NBA: Tatum drops 37, Celtics batter Knicks to launch title defence in emphatic style
The 29 threes the Celtics drained in the lopsided win tied the single-game NBA record set by the 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks
Jayson Tatum scored 37 points as the Boston Celtics launched the defence of their NBA crown with an emphatic 132-109 defeat of the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
After a triumphant pre-game ceremony that saw Boston celebrate raising their record-breaking 18th championship banner, the Celtics delivered a performance of historic proportions that suggested they could well be the team to beat once more.
They did it by playing a supercharged version of Mazzulla Ball, the maths-based, three-point-happy approach that fuelled one of the best offences in NBA history last season. The 29 threes the Celtics drained in the lopsided win tied the single-game NBA record set by the 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks
The 2023-24 Celtics averaged 42.5 3-point attempts per game, the most in the league by a wide margin.
A devastating 43-point first quarter put Boston in complete control during the first half, with Tatum producing an electric shooting performance to pour in 18 points from three-point range over the two quarters.
Tatum had brought the house down in a pre-game address to a packed TD Garden, signalling the Celtics’ determination to win back-to-back championships.
