The Boston Celtics have become the epitome of the NBA’s 3-point movement, shooting at as high a combination of efficiency and frequency as any team in the league from beyond the arc.
Maybe never has that been summed up more than Wednesday night at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Celtics made nine field goals in the first quarter. Every single make was from 3-point range.
That nine 3-pointers to start a game is the first such occurrence this season.
Even more remarkable was the breakdown of Boston field-goal attempts.
The Celtics were 9-for-22 from long distance. They attempted only two shots inside the arc in the entire first quarter, missing them both.
MORE: How Jaylen Brown observes Ramadan
Al Horford started it with a triple about three minutes in, then drilled another 3-pointer 50 seconds later.
Then it was Derrick White with two more 3s in 26 seconds.
White and Horford each hit a third 3-pointer apiece by the time seven minutes of the first quarter were in the books.
Jayson Tatum added his own from deep, then Payton Pritchard hit one, and Tatum drilled another 3 with 20 seconds left in the quarter to round things out.
The only other Boston scoring in a 30-30 first quarter? A free throw by White and two foul shots by Luke Kornet.
The Celtics entered the night having made 1,157 3-pointers this season, more than 100 above the next closest team on the leaderboard. And they had a first quarter that fit that brand as well as any.
MORE:
