Boston Celtics Mailbag: Is Kyrie Irving Sacrificing Shots for the Good of the Team?
By Thomas King
“The Celtics seem to be struggling getting to the rim, often settling for pull-up mid-range shots. Do you think the lack of penetration is resulting in poor outside shooting, or is the inability to knock down shots and soften the defense driving down the three-point percentage?” – James J.
Great question, though not an easy one to answer.
Boston’s early-season shooting struggles has been well-documented. As of Tuesday morning, the Celtics rank 27th in offensive rating and 28th in true shooting percentage. In addition, Boston is shooting just 33.3 percent from three-point range, more than four percentage points worse than last season.
What’s less well-known is that the Celtics are dead last in paint points and only the San Antonio Spurs are currently scoring a lesser percentage of their points in the paint. Not only is Boston getting into the lane less than most teams, they also can’t seem to find the hoop when they do get there. From inside five feet, the Celtics are making 56.7 percent of their shots, good for 28th in the league.
In my opinion, Boston’s finishing abilities and three-point shooting are tied to the same string. Because the Celtics are unwilling or unable to challenge defenses in the paint, the opponent’s perimeter defenders are pushing further out on shooters, confident that if they get beat off the dribble, either the Celtics will pull up for a mid-range shot or the help defense will deter a shot at the rim.
Since the opening round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, the scout has been out on the Boston Celtics: overplay their shooters at the three-point line because they will often shy away from one-on-one plays at the hoop.
Luckily, Boston has enough talent that they are still able to get off a bunch of good looks from beyond the arc every game, but they could make defenses pay much more if they try to attack all the way to the rim and challenge the defense in the painted area. This would not only open up more three-point chances, but also more driving lanes as the defense is forced to scramble.
On the other hand, if Boston were making some of their open three-pointers, the spacing would improve, making those driving lanes that much easier to find and exploit. The better Boston scores at the rim, the better they’ll shoot from beyond the arc, and vice versa.
It’s a symbiotic relationship that needs to continue to grow in order for the Celtics to reach their offensive potential.