It’s no secret the Celtics’ winning formula in the Mazzulla era has been “chuck as many 3s as possible”. March has shown us that might not be viable going forward.
The season started out well for the Celtics, with one immediately noticeable talking point on the offensive side; Jaylen Brown was taking midrange shots. It felt like a trip back to the 2000s, before the 3-pointer had not completely taken over. It was exciting and refreshing, but now the Celtics are back to their old identity.
Before I begin, I am obviously not coming after Mazzulla’s ideologies or even the performance of the players. The Celtics are shooting almost 43 shots from beyond the arc at 36% as a team. But when they start off shooting an incredibly low percentage, there comes a time when you need to rely on other methods of scoring. What feels the most surprising about the 36% mark is how the starters are much lower but are carried by the lower volume guys off the bench. The statistic also takes into Jayson Tatum’s 3p%, despite having 7 games played.
Who is struggling to shoot from beyond the arc?
Speaking of Tatum, he is shooting 30% from 3 in his first 7 games back, on 10 attempts per game. This volume is astronomically high. I understand he wants to be the player he has been in seasons past, but he needs to go back to his slashing and pick and roll offense of years prior, while sprinkling in 3s when needed. As mentioned in my previous article, I see Tatum this season more as a facilitating point forward to make up for his shooting slump. Is it all mental, coming off of his Achilles? Let’s hope so.
Unfortunately, Derrick White is going through a yearlong shooting slump. On 32.6% on 9 attempts per game, White has found himself in a down year despite fans believing this could his best chance at finally making an All-Star team. He has his fourth quarter heroic moments like always, but I find he can sometimes shoot us out of a lead early in games. White’s value comes in his otherworldly rim protection for a 6’4 guard and his nearly 3 stocks per game.
The Bench Mob Shines From Deep
Next, I want to highlight the bench unit, namely Scheierman and Garza. Starting off with Scheierman, the Creighton product is shooting 38.3% on nearly 3 attempts per game, in notably increased minutes since January. Not only is his beyond the arc scoring progressing, so is his rebounding and passing. Always one for a flashy, Rondo-like move, Scheierman has progressed significantly this season into what Celtics fans hoped he could be and more.
Garza is a special case due to the low shot volume; only 1.7 attempts per game, but on a 43.3% clip. This forces defenses to put their center up on the arc if Luka Garza finds himself there. However, Luka Garza is one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA. This offensive flexibility allows for multiple ways of attacking that are impossible when Neemias Queta is on the floor. You can’t just leave a 44% three-point shooter open, even if he rarely shoots them. Garza has helped himself obtain another contract this summer after his 1-year deal with the Celtics expires.
Jaylen Brown Makes Celtics History
On March 18th versus the Golden State Warriors, Jaylen Brown cemented himself as a Celtics legend by entering top 10 in all time points list for the franchise. He actually moved up two spots in one game, passing Jojo White and Dave Cowens who find themselves only 4 points apart. Brown sits behind his teammate, Jayson Tatum and Celtics legend Bill Russell.
