NBA Notebook: Another 3-point boom beginning after Celtics title

They took them pulling-up. They took them on kick-outs from the roll. They took them in transition and following offensive rebounds. They took them chasing the NBA record, something Joe Mazzulla said days later that he didn't even notice. When the dust settled on a demolition of the Knicks on opening night, Boston attempted 61 threes, a franchise record that still fell short of the 70 Houston launched in a 2019 game. 

The Celtics went on to shoot 45 more in their win over the Wizards on Thursday, still more than their league-leading 42 per game last year. Boston took 52.6 per game in the preseason, something they didn't necessarily plan to carry into the regular season. But with NBA teams catching up to their three-point percentage from one year ago through training camp, the Celtics, intentionally or not, took theirs to another level. Now, through two games for most teams around the league, a league average 36.7 three-point attempts per game is on track to set a new record. Only 10 years ago, teams shot 22.4. 

“Whenever a team wins a championship, everyone analyzes how they did it and what their personnel was and what their scheme was,” Jalen Brunson said ahead of opening night in Boston. “A lot of people saw how successful they were with their offense and their five-out (offense)…it may not be a carbon copy, but everyone wants to adjust to the new ways of basketball every time someone wins like that.”

As the league grows homogenized with the increased knowledge that three-pointers win, the Celtics have effectively controlled their opponents from shooting more then 40 threes through their preseason slate, when they held opponents to the third-fewest attempts. Whatever complaints about Boston's usage of the three following their opening night shootout ignored how they controlled their opponent's shots, utilized offensive rebounds (11 vs. NYK, 12 vs. WAS) to garner extra shots and possessions and how they managed the turnover game against New York, forcing 11 and giving the ball away only three times in a renewed effort in that area going back to training camp. So far, Boston has committed 17 turnovers and forced 24. 

Aesthetically, the race further down the three-point road does lead to questions about the viewing experience, with games more often becoming decided by who converts more threes, lower-volume teams being placed in precarious positions to win and needing to play in a style that's less natural to them. JJ Redick joined the Lakers stressing to shoot more threes as an adherent to Mazzulla's philosophy. They've averaged 28.5 three-point attempts through two games, tied for 28th in the league, leaning more into Anthony Davis' post touches and free throw attempts to power their offense, similar to last year. The Knicks also appeared either unwilling, or unable, to launch with Boston on opening night before taking __ in their win over the Pacers. 

“I think that’s what we’ve been seeing that in the league for a while,” Tom Thibodeau said on Tuesday. “Denver did it with (Nikola) Jokic being out (behind the three-point line), and each year, teams are playing with more pace, but the skill set of the shooting has been added each year. I think you’ve seen the high volume of the three-point shooting go way up, but it’s still transition, easy baskets and getting the ball into the paint. The principles of sound offense are the same, get the ball in the paint, force the defense to collapse and then make the right read.”

While it's true that teams have shifted behind the line over the past decade, the preseason showed a more concerted effort by teams to ramp-up their three-point attempt percentage to Boston's level. Teams took close to 45% of their shot attempts from three, up from just below 40% the previous regular season and within shouting distance of the Celtics' league-leading 47%. In response, or by coincidence, Boston scaled up its share of threes to over 55% of their attempts before the season. Through two games, they're at a 57.3% 3PAR. 

Mazzulla embraced the increase on both fronts, saying per usual that Boston is hunting the best shot, three or not, and the team continues to benefit from lower turnovers alongside its higher three-point attempt rates. He also noted that they're positioned to take all those threes due to their personnel, something that'll limit other teams from reaching their three-point totals. Mazzulla used to stress those, especially early in his first season as head coach. Now, he's repeating shot totals. Shot totals. Shot totals. Shot totals, he repeated as he walked off the podium on opening night. 

“I think it comes down to how do you control, dominate and win the shot margin?”

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Boston (2-0): Demolished the Knicks on opening night before pulling away from the Wizards after a slow start to begin the season undefeated. Sam Hauser (back) missed the second game, dealing with soreness he's felt on and off going back to the summer. He'll also miss Saturday's game in Detroit. Jayson Tatum began the year averaging 31.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 60.5% from the field and 50% from three as an early MVP favorite. Boston shot 61 threes and made 29 on opening night, tying the NBA record for makes in a game. Payton Pritchard nearly hit another shot from half-court on Thursday, releasing the ball just after the buzzer sounded. He likes a new rule that will call those attempts team misses, and also wants the NBA to look into making it a four-point shot. The Celtics play the Bucks at home on Monday before another four-game road trip. 

Brooklyn (0-2): The New York Liberty won their first WNBA championship while their NBA counterpart Brooklyn Nets began their rebuild with losses to Atlanta and Orlando on the road. The Liberty drew a more raucous fan base than the Nets have at even their highest points since moving to Brooklyn. While taking a step back on the court, the Nets are also assessing ways to bring back a fan base they largely lost since moving from New Jersey in 2012. 

Charlotte (1-1): Charles Lee secured his first win as a head coach on opening night thanks to a game-winning Grant Williams three pointer. The Hornets shuffled through many lineups in the first two games, playing smaller with Grant at the five and larger with Nick Richards inside while Mark Williams (foot) remains out. Brandon Miller left the first game and missed their ensuing loss to Houston, and will miss at least one week with a strained left glute. Charlotte hosts the Celtics in a back-to-back at home on Friday and Saturday next week. LaMelo Ball is averaging 34.0 PPG, tied with Trae Young for second in the league, while shooting 50% from the field and behind the three-point line. Tre Mann is adding 20.5 PPG (40% 3PT).

Chicago (1-1): Lonzo Ball played 13 minutes and scored five points on 2-of-4 shooting to mark his return to the NBA regular season for the first time since Jan. 14, 2022. He'll sit out back-to-backs, as he did on Friday, and remain on a strict minutes limit as he acclimates to the game's intensity following multiple surgeries, the latest a cartilage transplant, to solve a torn meniscus. Chicago lost on opening night before pulling away from the Bucks for their first win behind 35 points from Coby White. Josh Giddey is shooting 52.4% from the field and 2-of-3 from three to begin his time with the Bulls. 

“He gets the ball out of his hand,” Zach LaVine said. “He’s looking for guys when he’s getting to the lane. When he gets to the lane, obviously he can score, but I think his first instinct is passing. I played with a bunch of guys like that — the guy that comes to mind is Ricky Rubio, the way he saw the game, the way he passed.”

Dallas (1-0): Klay Thompson starred in his Mavericks debut, hitting six threes to break a record for a Dallas debut, while scoring 22 points in a win over the Spurs. Luka Dončić posted 28 points with 10 rebounds and eight assists in his return from preseason injury, and both Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II added 15 points. Lively II returned to the bench after the team experimented with starting him during training camp. ESPN profiled how Irving has thrived into his third season with the Mavs. 

"Couldn't ask for a better start," Thompson said. "It's just a small step for where we want to go." 

Denver (0-1): Their rocky training camp extended into a 102-87 loss against the Thunder where Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. combined to shoot 10-for-29, Russell Westbrook debuted 2-for-10 (1-6 3PT) and the Nuggets finished 18.4% from three. Nikola Jokić admitted that Denver isn't a good shooting team as they stand and the Nuggets committed 15 turnovers. Their schedule lightens up with the Clippers, Toronto and Brooklyn next up.

"We don't shoot the ball really good, we're not a good shooting team, except [Michael Porter Jr.] and Jamal [Murray]," Jokic said. "All of us are kind of streaky, not streaky, but you know just average shooters."

Detroit (0-2): Slow start for head coach JB Bickerstaff after the Pistons blew a 12-point lead over the Pacers in the second half. They turned the ball over 22 times in his return to Cleveland, where he received a mixed reception from fans. Cade Cunningham averaged 30.5 PPG and 7.0 APG while Jalen Duren grabbed 10.0 RPG. Their three-point game has been nonexistent outside Malik Beasley (41.7%) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (58.3%). They host the Celtics on Saturday at 7 p.m. Ausar Thompson remains out awaiting clearance from the blood clot issue that sidelined him late in his rookie year.

