Getty Boston Celtics big man Al Horford.
The Boston Celtics weren’t just bad from beyond the arc in a 91-82 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on December 29, they were historically bad. The team shot a horrific 9.5% from 3-point range, which is the second-worst percentage by a team in league history on at least 40 attempts from 3. As highlighted by the voice of Celtics basketball, Sean Grande, the C’s 4-for-42 showing was the sixth-worst 3-point shooting performance in Celtics history (minimum 20 attempts).
The loss marked Boston’s third consecutive loss and their fourth over their last five games. Undoubtedly, dropping three games below .500 is a tough pill to swallow for a team that, prior to the season, typecasted themselves as potential Eastern Conference contenders. However, Al Horford doesn’t want fans to lose hope just yet. The wily veteran took to Twitter shortly after the nine-point defeat to share a message with Celtics faithful, promising the team will soon right the ship.
This loss hurts… We are going to be alright. Stay with us Celtics fans!☘️☘️☘️☘️ #together
As for Horford specifically, he continues to give fans reason to be excited. The 35-year-old big man has turned the clock back in his return to Boston this season — once again demonstrating his versed skillset in the loss to Los Angeles. In 37 minutes, Horford flirted with a triple-double, recording nine points, eight assists and 10 rebounds. Unfortunately, he was one of seven Celtics players to score under double-digit points, thanks in large part to his 0-for-7 showing from 3.
Coach Udoka Takes Positives Away from Rough Showing
While the shots simply weren’t falling for Boston, head coach Ime Udoka still managed to come away impressed with their ball movement.
“I thought they were great looks. (The Clippers) played a lot of zone,” Udoka told Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston following the game. “We played unselfish, attacked the basket, they collapsed and we missed some wide-open shots — more than you could count. That’s the first thing everyone’s going to look at, that number. Of course, you’d like to make a few and the outcome would be different.”
Still, Udoka wasn’t all compliments when it came to Boston’s offensive efforts.
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Al Horford Makes Strong Guarantee After Celtics’ Historically Bad Outing