The Boston Celtics led the NBA in three-point attempts this season. They launched 48.2 shots from beyond the arc per game. The next closest team was the Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry and Co. took 42.4.
That number has fallen off a cliff in the playoffs.
The Celtics rank 11th in three-point attempts this postseason. They're averaging 33.7, per NBA.com. The Orlando Magic limited Boston to 27 shots from behind the arc in Friday's 95-93 win. The latter did not attempt fewer than 30 threes in any playoff contest in last year's title run, per StatMuse.
"They're denying off-ball, they're kind of allowing guys to play more one-on-one ball on an island and taking away catch-and-shoot threes and stuff like that," Payton Pritchard told Hardwood Houdini at the Celtics' shoot-around before Game 4.
"They're denying off in the corners and stuff like that. So, that means we probably [have] got to take it to the rim [and] be efficient in that area. We [have] got to do better than we did last night. We had 21 turnovers [and] a lot of offensive rebounds they got. So, we [have] got to clean up those areas. I really can't pinpoint -- some games, you have -- I don't feel like I turned the ball over a lot, but I had -- I think, like three [in the] last game. So, sometimes it's just like that, but you got to be conscious of it.
"Obviously, they're going to pick up the pressure. So, just be more deliberate bringing up the ball, getting open, creating space, stuff like that."
Pritchard confident Celtics' stars will capitalize on Magic's strategy
The Magic held opponents to the fewest three-point tries and makes per game in the regular season. It's a strength-on-strength battle against the Celtics' potent attack from beyond the arc that Hardwood Houdini highlighted the importance of before this series started.
However, as Pritchard points out, Orlando is willing to put itself in a compromising position to minimize Boston's three-point production. It's a plan that worked in Game 3 as the Magic made this a 2-1 series. However, there's reason to believe it backfires in Sunday's matchup.
"They are allowing guys to play on an island, one-on-one, and that may be what they want, but we also have two star-level players and KP [Kristaps Porzingis], too -- we can try to get KP going tonight," voiced Pritchard. "But two star-level players that should dominate those matchups, and I think they will."
The Celtics got 36 points from Jayson Tatum in his return after missing Game 2 due to a wrist injury. Jaylen Brown, who's battling through a knee injury, registered 19 points on 7/14 shooting.
If the Magic are again willing to leave the two on an island, and Brown's knee is up for it, as it was in Game 2 when he poured in 36 points in 42 minutes while shouldering a more taxing workload sans Tatum, then expect the star tandem to embrace those opportunities throughout Sunday's tilt.
Teams are often reluctant to afford Tatum and Brown one-on-one opportunities, especially at a high volume. If Orlando continues containing Boston from beyond the arc, how they fare on those could play a significant role in whether this series returns to TD Garden on the verge of ending or tied at two.
