Celtics erupt for historic shooting night, await Jayson Tatum return

The Celtics are rolling again. And this time, they did it with one of the most efficient offensive performances the league has seen in decades.

Boston shot 66.7 percent from the field in Friday’s 148-111 win over the Nets, finishing 52-of-78 overall. According to ESPN Research, it marked the franchise’s third-highest shooting percentage in the shot clock era, which dates to 1954-55.

The Celtics also connected on 64.7 percent from three-point range, producing an 80.8 effective field goal percentage. That is the highest mark in the shot clock era.

All-Star Jaylen Brown led the way with 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Newly acquired center Nikola Vucevic added 28 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double with Boston.

“I thought we just did a good job reading the game,” coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters. “We made the right reads throughout most of the entire game.”

All 13 Celtics who played scored. Boston committed only three turnovers after halftime.

The Celtics have won five of six since the All-Star break and sit second in the Eastern Conference at 39-20.

Now, attention shifts to Jayson Tatum, who is working back from a ruptured Achilles suffered in May during the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Knicks.

“It’s just another step,” Tatum said recently. “I feel a little bit better every day.”

The Celtics host the 76ers on Sunday.