The Boston Celtics began their title defense with a bang. Boston rode the momentum from raising a championship banner to the TD Garden rafters Tuesday night and put together a nearly flawless performance — The Celtics shot a blistering 29-for-61 from 3-point range to tie the NBA record for most triples in a game — in a 132-109 rout of the New York Knicks.
No team has lifted the Larry O'Brien Trophy in consecutive seasons since the 2017-18 Warriors. However, Boston still possesses the most talent in the Association and a group that demonstrated its maturity yet again on opening night.
The Celtics Started Fast and Never Looked Back
THERE GOES THAT MAN 💥 pic.twitter.com/VorP4mzkWn
Boston's defense was suffocating. The hosts walled off drives, their rotations were excellent, and they limited the fouls to three. They also did an outstanding job of keeping the Knicks from extending possessions, surrendering one offensive rebound and no second-chance points.
- That allowed the Celtics to consistently operate in transition, making it easier to sustain their rhythm.
They buried a blistering 10/17 threes (58.8 percent) in the opening 12 minutes.
Celtics are the first team in NBA history to make 9 three-pointers in the first quarter of a season-opener!The record was 7, by 6 teams
That includes Jayson Tatum and the loudest conversation about refined shooting mechanics in franchise, if not NBA history, drilling the first shot of the game, a long-range look off the dribble.
Tatum converted on 5/7 attempts, including 3/5 triples, producing 15 points and pacing all participants in the first quarter.
JT IS COOKING 🔥🔥🔥Up to 4 threes in the 1st quarter! pic.twitter.com/A1C5gqca0z
One of Boston's misses from behind the arc was a Payton Pritchard pull-up from 32 feet, with anticipation building as he got the ball with a chance for another buzzer-beater.
The Celtics, known for aggressively attacking the offensive glass, also parlayed three offensive rebounds into five second-chance points, helping them take a 43-24 lead into the second period.
New York's Defense Was Missing in Action
- While New York manufactured 12 points in the paint in the second quarter, got to the free-throw line more frequently, attempted seven foul shots, and received a needed contribution off the bench from Miles McBride, providing seven of the visitors' 11 bench points in the 12 minutes before halftime, they continued to get outplayed at both ends of the floor.
Boston took a 74-55 advantage into intermission. The hosts converted on 17/32 threes (53.1 percent), tying a franchise record for their most long-range makes in a half.
One of the most glaring concerns for the Knicks is the change in shooting mechanics by Mikal Bridges. There's nothing wrong with refining one's form, and there's an appreciable difference between a career 37.5 percent three-point shooter and a player knocking down 40 percent of their attempts from behind the arc.
However, Bridges' new form is a painful watch, with equally dreadful results in the first half. The former Villanova star went 0/5 from the field, including 0/4 from three-point range. He entered the break scoreless, with a minus-17 plus-minus rating.
Celtics Maintain Control in the Second Half
- The Celtics continued to dictate the terms of play in the second half, convincingly outplaying the team that many, including this author, perceive as their primary external threat in the Eastern Conference.
Whether it was Jrue Holiday forcing a Bridges turnover before burying a three in front of a player the Knicks gave up five first-round picks for this summer, or Jaylen Brown forcing Jalen Brunson into an eight-second violation, pressing him in the backcourt, the hosts continued painting a defensive masterpiece.
Knicks ran outta time ⏰ 😏 pic.twitter.com/p3A5WVJWpu
They also demonstrated excellent ball movement, consistently creating open looks from three-point range.
JT with the behind-the-back pass to Al, and Al finds D-White for ANOTHER Celtics 3 🤯 🤯 🤯 pic.twitter.com/AsRbFEO7Gt
There was also a Brown triple that prompted Tom Thibodeau to take a timeout with his team trailing 99-70. Brown then walked towards the crowd, encouraging them to get even louder, to which the TD Garden faithful happily obliged.
Despite a late flurry from the visitors, Boston entered the final frame with a commanding 113-87 lead.
Celtics Enter the Record Books
- When Sam Hauser drilled a three from 30 feet with 11:33 left, it tied a franchise record for the most makes from beyond the arc (27).
When Al Horford followed suit with 8:54 remaining, it tied the NBA record set by the Bucks, who capitalized on 29 shots from three-point range in a game in 2020.
While the Celtics did not reach 30 despite launching one open three after another, missing 13 consecutive threes to end the game, they tied NBA history and delivered a dominant 132-109 win over their rivals from New York to start the 2024-25 season.
Up next: The Celtics travel to the nation's capital to face the Wizards on Thursday. That matchup will tip off at 7:00 p.m. EST.
Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.
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