The Celtics’ shooting was perfect right away, with 29 threes in the game, tying an NBA record with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020. Overall, the Knicks shot better from the field than the Celtics, with New York shooting 55 percent from the field compared to the Celtics’ 50 percent. However, Boston’s barrage of threes was too much for New York to handle.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics’ team and continued his dominance from last season. He scored 37 points on 14-of-18 shooting from the field and hit eight threes on 11 attempts from beyond the arc. Tatum also dished out 10 assists while all five Celtics starters scored in double figures, including 24 points from Derrick White and 23 from Jaylen Brown.
The Knicks’ defensive effort was poor, as the Celtics were getting pretty much everything they wanted on offense. They created imbalances and forced the Knicks to constantly rotate, which was crushing for New York’s defense.