Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart Ejected for Fight and More Takeaways from Loss to Cleveland Cavaliers
By Thomas King
3-Point Shooting Woes Continue
Though Morris has shot well from beyond the arc, the majority of his teammates are ice cold from three-point range. It’s only been four meaningless preseason games, but the horrific shooting is starting to become concerning for a team that will rely heavily on the deep ball.
After missing 11-of-12 first-half three-pointers in the first meeting with Cleveland, Boston missed 13-of-15 first-half three-pointers on Saturday. The Celtics finished the game 9-for-27 from deep.
Boston’s offensive defensive effort so far in the preseason can be chalked up to a lack focus and effort, but the poor shooting is confounding. The Celtics finished the preseason shooting 24.6 percent from three-point range.
Last season, Boston made 37.7 percent of its three-pointers, good for second in the league, and ranked 10th in three-point field goals attempted per game. The Celtics will have a clean slate when the regular season begins on October 16th and will need to shake this shooting slump and return to form in order to reach their potential on offense.
The Celtics starting lineup will rely on the three-point shooting ability of all five players to stretch defenses to their limit and open up space for driving lanes. If the Celtics shoot as well as we know they are capable, their athletic advantages at each position will shine brightly.