In the first half in London against the Sixers, the Celtics shot 40.4 percent as a team, but they bounced back in the second half to shoot 57.1 percent. Meanwhile, the Sixers shot 56.1 percent in the first half, but just 36.6 percent in the second half.
To look at it another way, the teams combined to shoot 38 percent at one basket and better than 56 percent on the other.
Why? J.J. Redick and Kyrie Irving thought one of the rims was crooked at the O2 arena, something they talked about on Redick’s Ringer podcast (where they got into a lot of conspiracy theories). Transcription via NewJersey.com.Redick: One rim was so (expletive) crooked. (Irving: Which one?) The one you guys shot at in the first half. We shot at in the second half.
(Irving: I would agree a little bit. A little bit.)
Redick: I was adamant this morning that we had to figure out a way wherever the bench was, that we would shoot at that in the first half so we could have the good rim in the second half. I guess cause you guys were the bench team you got to choose. I’m going to put a little asterisk. (laughs)
Boston’s Jaylen Brown is on board.
Jaylen Brown echoes JJ Redick’s thoughts on one rim being slightly off in London. Said he told Celtics coaching staff and joked they didn’t listen to him. Brown noted both teams played on it so didn’t affect game.
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) January 13, 2018
Obviously, there is no way to prove or test this now, and the NBA has league officials at the arena to avoid these kinds of things. Plus, the referees look out for stuff like crooked rims.
Maybe it happened. Maybe it didn’t. As Brown noted, both teams played through it, so that’s not why the Sixers lost.