The Boston Celtics broke the single-season three-point record April 4 in a 123-103 win against the Phoenix Suns, surpassing the 2022-23 Golden State Warriors’ mark of 1,363. And it’s all thanks to “Mazzulla-ball.”
Payton Pritchard’s left-wing shot gave the Celtics 1,364 three-pointers on the season to take the record. Two other Celtics teams are on the top-five list, including last year’s Celtics team in third with 1,351 and the year before at 1,315.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla was named the NBA’s Coach of the Month for the fourth time in his career, two behind Doc Rivers for most in franchise history. Mazzulla’s Celtics have now reached 55 wins in all three years he’s coached them, joining K.C. Jones Jr. and Bill Fitch as the only other Celtics coaches to reach that milestone in their first three years.
“It’s the dumbest thing ever,” Mazzulla said when asked about winning the Coach of the Month award. My bad, Joe. I forgot we were only focused on winning another championship. However, your team broke more records that I must acknowledge, and it’s thanks to your offense.
March was considered to be the Celtics’ best month all season. They went 14-1 overall and 8-0 on the road (including a six-game road trip out west where they won every game, the first time in franchise history that the Celtics went 6-0 in a single road trip) and Derrick White also broke the franchise record for most three-pointers made in a single season (258 and counting).
White surpassed the “King of the Fourth Quarter” Isaiah Thomas (245) who held the record since the 2016-17 season. Thomas’ record was also broken by Pritchard (246) April 6 against the Wizards, and Jayson Tatum (243) is close behind.
It’s easy to see that shooting three-pointers is helping the Celtics win games. Boston attempts the most three-pointers per game in the league at 48.3, making 17.9 per game. Both numbers lead the league. The next closest is the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers, who make 15.8 threes per game while attempting 42.2. Does shooting three-pointers work? Yes, it does.
The Celtics led the league last season with 16.5 threes made per game, attempting 42.5. Second place for most three-point attempts per game that season was the Dallas Mavericks, the team that faced the Celtics in the NBA Finals.
It’s really been all three-point shots for the Celtics. They rank dead last in the NBA for points in the paint, focusing on perimeter shots instead of driving to the hoop. But, they almost always get a shot off in every possession, showing that they take care of the ball. They commit the least turnovers per game and generate offense through ball screens and switches to get the best matchup they want against their opponents.
Mazzulla-ball isn’t unfamiliar to NBA fans, but it is impressive to see it being utilized so often and to great effect this season. However, when they don’t shoot well from three, it limits their offense greatly.
The Celtics are 14-11 when they make less than 17 three-pointers per game. In their most recent loss to the Miami Heat after returning from their six-game road trip, the Celtics only made 12 threes.
“I mean, we’re all pissed,” Mazzulla said postgame after the loss to the Heat. “We all hate losing. And that was my message. That was a great reminder that losing still sucks. So I love the fact that the staff is miserable, the guys are pissed.”
It’s good that the Celtics are upset with a loss. They won 14 games in March and got humbled by the Heat at home. The Cs have a winning mentality, and to win another championship, they’ll have to continue connecting on their offense. The defense I’m not worried about… yet.
