The Celtics trailed by 29 three-pointers and tied the NBA single-game record after beating the Knicks in the season opener: What we learned

By Lauren Merola, Jay King, Jared Weiss and James L. Edwards III

The Boston Celtics tied the NBA single-game 3-point record with 29 made from behind the arc as they defeated the New York Knicks 132-109 at TD Garden on Tuesday.

The Milwaukee Bucks set the single-game 3-pointer record in 2020 (29).

After making their 29th Game 3, the Celtics missed 13 direct shots from behind the arc as they searched for a single possession in NBA history. Celtics star Jayson Tatum contributed eight of the 29 3-point shots. His career-high 3-pointers in a single game is nine.

Derrick White made six 3s, Jaylen Brown five, Jrue Holiday four and Al Horford three. Sam Hauser hit two 3s and Payton Pritchard hit one.

Boston finished the night shooting 47.5 percent from downtown.

In the first half, Tatum scored 6 of 9 points from behind the arc and finished the second frame with 25 points (he finished the game with 37). White hit three 3s; Brown, Holiday and Horford contributed two each; and Hauser and Pritchard each scored one goal, also setting the franchise record for most three-pointers in a half (17).

These players continued to contribute through the end of the night and proved to be just as dangerous as expected in 2024.

Here are three other key takeaways from the game.

Has Tatum returned to 3-point form?

To borrow a phrase from the old video game “NBA Jam,” the Celtics came under team fire when they set an NBA record with their 29 3-pointers. No one has shot better than Tatum, but it will take more time to see if his jump shot has truly returned.

However, the opening night performance sparked serious optimism.

Tatum, fine-tuning his mechanics after a terrible shooting drought that lasted through last season's playoffs and the Paris Olympics, sank four 3-pointers in the first quarter and another two in the second quarter. He won't shoot this well every night, but after shooting worse than ever in the playoffs, a simple return to his normal accuracy would be a big development for the Celtics.

When the Knicks started overreacting to Tatum's 3-pointers, he ran the ball all around to give his teammates an open look. After all the offseason questions, he made a powerful statement on opening night. — Jay King, Celtics beat writer

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But not because they set the NBA record. Nearly 65 percent of their shot attempts came from beyond the arc. Although the Knicks outscored them from the field, it was a clear loss to the Celtics most of the way.

Joe Mazzulla is obsessed with shot margin. It's the No. 1 offensive principle he discusses before games. As he left the podium at his pregame press conference, Mazzulla repeatedly muttered “shot margin” on his way to the door.

The Celtics have had plenty of analytics-driven wins under Mazzulla, but this was one of the more remarkable performances we've ever seen. And while the players and fans lost their minds watching the team puke brick by brick because they somehow failed to break the record, Mazzulla must have loved it because the shooting margin kept increasing. — Jared Weiss, Celtics beat writer

What does this mean for the Knicks?

Honestly, not much.

Most were curious heading into this season opener against the Celtics as to whether New York was a more legitimate contender than it appeared after making so many roster moves over the last few months. The answer is a resounding no.

New York's defense had no answer to Boston's 3-point scheme. New York's starters continued to struggle shooting and making three-pointers through the first three quarters. The continuity that the Celtics had is not present in New York.

The good thing is that the Knicks don't have to be better than the Celtics now. They have to be better than they were in the playoffs. However, at the moment the gap between the two teams is huge. — James L. Edwards III, Knicks beat writer

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(Photo: Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)