There has been much excitement surrounding Wednesday’s East vs. West showdown between the Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder.The Celtics entered the highly anticipated matchup with a 47-18 record (No. 2 in the East) and a five-game winning streak. The Thunder, on the other hand, are the No. 1 seed in the West with a 53-12 record heading into the showdown in Boston.
Jayson Tatum and Co. were determined to defend their home court in this one, and they made a strong statement in the opening half of the game. This came in the form of 36 3-point attempts in the first half alone, which is the most in NBA history.
As the above post indicates, the Celtics’ 36 attempts from deep is a new NBA record. Boston clearly had a game plan entering this game, and they weren’t shy about letting loose from deep.
Tatum led the way for Boston with seven attempts from deep (he knocked down five of them), along with Al Horford and Derrick White, who combined for 9-of-14 from beyond the arc in the first half.
Despite Boston’s hot shooting, however, it was still Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder who headed into halftime with a 63-60 lead.
For their part, the Celtics are trying their best to keep the pressure on the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are in the midst of an incredible 15-game winning streak. The Cavs have the best record in the NBA at 55-10 as Boston trails them by a full eight games.
