Knicks benefit from Celtics’ historically bad 3-point shooting

BOSTON — The Knicks were on the right side of history Monday night — the opponent for the team that missed the most 3-point attempts in an NBA playoff game.

The Celtics’ 45 errant triples was the most ever in a postseason contest, a key factor in the Knicks’ stunning 108-105 Game 1 overtime victory of this Eastern Conference semifinal series.

The Celtics made only 15-of-60, and blew a 20-point, third-quarter lead. They were 3-of-18 in the fourth and overtime. Some of them were wide-open looks that didn’t fall, and some were rushed and forced tries that didn’t come close.

“We gotta be better at that,” Jalen Brunson said. “Not let them shoot it as much and not let them get open shots up.”

The Celtics led by 16 points at halftime, in part because they were getting to the free-throw line.

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics misses a three-point shot as Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks defends during the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

They made 16-of-20 at the charity stripe in the first 24 minutes, but attempted only six the rest of the way.

In fact, Boston was 12-of-15 inside the arc in the second quarter, but had just one field goal other than a 3-pointer in the third quarter.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

“I don’t think you want to force them into 3s. We don’t want them to shoot more 3s,” Josh Hart said. “They got great shooters, man. We were just trying to make it tough for them, play physical, do those kinds of things. You never want a team like that to shoot more 3s. We tried to stop them and they still got up 60.”

The Celtics led the NBA during the regular season in 3-pointers attempted at 48.2. They only got up 31.2 during their first-round series victory over the Magic.

Follow The Post’s coverage of the Knicks in the 2025 NBA Playoffs

• Vaccaro: The easy way Knicks can change everything about their Celtics narrative
• Knicks adamant they can prove their Celtics doubters wrong by playing with ‘freedom’
• Knicks vs. Celtics matchups: Inside the 10 factors that will decide series
• Knicks’ depth issue facing major test against Payton Pritchard, Celtics’ bench

Sports+ subscribers: Sign up for Inside the Knicks to get daily newsletter coverage and join Expert Take for insider texts about the series.

Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics puts up a three-point shot during the third quarter. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

“Some of them felt good,” Celtics wing Jaylen Brown said. “Some of them felt like we maybe forced it to shoot.”

The Knicks were outrebounded in four of six games by the Pistons, and those issues continued against the Celtics.

They were minus-10 on the glass, and Boston had 19 offensive rebounds that led to 24 second-chance points. Guard Jrue Holiday had five of those offensive boards.

“We’ve got to make sure that we get a body on him,” Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s real quick to the ball and as a team they’re quick to the ball, so we have to do a better job of that.”

Kristaps Porzingis was scoreless in 13 minutes. He didn’t play in the second half due to an illness.