Celtics Fall Apart in Second Half, and the Three-Point Struggle Is Real
Talk about a rough night at the office for the Boston Celtics.
Coming into the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Boston was hyped for their consistency and sharpshooting, especially from beyond the arc. But in Game 1 against the New York Knicks, that signature strength completely vanished—and it might’ve cost them the game.
Let’s just say it: the Celtics collapsed. And not in a minor way either. After holding a comfortable 20-point lead at one point, they let the Knicks roar back and take the win. Fans were left shaking their heads, and inside the locker room, players were well aware of how it all unraveled.
The Numbers Tell a Brutal Story
You know it’s bad when your stars can’t find the bottom of the net. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown—Boston’s dynamic duo—combined for an ice-cold 5-for-25 from three-point range. Tatum alone went 4-of-15 from deep, and the entire team looked like they were shooting with blindfolds on.
Overall, Boston shot just 35% from the field and a dismal 25% from downtown. If you're wondering whether that’s below their regular season average—oh yeah, it’s way below.
The team that usually rains threes couldn’t buy one in Game 1. A whopping 45 three-point attempts clanked off the rim, many of them wide-open looks that they usually knock down in their sleep.
And while you can point to defensive lapses and a few missed assignments, there’s no doubt that the three-point disaster was the Celtics’ undoing.
Tatum Takes Accountability
After the gut-punch loss, Tatum faced the media and didn’t shy away from what went wrong. He was honest, reflective, and took some blame.
“There were probably some times we settled [for threes],” Tatum admitted. “I think for myself, I could’ve put more pressure on the rim, but there were a lot of times where we felt we got some really, really good looks—we just couldn’t convert.”
That quote right there is a solid mix of truth and frustration. Tatum knows what fans were screaming at their TVs: attack the rim! The midrange was wide open, the paint was vulnerable, and yet Boston kept launching from deep.
The worst part? Many of those shots weren’t even bad looks. They just didn’t fall. Sometimes, it’s just one of those nights. Unfortunately for Boston, it happened to be on one of the biggest stages of the season.
Here’s What Went Wrong (And What Needs to Change)
Let’s break it down with some quick hitters:
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Overreliance on the 3-ball: 45 attempts from deep is wild, especially when you're not hitting. At some point, the strategy has to shift.
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Poor shot selection: Even if the looks seemed open, forcing threes when the rim is available isn’t ideal playoff basketball.
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Lack of in-game adjustments: Boston didn’t adapt when the shots weren’t falling. No extra drives, no attacking mismatches. Just... more threes.
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Low energy second half: After building that 20-point cushion, the Celtics looked content. Meanwhile, the Knicks came out swinging.
To bounce back in Game 2, Boston has to flip the script. That means:
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Get downhill more: Use the speed and size advantage to get inside the paint.
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Stop settling: Every trip doesn’t need to end in a long bomb.
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Play through your stars smartly: Tatum and Brown are elite when they’re aggressive—not passive jump shooters.
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Energy, energy, energy: The Knicks turned up the intensity, and the Celtics didn’t match it.
The Knicks Deserve Credit Too
Let’s not forget the other side of this matchup. The Knicks played with grit and tenacity. Coming back from 20 down in a playoff game? That doesn’t happen without serious heart.
Their defense tightened up, they rotated fast, and they made every Celtics possession feel like a grind in the second half.
Also, Jalen Brunson continued his red-hot playoff run and sparked that comeback with poise and timely buckets. The Knicks fed off his energy and just outworked Boston when it mattered most.
Game 2: A Must-Win?
It’s early in the series, sure. But make no mistake: Game 2 is crucial. The Celtics can't afford to go down 0-2 heading into the hostile environment of Madison Square Garden.
If Boston wants to regain control, they need to clean up their shot selection, increase their offensive versatility, and—most importantly—play like the team that won 64 games in the regular season.
The pressure is real. The spotlight is brighter. And after Game 1, Boston’s margin for error just got razor-thin.
What Celtics Fans Should Watch For
Here’s what you should keep an eye on in Game 2:
🔹 Will Tatum drive more?: He acknowledged it himself. If he’s attacking the basket, it opens up everything else.
🔹 Bench scoring: Boston's second unit was a non-factor. That has to change.
🔹 Early adjustments: If the threes don’t fall early, will coach Joe Mazzulla pivot quickly?
🔹 Knicks’ intensity: New York smells blood now. Will they come out swinging again?
Final Word
Every team has off nights, but the timing of this one couldn't have been worse for Boston. What should’ve been a statement win turned into a demoralizing collapse—and it all started with bricks from beyond the arc.
The Celtics still have the firepower to win this series, no doubt. But if they want to bounce back, they’ll need more than just better shooting. They’ll need urgency, smarter decisions, and a bit of that playoff swagger that’s been missing.
Because in the NBA Playoffs, no one waits around for you to figure it out. It's either respond—or fall behind.
So Boston, the stage is yours. Time to answer back.
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