The Boston Celtics put on a shooting clinic in Game 3 of their playoff series, torching the nets with 20 made three-pointers en route to a dominant win. Leading the charge was none other than Jayson Tatum (@jaytatum0), who drilled five threes and showcased why he remains one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the league.
From the opening tip, it was clear the Celtics came with a mission. After a tightly contested Game 2, Boston wasted no time establishing control in Game 3. Their energy on both ends of the court was relentless, and their hot shooting from beyond the arc made it nearly impossible for the opposing team to keep pace.
Tatum, as always, set the tone early. His first three-pointer came within the opening minutes of the game—catching a swing pass at the top of the arc and calmly knocking it down. That was just the beginning. He would go on to sink four more from deep, each one more deflating for the defense than the last.
“Once I saw that first one go in, I just locked in,” Tatum said postgame. “My teammates did a great job moving the ball. We’ve got a lot of guys who can shoot, so it’s all about making the extra pass and trusting each other.”
Tatum finished the game with 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, but it was his three-point shooting that stood out most. Each shot felt like a dagger—momentum builders for the Celtics and momentum killers for their opponents. Whether he was pulling up off the dribble or spotting up in transition, Tatum was in rhythm and in control.
But this wasn’t just a one-man show. Boston had six different players hit at least one three-pointer, with Derrick White and Payton Pritchard also contributing big shots from long range. As a team, the Celtics shot 20-of-43 from deep—an impressive 46.5% clip that proved too much to overcome.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla praised the team’s offensive execution. “The ball movement, the spacing, the shot selection—it was all clicking tonight,” Mazzulla said. “And when you’ve got a guy like Jayson who can catch fire, it opens everything up for everyone else.”
Defensively, the Celtics fed off their offensive success. Tatum and the rest of the squad were active in passing lanes, forcing turnovers and turning defense into fast-break opportunities, many of which ended in open threes. The team’s energy never wavered, and by the third quarter, the game was all but decided.
With a 2–1 series lead now in hand, Boston has reclaimed home-court advantage and looks like a team fully capable of making another deep playoff run. And if Tatum keeps shooting like this, the Celtics will be a tough out for anyone.
“We’re not satisfied,” Tatum added. “Game 3 was great, but we’ve got more to prove.”
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