Golden State (2-0): Failed to reach a rookie extension agreement with Jonathan Kuminga, which sets him up for restricted free agency next summer. Jake Fischer reported that the Nets will likely be in on him, among others, with an offer sheet while the 76ers have the pieces to trade for him if the opportunity arises between now and then. The Warriors beat the Blazers and Jazz to begin their first season following the Klay Thompson era. The NBA went back and changed the final score of their win over Portland due to De'Anthony Melton not receiving credit for a fourth-quarter free throw he made. Moses Moody signed a three-year, $39 million extension before the rookie scale extension deadline. 

Houston (1-1): Agreed to rookie contract extensions with Alperen Şengün (5yr, $185M) and Jalen Green, who took a three-year, $106 million deal with a third-year player option. The move maintains some flexibility for the Rockets, as Green will almost certainly decline that option when the time comes. Şengün posted 25 points, 18 rebounds, five assists and four steals on opening night in a loss to the Hornets before Green attacked Zach Edey and the Grizzlies' defense for 22 points in a win. The Rockets don't plan to make a major trade during the 2024-25 season following deals, ESPN reported. 

Indiana (1-1): James Wiseman tore his Achilles in his Pacers debut and will miss the 2024-25 season. The devastating injury for the former top draft pick derails hope that he could rejuvenate his career within Indiana's high-paced offense. Isaiah Jackson remains as the team's reserve center behind Myles Turner. Former first-round pick Jarace Walker continues to face an uphill climb to consistent minutes in their front court. After a comeback win over the Pistons on opening night and a blowout loss at the Knicks on Friday where Tyrese Haliburton didn't score in 26 minutes (0-8 FG), the Pacers play the 76ers and Magic before hosting the Celtics in an east finals rematch on Wednesday at 7 p.m. 

Clippers (0-1): As Kawhi Leonard (knee) sits out indefinitely to begin the 2024-25 season, raising questions about how much longer and consistently he can play in the league, an ex-Clippers staffer sued the team over their handling of Leonard's recovery from a past injury. Team president Lawrence Frank is also named in the suit for wrongful termination, with former LA strength and conditioning coach Randy Shelton alleging that the team engaged in a years-long tampering effort to sign Leonard in 2019, which included the team allegedly seeking Leonard's medical information from Shelton, and rushed him back from his 2021 ACL tear that should've required 730 days of recovery due to Leonard's injury history, according to Shelton. 

"We hope that our client's lawsuit will serve as a wakeup call to the Clippers organization that their players are not just dollar values but are humans requiring proper -- and not hastened -- health and recovery treatment for the careers and lives afterward," Shelton's attorney wrote in a statement to ESPN. Shelton is seeking significant but unspecified damages. 

Lakers (2-0): Head coach JJ Redick started his career with a pair of victories over the Timberwolves and Suns, who led LA by as many as 22 points on Friday. The Lakers haven't shot more threes yet, and fell to below 20% from deep on opening night, but have benefited from making Anthony Davis the center of their offense. Davis leads the NBA with 35.5 PPG alongside 12.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.0 SPG and 2.5 BPG on 53.7% shooting. Bronny James played three minutes alongside LeBron James on opening night in the long-awaited first game in NBA history that a father and son shared the floor together. Bronny missed both shots he attempted and grabbed a rebound during his -5 stint. The Lakers now plan to send him to the G-League. 

Memphis (1-1): Jaren Jackson Jr. is expected to return from his training camp hamstring injury soon, traveling with the team on their current road trip. He sat again on Friday as the Grizzlies lost to the Rockets, splitting their first two games after rookie Zach Edey fouled out in 14 minutes on opening night and struggled to defend Jalen Green's pick-and-roll actions against Houston. Ja Morant returned from his season-ending injury last year to start with 23.0 PPG and 6.0 APG, shooting 51.7% from the field. Marcus Smart is shooting 26.7% as Memphis' scoring depth becomes an early question too. 

Miami (0-1): Rough start for Jimmy Butler, who scored three points (1-8 FG) in a blowout loss to the Magic at home. His agent spoke out this week in the Miami Herald, calling speculation over Butler's future in Miami disrespectful. Butler reportedly won't sign an extension with Miami or anyone this year.

