First-quarter dominance fueling Celtics’ red-hot start to new season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics will host the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden on Monday night in an early-season clash between two of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference.
The defending champion Celtics actually have a seven-game regular season home win streak against the Bucks. Milwaukee’s last regular season win in Boston came on Dec. 21, 2018.
If the Celtics are going to extend that streak, a strong start will be key. Boston has been the best first-quarter team in the NBA so far this season.
The Celtics’ red-hot 3-point shooting has been instrumental in this early-game success. They are averaging eight 3-pointers made per game in the first quarter. There are eight teams averaging fewer than 11 3-point shots made per game, and the C’s are slightly under that mark in just the first quarter.
Here’s a deeper look at the Celtics’ first-quarter dominance this season. They are outscoring teams by 10.3 points over the first 12 minutes each game.
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The Bucks are averaging 26.3 points in the first quarter per game, including just 2.7 3-pointers made during those minutes. Milwaukee is also averaging 4.3 turnovers per first quarter, which ranks in the bottom third of the league.
The Bucks are 1-2 through three games with back-to-back losses to the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets.
The Celtics made a statement on Opening Night by beating the New York Knicks in a game highlighted by a 43-point first quarter for Boston that included 10 3-pointers.
Monday’s game is another good opportunity for the C’s to send a message to the rest of the conference. Boston’s scoring depth, outside shooting and versatile defense could expose some of Milwaukee’s most glaring weaknesses.
