The Boston Celtics put their starters on the floor for Tuesday’s preseason matchup on Tuesday night with a chance to show what the new-look roster can do.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White all got the starting nod. Four of them proceeded to score double-digit points as the offense fired on all cylinders. Tatum led the way with 28 points while Porzingis added 20 of his own.
Under head coach Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics have heavily prioritized a flurry of three-point attempts. While the new lineup gives the offense different ways to score the basketball, Boston stuck to its roots on Tuesday.
The Celtics set a franchise preseason-record with 23 made three-pointers on the night on their way to a 123-110 win over the New York Knicks.
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Al Horford and Payton Pritchard added production off the bench for the Celtics, however, the starting five made some serious noise in prolonged action together.
“It’s just easy to play with those guys, honestly,” Porzingis told reporters after the win. “They draw so much attention. I get wide-open threes and wide-open looks. They find me. I just shoot those shots. It’s really simple.”
The Celtics made key offseason moves to further strengthen the championship potential of a group that has been to four conference finals in six years and came up short in the 2022 NBA Finals. On Tuesday night, the Celtics showed the potential of a true contender.
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Featured image via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
