Tatum Powers Celtics to Convincing Victory Over Knicks, Tying NBA Three-Pointer Record

Jayson Tatum, continuing Boston’s championship celebration, put up a high-scoring performance with 37 points, contributing eight of the Celtics’ record-tying 29 three-pointers, as they dominated the New York Knicks 132-109 in a robust opening night display. Derrick White and Jaylen Brown chipped in with 24 and 23 points respectively, while Tatum orchestrated the play with 10 assists. The reigning champions, who hoisted their league-leading 18th championship banner to the rafters, took the lead early and never let go, at one point leading by a massive 35 points.

Boston Stumbles on Record Attempt, Still Seals Victory

In their attempt to surpass the NBA record, the Celtics faltered, missing their final 13 three-point attempts. Despite this stumble, they still had the game well in hand. The New York side, led by Jalen Brunson with 22 points and newcomer Karl-Anthony Towns with a modest 12 points and seven rebounds, couldn’t keep pace with the Celtics. As Boston’s lead ballooned to over 20 points early in the third quarter, the TD Garden crowd turned their attention away from the game, opting to poke fun at their rivals with chants of “Yankees Suck!”

New York Struggles Despite Reinforcements

The revamped Knicks, who were being talked about as the biggest threat to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference, were evidently outmatched. Despite the addition of Towns and Mikal Bridges during the off-season, they fell short against a Boston team that ended 14 games ahead last season.

Key Factors in Celtics’ Victory

On the strategic front, U.S. Olympic basketball coach Steve Kerr’s decision to bench Tatum for a game against Serbia on July 28th seemed to have stoked the fires for Tatum’s upcoming season with the Celtics.

Meanwhile, the Celtics’ three-point prowess shone through, as they hit their 29th three-pointer early in the fourth quarter. However, their subsequent attempts to break the record set by Milwaukee in 2020 fell flat as two long airballs and 13 consecutive misses from beyond the arc followed. Despite the crowd’s enthusiastic chants for “One more 3!”, Payton Pritchard wound down the shot clock without making another attempt in Boston’s final possession.

Looking Ahead

The Celtics are set to visit Washington on Thursday, while the Knicks will be hosting Indiana for their home opener on Friday. The NBA season is just beginning, and these opening games could be a sign of what’s to come.