The <a href="https://www.archysport.com/2022/01/nba-nets-dominate-bulls-in-the-top-duel-in-the-east/" title="NBA: Nets dominate Bulls in the top duel in the east”>Boston Celtics reached the sky at the end of last NBA season and have started the new season in style. In the first official game of the competition, the Celtics dispatched the New York Knicks with sufficiency, despite the reinforcements of the New Yorkers. But more than the comfortable victory (132-109), what the game will be remembered for is the failed attempt to break the record for triples in a single game. The all-time high was the 29 that the Milwaukee Bucks achieved in 2020. The Celtics equaled that number with a shot by Al Horford with nine minutes remaining. However, with the best players on the bench, they failed 13 consecutive attempts to the disappointment of those attending the TD Garden, who aspired to immortalize the moment with their cameras.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla is a big believer in the advantage of threes and encourages his players to shoot from that distance over and over again. The Celtics also have a team full of reliable shooters. Six of them made three-pointers, but the precision recital was given by Jayson Tatum, with 8 three-pointers in 11 attempts. He was followed by Derrick White, with 6 of 10, and Jaylen Brown, with 5 of 9. Jrue Holiday, with 4 of 6, and the Dominican Al Horford, with 3 of 5, were also fine. This time, however, the substitutes did not They accompanied and only made 3 of their 20 long-distance shots, with most of the failures in that final stretch, when anxiety took over the players.
The Celtics didn’t even exhaust the last possession. It is considered a gesture of chivalry not to continue trying to score when time is almost up and the game is completely decided. The people, however, were left wanting. The sighs of disappointment after each missed throw in search of the record echoed through the TD Garden.
Favorites
Beyond the broken record, the Celtics showed the scoring power that makes them favorites to retain the title and break the curse that haunts the last league champions by virtue of the enormous equality of the competition. In the last six years there have been six different champions.
Those from Boston endorsed those from New York by a resounding 43-24 in the first quarter that almost sealed the game. The contrast between a team that was completely in place, that played from memory (and that also had its aim honed) and another that was under construction became palpable. The Celtics keep intact the block that led them to win the ring last year. The Knicks have signed Karl Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, but the pieces have yet to fall into place.
Tatum was the star of the game with 37 points, 10 assists and 4 rebounds. White scored 24 points; Brown, 23; Holiday, 18, and Horford, 11. For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride added 22 each. Despite all the mistakes at the end, the Celtics scored 47.5% (29 out of 61) of the three-pointers attempted. The Knicks were just 11 of 30.
a day of celebration
The match took place after a ceremony to celebrate last season’s title. After the Celtics received their diamond- and emerald-encrusted championship rings, and before the team’s 18th championship flag was raised to the ceiling, Jayson Tatum grabbed a microphone to address the excited crowd, the Associated Press reports.
“Enjoy this moment together,” he told the fans who packed TD Garden for the Celtics’ first official game since their Game 5 victory over Dallas in the NBA Finals, which clinched the title. “Let’s do it again,” he added.
Then, the Celtics gathered where so many of their predecessors had and raised the “2024 World Champions” flag, as they call the title of NBA champion, to the roof above the packed stands.
Six-time champion Bob Cousy and 1981 NBA Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell were present at the pregame ceremony. They were applauded before Paul Pierce — accompanied by fellow 2008 champions Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen — brought out the 2024 trophy, which was placed on a table surrounded by the championship rings.
The owner, Wyc Grousbeck, handed out the jewelry. NBA commissioner Adam Silver congratulated the players as they walked out among the numbers of a giant, golden “18.” Coach Joe Mazzulla knelt to kiss the hardwood floor before receiving his ring.
