The Boston Celtics have been one of the best teams in the NBA this year. The only team with a better record than them is the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the Celtics have beaten them once already this season. Fresh off their title season, Boston has doubled down on their strategies, especially when it comes to three-point shooting.
They are attempting more threes per game than any team in NBA history and the most in the league right now by far. The Celtics are taking 51.4 threes per game, and the next-most is the Chicago Bulls, who are taking 43.5 per contest.
But they can still be better.
Celtics could still be better at three-point shooting
Boston is making their money beyond the arc because of their volume. They take so many more than their opponents that it’s extremely difficult for most teams to catch up.
Without changing anything, the Celtics are one of the best teams in basketball. They could do what they are doing now for the rest of the season and will be one of the favorites to win the NBA Championship. But they still have room to improve.
As pointed out by Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston, the Celtics could still be more efficient from behind the arc. They rank first in attempts per game, but they are only 13th in the NBA in efficiency. Boston shoots just 37.0% from distance.
Because of how many threes the Celtics take, it is unlikely that they will be the most efficient team. But they could still get better. And it’s because some players on the roster aren’t shooting as well as they could be.
Jrue Holiday has had a cold season from behind the three-point line. After shooting a career-high 42.9% from range last year, Holiday’s efficiency is down to 32.8%.
Jayson Tatum is at 36.4%. Jaylen Brown is at 34.0%. Sam Hauser is at 36.8%. All of those players could be shooting better from beyond the three-point arc.
Even if all of those players can get better by a single percentage point, the team’s number will begin to climb. And with how many threes the Celtics take per game, those numbers will be significant in the grand scheme of things.
Boston’s three-point shooting has taken over the league this season. It’s the biggest strength of their team. Yet, at the same time, they can still get better. And that’s a terrifying reality for the NBA.