The biggest issue for the Boston Celtics is a lack of three-point shooting
BostonGlobe.com
The Boston Celtics are not in the position many fans expected them to be in 10 games into the season. They currently sit at 4-6, good for 12th in an Eastern Conference that looks a lot deeper than in years past. Jayson Tatum has been slumping, Jaylen Brown will miss 1-2 weeks, and Luka Doncic just hit an insane shot over them to win the game. It’s been a rough start to the season for the Celtics, to say the least.
So what’s been going wrong? Their defense seems to have picked up a bit, but there are definitely still some lapses. Al Horford is the only exception to that idea, however, as he’s been phenomenal. They’ve shown more promise lately on the offensive end. Everyone seems a lot more willing to pass since Marcus Smart’s comments to the media. The real issue for the Celtics this year has been shooting.
Three-point shooting is the biggest issue for the Boston Celtics this season
Boston ranks ninth in the NBA in terms of three-pointers attempted per game (38.5). However, they rank 20th in the league in three-point percentage (33.2%). Only four players on the team are shooting above 33.3% - Jabari Parker (66.7%), Romeo Langford (46.7%), Grant Williams (42.3%), and Jaylen Brown (39.7%). Of those players, two have attempted less than 20 threes on the season.
To make matters worse, the Boston Celtics generate 19.3 wide-open threes per game (6th in the NBA). This sounds like an amazing stat at first. Their offense should be working to perfection at that rate. However, they convert only 32.6% of those shots (26th in the NBA). That’s the worst they’ve shot on wide-open threes since the stat started being recorded in the 2013-14 season.
It all comes down to the players who are taking these wide-open shots. Three players on the Boston Celtics have taken over 30 wide-open threes this season - Marcus Smart (32), Dennis Schroder (31), and Al Horford (30). On those attempts, Smart is shooting 31.3%, Schroder is shooting 25.8%, and Horford is shooting 26.7%. “Wide open” is defined by the NBA as when a defender is six feet or more away. That means they are making less than a third of the shots they are taking with no defender in sight.
It’s never been more clear that the biggest problem with the Boston Celtics is shooting. With the rotations Ime Udoka is running, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have no spacing around them to work. Why would defenders leave one of those guys to close out on someone who can’t make a wide-open three? The blame can’t be put on Udoka, though.
A lot of people have been clamoring for Aaron Nesmith to get more minutes, as he could be the solution to the shooting problem. Unfortunately, just because he had one great game vs. the Miami Heat doesn’t mean he’ll be the savior to Boston’s shooting woes. He has taken 11 wide-open threes this season and only converted on two of them (18.2%).
Inserting Romeo Langford into the rotation more could help, but having one extra shooter on the floor won’t be game-changing. And just because Langford has been hot this year doesn’t mean he’s going to be consistent. Even Payton Pritchard has struggled from range this year (30.0%). The harsh reality is that Udoka just doesn’t have the ideal pieces to work with in terms of three-point shooting.
Brad Stevens needs to do some serious roster assessment at the trade deadline this year. If the Boston Celtics want to have any chance of competing in the playoffs not only this year but in future years, this team needs an infusion of shooting desperately.
