Boston Celtics: 3 takeaways from backbreaking Game 4 loss vs. Bucks

3. Kyrie Irving needs to shoot more 3s

This sounds exceedingly simple. There is much more to Kyrie’s game than his efficient 3-point shooting, and he is the most fun to watch when he finds magical ways to finish at the rim. However, being a smaller point guard doesn’t necessarily favor foul calls going your way when attempting to finish through contact.

Irving shot the second-fewest free throws of his career during the regular season. In the playoffs, the number of attempts at the stripe has risen to 4.8 attempts per game, but it’s still not high enough to be acceptable when framed against his recent scoring slump in the interior. After a 4-of-18 outing in Game 3, Irving has continued to disappoint, shooting just 15-of-44 in the past two games.

Only 15 of his 44 attempts have come from the 3-point line in that time. Throughout the series, only 30 percent of Kyrie’s attempts are coming from deep. Contrast that with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, the star-tandem in the Portland Trail Blazers’ backcourt. Lillard has been attempting nearly 42 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc, while McCollum — known more for his mid-range ability — is attempting and making more 3s than ever in his career.

The Celtics’ most important player might be Al Horford, but their best player is Kyrie. A look back in the playoffs shows teams that are led by guards have guards who specialize in long range shooting. Stephen Curry, James Harden, Lillard and McCollum all fit that bill.

There’s no question that Kyrie has struggled to solve the puzzle of Milwaukee’s top-ranked defense. He’s had difficulty finding space and getting to his spots against a Bucks team that deploys excellent team defense and attacks the opposing offense with length. Kyrie working to get into the paint against the longest team in the league simply hasn’t worked for him.

Irving hasn’t attempted more than 10 3s at any point in this series. In fact, throughout the playoffs, he’s only attempted more than seven 3s in four games. Lillard hasn’t attempted fewer than seven 3s at any point in the playoffs.

Going forward, and into next season as well, Irving will need to be more aggressive at the 3-point line. Not only could it help his efficiency, but it also allows for better spacing by the entire offense when so much of it isn’t built to get their point guard inside.