The Boston Celtics are known for their 3-point shooting. But in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks, that very strength turned into their biggest weakness and earned them an unwanted place in NBA playoff history.
Boston started strong, with a 16-point lead at halftime that had fans thinking the game was as good as over. But what followed was a cold streak that will be tough to forget, especially with the record books now involved.
Celtics Set Playoff Record for Missed 3s in Game 1 Collapse
Boston finished the night 15-of-60 from beyond the arc. That’s not just a bad night—it’s historically bad. The 45 missed threes are the most ever in a playoff game, breaking the previous record of 40 misses set by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The OKC Thunder and Miami Heat are next on the list with 39 misses each, but the Celtics now top that unfortunate category.
The Celtics missed 45 threes tonight.
The most ever in a playoff game. pic.twitter.com/xOwBcvsDBR
— StatMuse (@statmuse)
Their shot selection didn’t help either. Nineteen of Boston’s 20 field goal attempts in the third quarter were 3-pointers. At one point in the second half, right after going up by 20 points, the Celtics missed 10 straight shots—all from deep. That cold stretch gave the Knicks just enough breathing room to crawl back and eventually steal the game.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum struggled from deep, hitting just four of his 15 attempts from 3-point range. He often relied on tough, step-back jumpers rather than using his physical advantage to drive to the rim.
The most costly moment came with 5.5 seconds remaining in regulation, and the game tied. Instead of attacking the paint, Tatum opted for a heavily contested 25-foot 3-pointer. It clanked off the rim, along with Boston’s shot at stealing Game 1.
Jaylen Brown, who went just 1-of-10 from deep, didn’t hold back after the game. He pointed to the team’s over-reliance on threes and the lack of a plan to stop the bleeding when shots weren’t falling.
“Can’t just fire up 3s,” Brown said. “You know to break up momentum you gotta get to the free throw line, get to the paint, get to the basket. Hit some free throws and then maybe the next 3-pointer feels a little bit better. I feel like we just settled. And we make adjustments and we come ready to play in Game 2.”
Shaquille O’Neal Calls Out Celtics’ Overdependence on 3s
On NBA on TNT, Shaquille O’Neal didn’t mince words while analyzing Boston’s meltdown. He praised the Celtics’ talent but warned that their heavy reliance on 3-point shooting is a double-edged sword.
“Boston is a fabulous team, but you know when their superpower is not working, they become regular,” Shaq said. What he meant was simple — the Celtics look unstoppable when their threes are falling, but they don’t have a solid Plan B once the shots stop dropping. That makes them vulnerable.
He backed up Brown’s criticism of the team’s stubborn shot selection and took it further, suggesting someone on the floor should’ve had the awareness to hit the brakes. “If we miss two or three in a row, I have to look at my guy and be like, hey, don’t shoot another 3,” Shaq said.
In other words, Boston didn’t just lose because they missed shots—they lost because no one adjusted. No one stepped up to change the rhythm or push for smarter, higher-percentage plays. And in the playoffs, that kind of tunnel vision can be fatal.
