage, 41.6%. 

The Celtics also broke the NBA record once held by the Golden State Warriors for the most three-pointers made in a season with 1,363 3s. In addition to Tatum and Brown, guard Payton Pritchard can shoot the 3. He finished this season shooting 40.7% from the line. 

Their ability to convert on open looks at the perimeter was instrumental in their success this season. It is what can help them repeat as NBA champions.