Brian Scalabrine breaks down why this year’s Celtics team has the ability to be even better than last year’s, and potentially the best one in recent decades, if they can stay healthy.
The Boston Celtics shoot a ton of 3-pointers, and it's one of the main reasons why they went 16-3 during the 2024 NBA playoffs en route to winning a record 18th championship.
No team made or attempted more 3-point shots than the Celtics last season, and they had seven players shoot 37.5 percent or higher on these attempts.
- Jrue Holiday: 42.9 percent
- Sam Hauser: 42.4
- Al Horford: 41.9
- Derrick White: 39.6
- Payton Pritchard: 38.5
- Jayson Tatum: 37.6
- Kristaps Porzingis: 37.5
- Jaylen Brown: 35.4
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The Celtics had a 71-9 record last season (including the playoffs) when they shot above 32 percent from 3-point range. When the C's get hot from beyond the arc, it's extremely difficult to beat them.
This strategy should continue, and maybe even accelerate, during the upcoming 2024-25 season, especially if the preseason is any indication.
The Celtics are attempting an astounding 52 3-point shots per game through six preseason games. They are making 19.8 of them per game. Both would shatter league records if the C's posted those numbers in the regular season.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla places huge importance on 3-point shots, and the Celtics have made them a key part of their offense during his two seasons on the bench.
What are some of the league records for 3-pointers in a single season? Could the Celtics break them over the next seven months?
Let's dive into the numbers.
Most 3-point shots made
NBA record: 1,363 by the 2022-23 Golden State Warriors
The Celtics nearly broke this record last season. They made 1,351 3-pointers, which was 12 shy of the Warriors' record. By doing so, the 2023-24 Celtics became just the fourth team in league history to hit 1,300 or more 3-pointers in a single season. They are the only franchise to achieve that feat twice.
5. 2017-18 Houston Rockets: 1,256
4. 2022-23 Boston Celtics: 1,315
3. 2018-19 Houston Rockets: 1,323
2. 2023-24 Boston Celtics: 1,351
1. 2022-23 Golden State Warriors: 1,363
The Celtics would need to hit 16.63 3-point shots per game to beat the Warriors' record by one. And that is definitely achievable when you consider Boston hit 16.48 3-pointers per contest last season.
More Celtics coverage
Most 3-point shots made per game
NBA record: 16.74 by the 2020-21 Utah Jazz
The Jazz have the record, but it was set during the 2020-21 season, which was shortened to 72 games instead of the normal 82-game schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The record for a regular 82-game season is 16.62 by the 2022-23 Warriors. The Celtics made 16.48 3-point shots per game last season, so they aren't very far from eclipsing the Warriors' mark.
One player who could really help the Celtics break this 3-point record is Jaylen Brown. The reigning Finals MVP made 2.1 3-pointers per game last season, which was his lowest total since he made 1.3 per game in the 2018-19 campaign.
He also shot 35.4 percent from beyond the arc for the season, which is below his career rate of 36.4 percent. If Brown can get back to the 37 or 38 percent range -- and he's hit that level three times already in his career -- the C's could shatter some of these records.
Highest 3-point shooting percentage
NBA record: 42.8 percent by the 1996-97 Charlotte Hornets
The 1996-97 Hornets had a couple of the best shooters of the 1990s in Glen Rice and Dell Curry (Stephen Curry's dad). Rice shot 47 percent from 3-point range that season, while Curry hit 42.6 of his attempts. Rice also won the 1997 NBA All-Star Game MVP after hitting a bunch of 3-pointers, which helped him set All-Star records for most points in a quarter and a half.
1997 All-Star Flashback: MVP Glen Rice sizzled in the 3rd quarter, dropping 20 points, breaking Hal Greer's record of 19 points set in 1968 pic.twitter.com/lFS9nJyaFq
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) February 15, 2017
The Celtics ranked No. 2 in the league with a 38.8 3-point percentage last season. The Oklahoma City Thunder were slightly better at 38.9 percent.
The team record for 3-point percentage in a season is 39.9 percent, which was set by the 2008-09 Celtics. It's the 18th-highest 3-point percentage in league history. Only 10 teams have ever shot 40 percent or better from 3-point range in an 82-game regular season, and only one of them -- the 2015-16 Warriors at 41.6 percent -- did it in the last 10 years.
This might be the toughest 3-point record for the Celtics to break, especially if they take between 45-50 of these shots per game.
Most 3-point shots attempted per game
NBA record: 45.38 by the 2018-19 Houston Rockets
This is probably the 3-point record that's most breakable for the Celtics. It's just a matter of how many they want to take. The C's led the league with 42.5 3-point shots attempted per game last season, which was three more than the Dallas Mavericks in second place.
The Celtics' most commonly used lineups typically have four good shooters on the floor, and sometimes all five guys on the court are threats from beyond the arc.
The addition of rookie Baylor Scheierman could boost Boston's 3-point shooting numbers this season. Lonnie Walker IV could do the same, if he makes the team. We also could see some veterans like Xavier Tillman shoot more 3-pointers.
And if you factor in the importance that Mazzulla places on 3-pointers, it wouldn't be surprising if the Celtics attempted 46 or more 3-pointers per game this season and set a new record.
