Everyone thought the Celtics would struggle to get to the line after trading Jaylen Brown. That fear was real, but the court has a different story to tell right now. The team has flipped a major weakness into a top-five strength in just five games. This sudden shift changes how Boston attacks defenses and controls the pace of play.
According to Hardwood Houdini, the Celtics finished dead last in the NBA for free-throw attempts last season. They only got to the line 18.7 times per game. That stat looked like a curse after Brown, who generated 7.5 attempts per game, was traded for Paul George. George only took 3.4 shots from the stripe last year. The math said this roster would be passive. The results say otherwise.
Tatum and Pritchard Change the Game
Jayson Tatum is the engine driving this new aggressive style. His rate of reaching the line stands at 8.8 times per game, placing him third across the entire league. He even had a massive 22-attempt night against the Nets. That volume forces defenses to foul or risk letting him score at will. The team now shoots 28.8 free throws per game on average. That puts them fifth in the league, a huge jump from the basement.
Payton Pritchard is also doing something he never did before. He averages four attempts per game when getting to the line. No prior season in his career saw him reach two attempts per game until now. Neemias Queta is up to five free-throw attempts per game this year. These numbers show that multiple players are attacking the rim with intent. The front office worried about losing Brown’s gravity. They forgot Tatum and Pritchard have their own gravity.
Winning Streak Masks Small Sample Risks
The Celtics hold a 4-1 record and have secured four consecutive victories. They beat the Bulls 125-111 on Friday night. The team dominated the paint despite the Bulls pulling down 20 offensive rebounds to Boston’s nine. Jalen Smith pulled down 12 boards while Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson combined for just 10. Robinson is now a team-worst, -26 on the season. He was the sole rotation player absent from the positives during the victory over the Bulls.
Hardwood Houdini notes that the sample size is very small for these stats. The team hasn’t exactly been facing the stiffest competition either.
