In their 91-104 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Boston Celtics created NBA history by being the first team to go the whole game without receiving a free throw.The teams also combined to shoot only two free throws, with the Bucks going to the line for just two shots and converting them at 50% (one of two). This is also an NBA record; the previous low number of free throws attempted in a game was 11.
The NBA has actively tightened down on handing teams easy calls since the NBA All-Star break, with tonight’s game serving as the best evidence of the league’s new officiating strictness. The Celtics have a diverse offense, but their emphasis on shooting efficient threes will not result in many foul opportunities. Even with good inside scorers, the Bucks appear to have avoided needless contact throughout the game.The Bucks also committed only four fouls during the game, the fewest by any club in NBA history. Doc Rivers may not have planned for his squad to accomplish this accomplishment, but it is a remarkable team achievement.
The setback was awful for the Celtics, who had also been blasted out by the Bucks earlier this season. While Boston elected to rest Kristaps Porzingis, that doesn’t explain their lackluster offensive performance against a struggling Bucks team that could potentially face them in the Eastern Conference Finals.The Celtics hoping to shut their haters up.The Celtics will want to finish the season with at least 65 victories, which is the best record in the NBA by a wide margin. The gap they have with the No. 2 seed Bucks in the East is equal to the difference between the No. 1 and No. 10 seeds in the West, demonstrating their conference domination.
Despite their great regular season success, the Celtics are seen as secondary competitors to the Denver Nuggets. People aren’t even comfortable picking Boston to win the East because of their recent struggles versus lower-seeded teams like the Miami Heat last year.
Given their high-profile losses, including blowouts against the Atlanta Hawks and getting taken off national TV at halftime for being overpowered by the Bucks, they have plenty of critics to silence. Jayson Tatum is unquestionably the best player on the NBA’s top team, but he is far from the MVP race.
While commentators such as Gilbert Arenas argue that the team hasn’t been significant in decades, this season’s Celtics seek to reverse that narrative. They have nearly 5 All-Star players in their starting lineup, strong depth, and a superb coach. If they don’t succeed this year, many will understandably wonder if this ultra-talented Celtics core can ever win a championship following another potential failure.