Celtics tie three-point record in blowout win over Knicks to start NBA title defense

Boston ended up tying the record with more than eight minutes to play in the fourth quarter and seemed to be well positioned to not only set a new league record, but perhaps even shatter it. 

The Celtics certainly tried, taking a three-point shot at every opportunity in an effort to set the record. The problem was their finishing touch that was so spot-on throughout the game completely evaporated when the record was on the line. Boston missed its final 13 three-point attempts.

The staggering thing about that stat, however, is that even by missing their final 13 attempts, they were still 47.5% from three-point range for the game.

Overall, the Celtics attempted 61 three-point shots for the game. 

Jayson Tatum led the way by going 8-of-11 on his three-point shots. 

None of this should really be a surprise as no team in the NBA attempted more three-point shots during the 2023-24 season than the Celtics, while their 38.8% success rate was second in the NBA — just barely trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder (38.9%).

The three-point game is a huge part of the Celtics' strategy, and when it clicks the way it did on Tuesday night they are nearly impossible to beat.