If we were shooting 43% from 3pt range?

[KGBirdBias]

What would the scores be? What would this team be averaging combined with the good defense.

Would we be beating teams 125-98?
Would we be averaging 115 ppg?
Would we be a better 3pt shooting team than the Warriors?

We don't even have a lot of great 3pt shooters. We are acting like this team is the Warriors Big 3 missing 3s. LOL We have decent scorers but not great shooters. So Stevens and the coaching staff need to get it out of their mind that they are a great shooting team that will start hitting sooner or later. If we go 3-22 we should have several other ways to win games. If the Warriors go 3-22...now THAT is a problem.

[footey]

These are good questions.

But let’s be more realistic. What if our 3 point shooting percentage was the same as it was for last season. What would our record be, assuming everything else held the same.

Someone smarter than me can post the answer here.

[Moranis]

So you want to pretend that Boston has the best 3 point shooting in history.  So a wholly unrealistic scenario.

[KGBirdBias]

No what I'm saying is even if we shot a more realistic % 40-45% all it would do is give us a false sense of security. You aren't winning a chip shooting 3s unless you have 3 of the top 10 shooters of all-time.

This team should be playing like the 2014 Spurs. Remember how they ran circles around the Heat with their passing and ball movement.

What is the issue when you aren't shooting a good FG%, 3Pt% or start having issues shooting FTs? To me you're thinking about other things aren't aren't locked in on the task at hand because they have the ability.

[Boris Badenov]

If we were shooting what we did last year, we'd be averaging +3.7 points per game, and our point differential would be +5.5 (5th in league) instead of +1.8 (12th in league).

[Moranis]

No what I'm saying is even if we shot a more realistic % 40-45% all it would do is give us a false sense of security. You aren't winning a chip shooting 3s unless you have 3 of the top 10 shooters of all-time.

This team should be playing like the 2014 Spurs. Remember how they ran circles around the Heat with their passing and ball movement.

What is the issue when you aren't shooting a good FG%, 3Pt% or start having issues shooting FTs? To me you're thinking about other things aren't aren't locked in on the task at hand because they have the ability.

seriously do you know how many teams have shot over 40% for an entire season? Hint not very many so it isn't a realistic goal or scenario at all.  I mean the Warriors have only done it once since they started their finals run.

[nickagneta]

If we were shooting what we did last year, we'd be averaging +3.7 points per game, and our point differential would be +5.5 (5th in league) instead of +1.8 (12th in league).

And probably would have won 3 more games.

[Boris Badenov]

If we were shooting what we did last year, we'd be averaging +3.7 points per game, and our point differential would be +5.5 (5th in league) instead of +1.8 (12th in league).

And probably would have won 3 more games.

Yeah, and just to bring the small sample size aspect into it, take just 3 games out of the 18 we've played, turn those from bad 3 pt shooting nights to decent 3 pt shooting nights, and we are 12-6 and 3rd in the conference, and the narrative goes from "major crisis" to "minor concerns."

[celtics4ever33]

None of the stats matter, unless you focus on the good teams.

Just like defensively, who did they score points on, who did they shut down.

This team has been horrible all year.

[The Oracle]

If we were shooting what we did last year, we'd be averaging +3.7 points per game, and our point differential would be +5.5 (5th in league) instead of +1.8 (12th in league).

And probably would have won 3 more games.

Yeah, and just to bring the small sample size aspect into it, take just 3 games out of the 18 we've played, turn those from bad 3 pt shooting nights to decent 3 pt shooting nights, and we are 12-6 and 3rd in the conference, and the narrative goes from "major crisis" to "minor concerns."

^^Pretty much this.  If the C's had shot 37.7% on 3's this year, as they did last year, they would have made around 22 more of them through 18 games.  Last year the C's were 2nd in the league in 3 point shooting 37.7%, G.S. was 1st at 39.1%.  This year the C's are 20th at 34.3%, big big difference and without the better shooting from deep they are struggling. 

If the C's had made those 22 more 3's this year the record would be 11-7 or likely better and people wouldn't be going out of their minds trying to find someone to blame. 

[hwangjini_1]

KGB...may i ask why you selected 43% in your thread? is this based upon the historical 3 point shooting of the team? if not, then why did you choose it? thanks.

[KGBirdBias]

LOL I'm trying to make a point about 3pt shooting and how it shouldn't be a staple of your offense. Yes that example is a little high but it clarifies my point. If the Warriors aren't even shooting 40%, we need to be moving the ball and taking better shots...not focusing on 3s.

The stat I pay more attention too is assists. That tells me the ball is moving and easier shots increase FG% and assists will be much higher.

[Moranis]

A little high?  Can you even name a team that has ever shot 43% from 3 in a season.  EVER.

[Green-18]

LOL I'm trying to make a point about 3pt shooting and how it shouldn't be a staple of your offense. Yes that example is a little high but it clarifies my point. If the Warriors aren't even shooting 40%, we need to be moving the ball and taking better shots...not focusing on 3s.

The stat I pay more attention too is assists. That tells me the ball is moving and easier shots increase FG% and assists will be much higher.

Assists might be one of the worst offensive stats to measure the Celtics this season. I feel like the totals, which are decent, have been misleading.  If anything there has been far too much passing without purpose.  The Celtics often drive to pass instead of attacking with a serious intent to score.  This is an ideal situation for opposing defenses.

I decided to look up some passing statistics to see where the Celtics stand relative to the rest of the league.  Currently we rank 10th in assists per game and 7th in potential assists.  Even crazier is that the Celtics rank #1 in secondary assists.  At face value this looks like a positive statistic, especially when you consider that the Celtics are playing at a slower pace than most of the league.  Long story short, the ball is moving plenty for the Celtics. 

Unfortunately, I would describe many of their drives as purposeless.  Individual players have shown aggression in certain games, but it's been rare to see the entire team attack the rim with confidence.  Opposing defenses can stick with simple rotations or switches without exerting maximum effort.  My mantra for defending the Celtics would be "let them beat themselves".   

 

[BitterJim]

LOL I'm trying to make a point about 3pt shooting and how it shouldn't be a staple of your offense. Yes that example is a little high but it clarifies my point. If the Warriors aren't even shooting 40%, we need to be moving the ball and taking better shots...not focusing on 3s.

The stat I pay more attention too is assists. That tells me the ball is moving and easier shots increase FG% and assists will be much higher.

What would the Celtics record be if we were shooting 60% on twos? If the best two-point scoring team in the league can't shoot 60% on twos, we need to be moving the ball and taking more threes.

Or, maybe choosing some random shooting percentage and saying "if no team can shoot xx%, why are we shooting these shots?", with no background as to why you picked that percentage, isn't really a coherent argument.  You may have a good point hidden in you argument, but no one here can figure out what it is (I think it may have to do with there being more issues on this team than just missing threes, but I'm really not sure)