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Joe Mazzulla Addresses Free-Throw Disparity in Celtics' Loss to Knicks
In Monday's 109-94 loss to the Knicks, the Celtics produced 52 points in the paint to New York's 42.
And while the hosts took 37 shots from within that area, Boston attempted 36.
New York Knicks Shot Chart by Zone
Boston Celtics Shot Chart by Zone
Despite those figures, the visitors went 11/14 at the foul line, and the Knicks registered 23 points from the stripe on 34 free throws.
The Celtics didn't help that cause by taking 50 percent of their shots from behind the arc on a night they fared 9/42 (21.4 percent) on threes.
Still, one can understand the frustration that comes from that free-throw disparity.
After the game, a defeat that bumps Boston to 44-18 and second in the East behind the Bucks (43-17) due to winning percentage, Joe Mazzulla addressed New York's receiving 20 more attempts from the foul line than the Celtics got.
"How can I say this without getting in trouble?" Mazzulla said before taking a pause. "It wasn't the same as the Philly game," referencing Saturday's 110-107 win over the Sixers.
Interestingly enough, Philadelphia took 35 free throws in that matchup, and Boston attempted 12.
While the outcome makes the gap more frustrating Monday than on Saturday, on a night where Jayson Tatum received his first-career ejection, twice arguing after getting fouled but no whistle coming on the heels of either instance, there was bound to be frustration from the Celtics about the way the game got adjudicated.
Further Reading
Former Celtic Defends Jayson Tatum After His First-Career Ejection
Joe Mazzulla Discusses Celtics' Shot Selection After Long-Range Struggles in Loss vs. Knicks
Joe Mazzulla's Message to the Celtics After Clinching Season Series vs. Sixers
Film Room: How the Celtics Defend Joel Embiid
