The Detroit Pistons hoisted 188 threes throughout six video games in opposition to the Knicks within the first spherical — the fifth-most makes an attempt of any playoff workforce. They solely made 61 of them. That 32.4% clip ranked bottom-five within the postseason.
The Boston Celtics aren’t the Pistons. They’re the gorilla 29 different NBA groups are attempting to take down, they usually win by burying groups from behind the arc. To compound issues, the Celtics additionally dominate the offensive glass, which turns missed pictures into much more threes on second-chance alternatives.
The Knicks survived Spherical 1 partially as a result of Detroit couldn’t money in on open appears to be like. The Celtics don’t supply such a margin for error. Which is why defending the three-point line will outline this second-round collection — and why a Knicks workforce that ranked close to the underside of the league in opponent three-point effectivity is a big underdog getting into the second spherical.
As a result of if the Knicks don’t guard the three, the Celtics will ship them packing in 4.
“They’re defending champions for a reason,” mentioned Karl-Anthony Cities after follow in Tarrytown on Saturday. “They found a formula that works for them, it’s worked against the whole entire league, got them a chip. We just gotta go out there, execute, stay disciplined.”
Jayson Tatum is the top of the snake. Jaylen Brown is totally able to hijacking a recreation — or a collection. However what separates Boston from most elite offenses is what surrounds its stars: a barrage of knock-down shooters at each place. The second Tatum or Brown forces the protection to rotate, the Knicks need to scramble, get better and contest — or danger a repeat of the common season, the place Boston went 4-0, together with three blowouts, principally by raining fireplace from deep.
“You have to finish your defense. It requires multiple efforts, it takes great communication, aggressiveness and you have to finish. You have to challenge, and then you have to rebound,” head coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned Saturday. “They’re a great offensive rebounding team, and oftentimes, that leads to more threes. So they’re active pursuing the ball and they can create turnovers, which also leads to threes. So you have to have a great understanding of what’s going on in a game.”
That’s the onerous half: studying the ground in actual time and staying locked in. The Knicks have had lapses in that understanding for stretches at a time. They misplaced observe of the new hand with regularity in the course of the common season. And the Celtics don’t simply shoot threes. They chase down their misses. They create turnovers. They flood the ground with spacing and punish each misstep.
The numbers inform the story: Boston tied an NBA report with 29 made threes within the season opener in opposition to the Knicks. Sure, it was ring evening. Sure, it inflated the numbers. Nevertheless it set the tone — the Celtics shot 19-of-39, 17-of-44 and 19-of-49 of their final three video games in opposition to the Knicks.
Detroit generated its three-point appears to be like primarily via Cade Cunningham. Boston’s offense comes at you from all angles. Dennis Schroder (48.7%) and Tobias Harris (43.5%) shot it nicely from deep, however Malik Beasley, who almost received the three-point crown, shot simply 9-of-34 (26%) from deep between Video games 2 and 5, and Tim Hardaway Jr. shot it at a 30.8% clip from deep. To not point out Cunningham linked on 17.9% of his appears to be like from downtown.
The Celtics received’t bail the Knicks out in Spherical 2. They’ll purpose to show each defensive mistake right into a backbreaking three.
“Obviously [we have to] keep bodies on bodies, not letting them loose for open threes,” mentioned Jalen Brunson. “You have to contest everything and be ready for the long rebounds, the second shots.”
Boston is surgical. Sam Hauser, Kristaps Porzingis and Payton Pritchard all shot over 40% from deep. Derrick White, Al Horford and Jrue Vacation every landed between 35–38% — and all three will punish you if left open. Even Tatum and Brown, who completed under 35% general, are deadly when it counts: Tatum shot 40% on catch-and-shoots, and Brown’s playoff resume consists of long-range heaters that flip video games in minutes.
“I think if you overlook guys like [Jrue] Holiday and [Derrick] White you’re making a big mistake,” mentioned Thibodeau. “Those guys are all dangerous. [Kristaps] Porzinigis is a terrific player. You’re dealing with five-out spacing.”
There’s a blueprint. Orlando gave Boston actual points from past the arc. The Magic held the Celtics to simply 31.2 threes per recreation in Spherical 1 — down 17 makes an attempt from Boston’s 12 months common and greater than 5 fewer than they tried in three video games in opposition to Orlando in the course of the common season.
Thibodeau mentioned the teaching employees has been finding out the Orlando-Boston collection and New York’s personal 4 regular-season video games in opposition to the Celtics for enchancment on this division. However reviewing the tape is one factor. Truly implementing what labored for the Magic is one other ordeal. And for all of Orlando’s success defending the road, Boston nonetheless shot 37.8% as a workforce from downtown and ended the primary spherical in a gentleman’s sweep.
“Of course you want to limit their 3-point attempts. It’s easier said than done,” mentioned Cities. “You gotta go out there and make it happen. You can’t just talk about it.”
Speaking time is up.
The Knicks simply survived a first-round scare the place they couldn’t persistently keep linked to Pistons shooters. In the event that they’re that sloppy in opposition to Boston, they’ll get torched — time and again — by a workforce that’s constructed to stay behind the arc.
And if the Celtics are getting clear appears to be like? If the Knicks can’t repair a difficulty they’ve battled all 12 months? Spherical 2 received’t simply resemble the common season. It’ll repeat it.
4 up, 4 down in opposition to the reigning champs, with Boston advancing behind the shot they’ve used to bury the league all 12 months lengthy.
Initially Printed: Might 3, 2025 at 3:22 PM EDT
