On Friday night during the Celtics’ first game in Charlotte, NBC Sports Boston’s Brian Scalabrine mentioned that to defeat the Celtics, teams would need to outshoot them from three-point range.
The Hornets attempted 48 three-pointers, making 19 compared to the Celtics’ 13, but still lost by 15 points. In the second game, Charlotte took 42 shots from beyond the arc and won that matchup 17 to 16, yet they lost again, 113-103.
Scalabrine’s theory and Charlotte’s focus on three-point shooting have some historical backing. Last season, the Celtics had a +930 point differential from three-pointers over 82 games, averaging over 11 more points per game from beyond the arc. In Boston’s eighteen losses, opposing teams outperformed them in three-point shooting eleven times. However, this only happened three times in the playoffs: once in Game 2 against the Heat, twice against Cleveland, and during the Finals blowout in Dallas.
“When a team wins the championship, there’s a lot of analysis about how they achieved it, including their personnel and schemes,” Brunson said. “I can’t speak for the entire league, but many people noticed the success of their offensive strategies, like their five-out approach. While teams may not replicate it exactly, there’s a tendency to adapt to new basketball trends following such victories.”
This season, the Celtics are +69 over seven games with a 6-1 record and are pushing the boundaries again. After averaging 42.5 three-point attempts per game last season, they’re now shooting over 50 per game to start the year.
Despite media criticism of modern basketball and Mazzulla’s coaching style, Charlotte is also trying to emulate Boston’s success under former assistant Charles Lee. Last year, the Hornets ranked 17th in the league with 34 three-point attempts per game; that number has jumped to 44.8 for the 2024-2025 season, and in their two-game series against Boston, they attempted a total of 90 threes.
It’s difficult to fault them for this approach. Boston’s emphasis on perimeter shooting has led to the most efficient offense in league history, and this trend is sweeping across the NBA. Other teams looking to improve, like Brooklyn (44.2 three-point attempts per game) and Chicago (42.3
), are also moving their offenses further from the basket.
So, are teams attempting to outplay the Celtics at their own game? The results have been mixed. The Pacers are the only team to have defeated Boston, and they typically shoot fewer threes compared to other teams. However, on that notable night, they made 15 of 38 attempts, significantly exceeding their usual output and efficiency.
Opponents’ 3-Point Shooting vs. Celtics
| Opponent | vs. Celtics | Season Average |
|---|---|---|
| Knicks | 11-for-30 | 32.6 |
| Wizards | 7-for-36 | 40.3 |
| Pistons | 14-fo-39 | 35.3 |
| Bucks | 8-for-31 | 36.6 |
| Pacers | 15-for-38 | 33 |
| Hornets | 19-for-48 | 44.8 |
| Hornets | 17-of-42 | 44.8
|
For the most part, Boston has managed to keep opposing teams below their usual three-point outputs. Their defensive prowess is bolstered by a switchable roster that includes two All-Defense guards, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, along with Jaylen Brown, who has earned both Eastern Conference Finals MVP and Finals MVP honors partly due to his stifling defense on Luka Doncic, and another top defender in Jayson Tatum.
Mazzulla emphasizes that it’s not just about launching a lot of threes. While he acknowledges the math—3 is greater than 2—having the right players is essential to effectively execute both offense and defense. So despite all the attention on the Celtics’ three-point shooting, replicating their success is a tall order, as they are well-equipped to defend against those very strategies.
