The Boston Celtics came into the Eastern Conference Semifinals as defending champions and heavy favorites. But after two brutal collapses at home to the New York Knicks, the only thing they’ve dominated so far is the record book, for all the wrong reasons.
Through Games 1 and 2, the Celtics have missed an astonishing 75 three-point attempts, the most ever in a two-game span in NBA playoff history. Their deep reliance on perimeter shooting has completely backfired, exposing their vulnerability when the shots don’t fall and the pressure mounts.
In Game 1, Boston launched 60 threes and made just 15, finishing at a measly 25.0% clip. The Knicks, meanwhile, connected on 17 of 37 attempts (45.9%) and pulled off a thrilling 108-105 overtime win after erasing a 20-point deficit.
Game 2 offered a similar script: the Celtics again shot 25.0% from deep (10-of-40), while the Knicks went cold themselves (9-of-31 for 29.0%), but still found a way to edge out a 91-90 victory.
The volume of misses is staggering, but the individual breakdowns are even more telling:
1. Derrick White: 8-27 (29.6%)
2. Jayson Tatum: 5-20 (25.0)
3. Jaylen Brown: 3-17 (17.6%)
4. Payton Pritchard: 5-14 (35.7%)
5. Al Horford: 1-10 (10.0%)
6. Jrue Holiday: 2-9 (22.2)
7. Sam Hauser: 0-2 (0.0%)
8. Kristaps Porzingis: 1-1 (100%)
Altogether, the Celtics are shooting 25.0% from beyond the arc as a team in this series. It’s not just inefficient, it’s catastrophic. In both games, they’ve built large leads and then completely lost their offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter.
Boston went 2-for-15 from three in the final period of Game 1, and followed that with a 2-for-11 mark in the fourth quarter of Game 2. Those dry spells opened the door for New York to come storming back.
The Celtics are now down 0-2 and heading into hostile territory at Madison Square Garden, where Knicks fans are already chanting “Knicks in 4.” Boston’s high-powered offense looks broken, and their stars, especially Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, must rediscover their efficiency quickly.
The Knicks, on the other hand, have shown resilience, defensive toughness, and clutch execution on both ends, led by Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart.
For Boston, this is a historic low, one defined by missed opportunities, missed shots, and missed execution. If they don’t make drastic adjustments soon, this series won’t last much longer. And the 75 missed threes will become the epitaph of their failed title defense.
