The Boston Celtics collapsed in the second half of Game 1 against the New York Knicks in their Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup, and a big reason for that was their inability to hit from 3-point range. Known for their success from deep throughout the regular season, it would be their Achilles heel in the first game against New York this series as they missed 45 3-point attempts in the first game.
Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum was one who struggled the most in Game 1, going 4-15 from 3-point range and along with fellow superstar Jaylen Brown, the two would combine to go 5-25 in the loss. In speaking to the media after the Knicks came back from a 20-point deficit, Tatum acknowledged that he could’ve been more aggressive in attacking the rim and changing up his shot selection.
“There were probably sometimes that we settled (for 3-point shots),” Tatum said to reporters. “I think for myself, I could’ve put more pressure on the rim, but there was a lot of times where we felt we got some really, really, good looks but we just couldn’t convert.”
There is no doubting that the shooting woes cost Boston and was the demise in their second-half collapse to New York. For the game, the Celtics shot 35% from the field, and 25% from 3-point range, with Tatum and Brown struggling to go 14-43 from the field as a duo. Turning around their shot efficiency will be key for Boston to not only get a win in Game 2, but to also regain control on the series as a whole.
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