"The gift about sports is to a large extent things are absolutes and there is no need to live in hypotheticals. The absolute is the season at hand and the work that needs to be done. Jimmy went away this summer and prepared himself for the task at hand, I think we all see that. Speculating on what's next is irrelevant and disrespectful to the moment and this group. One of the major things I've noticed with Jimmy that has been a foundation of his success has been the creation of process and routine. He's locked into that process and routine, and ready to attack this season with the group around him."

New Orleans (2-0): Zion Williamson returned from an illness that cost him opening night to help the Pelicans beat the Blazers. Dejounte Murray went down on opening night with a fractured left hand that required surgery that'll cost him 4-6 weeks. He joins Trey Murphy III (hamstring) on the bench as Murphy will need at least two more weeks to condition back into playing form after being cleared for activity nearly one month after his injury. Daniel Theis remained in the starting lineup with Murray out on Friday after the Pelicans initially hoped to play small with Williamson at the five this year. Herb Jones and Williamson teamed up for the game-winning stop against Portland. 

New York (1-1): Bounced back from an opening night no-show in Boston to pummel the Pacers, 123-98. Jalen Brunson jarred with Aaron Nesmith on his way to 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting. Mikal Bridges shook off continued concerns about his jump shot, finishing strong in the Celtics game before shooting 8-for-12 (2-3 3PT) against Indiana. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 21 points with 15 rebounds and two blocks in his New York debut. Josh Hart posted a 20-point double-double. New York drafted Landry Shamet in the G-League Draft, positioning him to rejoin the organization as he recovers from a preseason shoulder injury. Hart couldn't believe Boston's three-point shooting on Tuesday, joking that the Celtics needed a drug test after the win.

Orlando: Scary start by Paolo Banchero, who averaged 24.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 6.0 APG and 1.0 BPG in wins over the Heat and Nets to begin a promising season for the Magic. Franz Wagner shook off struggles from late last year and the Olympics to shoot 6-for-12 from three to begin the year, while Jalen Suggs will play alongside them for the foreseeable future after signing a five-year, $150.5 million extension before the season began. 

Philadelphia (0-2): Joel Embiid will sit out the start of the season in a strangely slow ramp-up that received scrutiny from the NBA, which is investigating the team's plan as part of its player participation initiative. Nick Nurse didn't answer questions about Embiid's status specifically, and Embiid fully participated in the Olympics before Philadelphia signaled him being ready to go to begin the year. With Paul George (knee) also progressing slowly from his preseason injury, that left Tyrese Maxey under fire from Milwaukee and Toronto's defenses in a pair of losses, shooting 29.6% from the field. 

“The plan is why he’s not playing,” Nurse said. “He did not re-injure himself, but the plan is we don’t feel he’s quite ready, strong enough, light enough, whatever it is. They’ve determined he’s not quite ready to go. Hasn’t been in any full-court scrimmages, etc. And that’s the plan.”

Portland (0-2): Robert Williams III (hamstring) is nearing a return from a training camp hamstring injury, but wasn't ready for the team's first two losses of another likely rebuilding year. They lost by 36 points to the Warriors on opening night before falling on the last play to the Pelicans on Friday. 

San Antonio (0-1): Rough start for Victor Wembanyama's team entering his second year starting Julian Champagnie, Jeremy Sochan, Harrison Barnes and Chris Paul against the west champion Mavs, who cruised past them. Paul scored three points in his Spurs debut while Wembanyama finished 5-of-18 from the field and 1-of-8 from three. San Antonio lost his minutes by 20 points. Devin Vassell will return soon, providing some relief in the ball-handling department, but this roster has many more questions beyond that in a loaded west. 

Washington (0-1): Ugly finish against the Celtics overshadowed some encouraging moments early, including a 5-of-6 start by Jordan Poole from three that powered an eight-point early lead. They competed with Boston deep into the second quarter, but rookie struggles by Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George alongside a wave of turnovers put the Celtics up by as many as 32 points on Thursday. Malcolm Brogdon remains out with a hand injury.