In one of the most highly anticipated regular season matchups in the NBA this season, the Philadelphia 76ers failed in grand fashion, getting beaten down to a pulp at home by the Boston Celtics, which bombed them away from beyond the arc and exploited the very weakness that the former's abundance of star power cannot solve on its own.
Boston hit 22 of its 49 three-point attempts for a blistering 45 percent conversion rate. On the flip side, Philly drained just 11 of its 37 triples for a measly 29.7 shooting percentage from rainbow country. As is the case for most of the season so far, offense was still the problem for the 76ers, which now got shoved away from the top spot in the East with this highly public loss.
The 76ers got absolutely pummeled by the Celtics from beyond the arc
The moment the 76ers acquired both Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, fans and pundits alike hailed the team for having the most formidable lineup in the NBA. While that still holds water given their impressive record despite a lot of rough patches on offense, there were strong concerns voiced about the fact that their starting unit (and the team at large) was in dire need of reliable shooting from three-point-territory.
Indeed, Philadelphia has been downright disappointing in that department. As of writing, they are 21st in the league in three-point shooting accuracy, draining 33.7 percent of their triples. The 76ers are a lowly 24th in actual makes per outing, with 11.5 on average. Meanwhile, they only rank 26th in attempts per game, shooting just 34.2 three-pointers a night.
Against a team like the Celtics, which built their championship DNA on the strength of their volume three-point shooting, the 76ers' subpar three-point shooting will only be more pronounced. Boston chases space better than most teams, and that offensive dynamic is one thing that cannot be overcome with star power alone.
In today's game, there is no better floor-and-ceiling raiser than three-point shooting. On paper, the 76ers have a better lineup and more raw talent than the Celtics. But when it comes to their philosophies on offense, Boston easily has Philly beat with their more seamless scoring attack.
If the 76ers truly want to maximize their championship chances this season, improving as a collective from three-point range is a non-negotiable. Otherwise, strong shooting teams like the Celtics will not be fazed by the star power bannered in Philadelphia.
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