History was made at TD Garden on Tuesday, Oct. 22 as the Boston Celtics shot the lights out. After the NBA’s winningest team raised their 18th Championship banner to the rafters, the Celtics dominated the New York Knicks in a 132-109 win. En route to their first win of the regular season, the C’s hit a franchise record 29 three-pointers—tying the NBA record for most threes in a game.
The defending champions picked up right where they left off in their season opener. Last season, the Celtics averaged a league-high 42.5 three-point attempts per game. To start this season, they attempted 61, while the Knicks attempted 30. “Mazzulla Ball” is so back.
At this point, many Boston fans are acquainted with “Mazzulla Ball,” but if you’re not familiar, Mazzulla Ball refers to head coach Joe Mazzulla’s style of play that heavily relies on the three-point shot. During the 2023-24 season, the Celtics ranked No. 24 out of 30 in the league in points scored in the paint per game.
Thanks to the success of Mazzulla Ball, Boston opened up a 35-point lead. Jayson Tatum, who scored a game-high 37 points, connected on eight of eleven three-point attempts.
With two minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Celtics already 25 made 3-pointers—the NBA opening night record. With 8:50 remaining in the fourth quarter, an Al Horford three had already tied the all-time three-point record.
However, Boston missed their final 13 three-point attempts while attempting to break the NBA record, which left the crowd disappointed as they chanted “One more 3!”
“It was almost like we got jinxed or something,” Celtics small forward and shooting guard Jaylen Brown said.
Brown contributed five three-pointers but tossed up an airball with a chance to break the record.
“When we were just playing, having fun, playing our style of basketball, everything was going in,” Brown said. “The crowd got into it, and we started hunting them, we couldn’t even hit the bright side of the barn.”
In the final minutes, while frantically attempting to break the record, Boston’s reserves, Xavier Tillman and Jordan Walsh, couldn’t connect. Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser, who are historically accurate three-point shooters, were also unsuccessful.
“When we were tied, I was like ‘We’re one away from the record,’” said point and shooting guard Derrick White, who dropped six three-pointers. “I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s kind of like a no-hitter, huh? I blame myself.”
While Boston wasn’t successful in breaking the NBA three-point record, their performance against the Knicks, who are allegedly their biggest Eastern Conference threat, was promising. Although it’s incredibly early in the season, the Celtics’ statement win proves that they can run it back.
When Mazzulla’s reign began in 2022, many were hesitant about welcoming Mazzulla Ball. A heavy reliance on the three-point shot can be a recipe for disaster—if the Celtics have an off night and the threes don’t fall, it’s important to prioritize a diverse shot selection.
However, this Celtics team has come a long way since the 2022–23 season. Their offense last season was the most efficient in NBA history. So if Mazzulla Ball isn’t broken, why fix it? Plus, Boston proves to be dominant on both ends of the floor as they had the league’s third-best defensive rating last year. Based on opening night, Boston’s defense will continue to flourish, especially once big man Kristaps Porziņģis returns from injury.
Mazzulla Ball isn’t particularly popular amongst other NBA fanbases. A viral tweet from X user @protectedpick argues, “We can’t let this Celtics style offense be the future of the NBA.”
Despite not being widely accepted, Mazzulla Ball is here to stay—it’s what helped bring Banner 18 to Boston after a 16-year title drought.
Regardless of your thoughts and qualms about Mazzulla Ball, the Celtics’ path for Banner 19 is behind the three-point line.
