Boston Celtics Still Need Consistent Three-Point Shooting
The Boston Celtics shot 32.7 percent from deep last season, and this year they are not doing much better.
The Boston Celtics have been successful this season in large part due to their defense (No. 2 in the NBA in defensive rating), but their defense can only take them so far. The team has not been very good at shooting from deep, which could hurt the team down the stretch.
Boston is shooting 33.3 percent from deep this season, which is 22nd in the NBA, and they are averaging 27.5 attempts from distance per game, which is sixth in the NBA. The Houston Rockets average the most three-point shooting attempts per game with 30.5.
Now, the Celtics have been getting away with winning games because of their gritty defense, and their ability to force turnovers (No. 1 in forced TPG with 16.6), but they are going to need to start shooting better from deep and from the field. Boston is 24th in the league in overall field-goal percentage (43.6).
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Boston is simply a poor shooting team, but the team has been getting some great consistent offensive production from some players that are having career years from beyond the arc.
Jonas Jerebko leads the team in three-point shooting percentage by shooting 42.3 percent from deep (34.7 percent career three-point shooter), Avery Bradley is shooting 39.6 percent from distance (36.6 percent career three-point shooter), Jae Crowder is shooting 35.7 percent from deep (32.4 percent career three-point shooter), and Kelly Olynyk is also shooting 38.9 percent from distance (35.9 percent career three-point shooter).
These four players have been the Celtics’ most consistent three-point shooters, and they have made up for other players’ shooting woes.
Boston’s Shooting Woes Are No Secret
Shooting from deep has always been a problem for the Celtics under coach Brad Stevens. In his first season, the team shot 33.3 percent from field, last year they shot 32.7 percent from distance, and this season they have shot 33.3 percent again so far. It might have to do with the fact the Celtics do not really have players on their roster that are known for their great three-point shooting.
Avery Bradley has never been known as a three-point shooter, and neither has Jae Crowder, but both of these players have made strides in becoming better long range shooters. Isaiah Thomas is their go-to scorer, but even he has never shot over 40 percent from deep in his career.
Boston has gotten great three-point shooting out of Bradley, Crowder, Jerebko and Olynyk, but now they need to get a little more consistency out of players like Thomas and Jared Sullinger (26.8 percent from distance). It would be nice to see R.J. Hunter get a little more playing time because of his three-point shooting, but even he has not been great shooting from deep (26.1 percent).
He definitely has what it takes to shoot better from deep, he just has not been giving too many chances to find his shooting rhythm in the NBA. It is going to be hard for Hunter to get more time because Marcus Smart has returned and their backcourt is pretty crowded.
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Coach Stevens should still give Hunter more playing time because of his shooting, especially if the Celtics are having an off night.
Overall
The Celtics have been playing pretty well this season, but they are going to need to find more consistent deep shooting if they want to become an elite team in the East and the NBA.