The 3-point shot has been one of the Boston Celtic’s favorite weapons this season.
Unfortunately for them, the same is true of their opponents.
How they handle the 3-point shot at both ends of the floor will go a long way in determining if they can snap their two-game losing streak tonight against the Washington Wizards.
The Celtics come into this game as one of the league’s most efficient and effective offenses. They average 110.2 points per game, which ranks 4th in the NBA, and a league-best offensive rating (points scored per 100 possessions) of 110.7.
And when it comes to the 3-point shot, the Celtics have shown tremendous growth from a year ago when they ranked among the NBA’s worst.
This season, they average 11.2 made 3s per game, which ranks 4th in the NBA. But this team’s identity in past years has been on the defensive side of the ball, something we have seen little of thus far this season.
Defending the 3-point shot has been among the many challenges this group has faced.
Opponents are making 11.2 3-pointers per game, with only one team in the NBA allowing more made 3s than Boston -- that would be Washington (11.3).
And when it comes to defending the 3-point shot, the Wizards have shown thus far to be one of the league’s weaker teams when it comes to the long ball.
Washington (1-5) comes into tonight’s game averaging 5.8 made 3-pointers per game which ranks 29th in the NBA, just ahead of Toronto (5.7).
So as much as the talk surrounding Boston of late has centered on their across-the-board struggles defensively, how the Celtics shoot and defend the 3-point shot, will go far in determining whether they get back on track with a win tonight or continue their recent slide and fall below .500 for the first time this season.