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The Boston Celtics have had a pretty dismal start to the 2021-22 season, but this week has brought some new lows with back-to-back losses to a Minnesota Timberwolves team led by Jaylen Nowell on Monday and a Los Angeles Clippers team down Paul George and Reggie Jackson on Wednesday.
A constant theme this season for the Celtics has been dreadful offensive performances in the fourth quarter, as they cannot seem to create anything approaching consistent, easy offense in crunch time. That was the case in both losses to the Wolves and Clippers, but Wednesday’s loss featured the worst shooting night of the season for any team — a rather low bar to clear in a year with hastily thrown together rotations filled with 10-day hardship signings.
Boston, as a team, went 4-for-42 from three-point range against the Clippers, which is an astounding 9.5 percent. Grant Williams accounted for two of those makes on three attempts, while Sam Hauser was 1-for-3, which means the rest of the Celtics were a combined 1-for-36 from deep. That lone other make came from Jaylen Brown, who took 13 threes in the game, as Boston simply could not pry the lid off of the rim in a game they only lost by nine, 91-82.
The performance was so bad that even the Clippers players were speechless when they saw just how bad Boston shot on the stat sheet after the game.
Terance Mann looking at the stat sheet.
“Oh wow, they did miss — oh wow.”
— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) December 30, 2021
That certainly sounds like something that should make history, but Boston fell just shy of the worst shooting night in league history on 40-plus attempts, as the Rockets had a night a year ago in which they shot 8.9 percent from deep (4-for-45) and will keep that dubious record despite the Celtics best efforts.
Celtics lose 91-82, they drop to 16-19, their 8th loss in the last 11 games.
WORST 3-POINT SHOOTING GAMES – NBA HISTORY
(40 or more attempts)Houston – Feb. 28, 2021 – 8.9%
BOSTON – DEC. 29, 2021 – 9.5%
Brooklyn – Feb. 4, 2019 – 11.9%
Minnesota – Nov. 10, 2019 – 13.3%— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) December 30, 2021
