The Boston Celtics certainly tried their best to shoot their way into the NBA record books on Tuesday night against the New York Knicks.
It rubbed Cedric Maxwell the wrong way, though.
The Celtics legend and color commentator on the team’s radio broadcast was beside himself as he watched Boston launch 3-pointer after 3-pointer late in their 132-109 season-opening rout at TD Garden. The Celtics only needed one more 3-pointer to take sole possession of most triples in a single game in NBA history after Al Horford drained Boston’s 29th trifecta with 8:54 left.
But that record-breaking trey never came with Boston disregarding its offensive principles in search of it. The Celtics missed their final 13 attempts from beyond the arc and finished 29-of-61 (47.5%) from deep.
The Celtics faithful in attendance pleaded for Boston’s reserves to keep hoisting long-range shots try to seize the record. Play-by-play announcer Sean Grande said the fans must have found out on social media, which irked Maxwell.
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“Get off social media,” Maxwell said on the broadcast. “The heck is going on here?”
Maxwell seemed pleased that the Celtics didn’t obtain the record, especially after Payton Pritchard, who shot 1-for-9 from 3-point range, missed a triple with 1:26 remaining.
“Way to go basketball gods,” Maxwell said.
The Celtics had one last shot at the record when they secured a defensive rebound with 35.1 seconds remaining. But instead of going for it, Pritchard got the command from the sideline to run out of the clock and take a shot clock violation.
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The move received boos from the crowd, but drew applause from Maxwell.
“Thank you, Joe (Mazzulla),” Maxwell said.
