From frequent iron shots to three-point recovery! The defending champion wakes up in Madison Garden

The third game of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals was held in Madison Square Garden, New York. The defending champion Celtics, who had previously lagged behind 0-2, beat the Knicks 115-93 with his crazy performance of 20 of 40 shots from outside the three-point line, tied the total score to 1-2. This victory not only ended the haze of the Celtics' consecutive three-point errors in the playoffs, but also regenerated the suspense of the series, avoiding the 0-3 reversal curse that has never been seen in NBA history before.

From the first quarter of the game, the Celtics showed a completely different offensive look. Tatum, Brown, White and Horford made three-pointers one after another. The team made 6 of 7 three-pointers in the first quarter, scoring 36 points in a single quarter, quickly establishing a 16-point lead. This wave of offensive completely disrupted the Knicks' defensive deployment - in the previous two games, Bridges and Anunobi suppressed the Celtics' three-point shooting percentage to 25% through the defense replacement strategy, but in this game, the Celtics cracked the opponent's defensive system by passing the ball more decisively and taking quick moves. At the end of the half, the Celtics made 12 of 19 three-pointers, shooting as high as 63%, but the Knicks could not respond.

Tatum made 5 of 9 three-pointers in this game, sweeping away the cold touch of 5 of 20 shots in the first two games, and contributing comprehensive data of 22 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists in the whole game. His recovery is not only reflected in his shooting percentage, but also in his control of the rhythm of the game - using the pick-and-roll to quickly shoot or attract double-teams to pass the ball, creating open opportunities for teammates. Substitute point guard Prichard became the biggest surprise in the game. He scored 23 points on 5 of 10 shots from outside the three-point line, especially in the third quarter, making consecutive high-difficulty long shots, helping the team widen the gap to 25 points, completely defeating the Knicks' confidence in counterattack.

Celtics coach Mazula bluntly stated before the game that "better tactics need to be designed". In this game, the team significantly increased the unball running and weak side cover, and used the Knicks' inside line Towns' weak point of moving slowly in the pick-and-roll, frequently creating opportunities for misalignment. Many of the team's three-pointers were large open positions, and the shooting percentage of such opportunities in the first two games was only 25%, which greatly improved this game. In addition, the targeted restrictions on Brunson by the Celtics on the defensive end are also effective. The Knicks' core efficiency is not high, and Towns' performance is also not outstanding. The final quarter is blocked by Horford and Porzingis in stages, completely losing the possibility of reversal.

The victory in this game is of great significance to the Celtics - no team in NBA history has ever made a comeback when they were behind 0-3, and the Celtics completed a reversal when they were 0-2 behind the Bulls in the first round in 2017. Horford's personal experience injected confidence into the team. Although the Knicks have a home advantage and showed resilience in the first two games, the Celtics proved their ability to adjust in adversity with their league-first away record (33 wins and 8 losses in the regular season).

This three-point frenzy not only allowed the Celtics to continue their hope of defending their title, but also revealed the key to the series: when the Celtics hits more than 35% on the outside, their offensive efficiency will directly determine the direction of the game. The two sides will usher in a G4 showdown on May 13. Whether the Knicks will regain their defensive intensity and get the match point, or whether the Celtics will continue to have a hot touch to equalize the score, the next chapter of this three-point game is exciting.

(Text/Kong Yang)