BOSTON — The NBA season kicked off Tuesday night with a match between the Celtics and the Knicks. New York point guard Jalen Brunson had mentioned earlier that this game would serve as a good measure of the Knicks’ performance against the defending champions, despite it being the season opener.
However, the highlight of the night at TD Garden was Boston’s commanding 132-109 victory over New York, rather than a closely contested matchup. As the game drew to a close, the Celtics made a push to set the NBA record for most 3-pointers made in a single game. They tied the record at 29 after Al Horford hit the team’s third consecutive 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter. Despite numerous attempts to surpass the record, Boston missed 13 straight shots, including three air balls and several other off-target attempts.
Although the crowd eagerly chanted for “One more 3,” the Celtics could not break the record. Nevertheless, this minor disappointment was overshadowed by their dominant performance. The Knicks, featuring new offseason signings Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, struggled to keep pace with Boston.
The Celtics started strong, making 10 of 16 3-pointers in the first quarter and tying their franchise record with 17 made 3s in the first half, leading by 19 points at halftime. Overall, Boston connected on 29 3-pointers, shot 50% from the floor, and recorded 33 assists with only three turnovers. They outperformed the Knicks significantly beyond the arc, scoring 54 more points from 3-point range, while New York managed just 11 3-pointers against Boston’s 30 attempts.