The Boston Celtics may be defending NBA champions, but their title defense got off to a rough start Monday night after a shocking loss to the New York Knicks at TD Garden.
Boston suffered one of the worst three-point shooting performances in NBA Playoff history, missing 45 shots from beyond the arc. Star duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown struggled mightily, combining for just 5-of-25 from deep.
Despite leading by 20 points in the third quarter, the Celtics watched their advantage slip away as the Knicks mounted a dramatic comeback. The loss should serve as a major wake-up call for head coach Joe Mazzulla and his team, especially given Boston still held a lead well into the fourth quarter.
There is some silver lining for the Celtics — they have arguably the deepest roster in the league, and even amid their offensive collapse, they only lost by three points.
Boston dominated New York during the regular season, sweeping all four games while averaging over 125 points per matchup. That, combined with the uncharacteristically poor shooting in Game 1, suggests a bounce-back performance is likely in Game 2.
Still, Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks are known for their physical defense and mental toughness — qualities that could continue to trouble Boston throughout the series.