The Milwaukee Bucks blew the Miami Heat out of the gym last night in Game 2 of the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. They shot 15 three-pointers in the first half and everyone expected them to break the NBA playoff record for most three-pointers in a game.
The NBA has had some great shooting teams make a big splash in the playoffs in the past. Some notable mentions include the Miami Heat super-team with Ray Allen, and the Golden State Warriors with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. One would think one of these two teams would have the most three-pointers in an NBA playoff game.
The Bucks, in fact, hold the NBA record for the most three-pointers in a regular-season game, when they shot 29 threes against the Miami Heat this season.
They ended their playoff game with 22 threes made, a little shy of the NBA playoff record. But their phenomenal shooting night got everyone wondering who holds the NBA playoff record.
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Most threes in an NBA playoff game
The NBA playoff record is held by the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, who shot 25 three-pointers in Game 2 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals against the Atlanta Hawks. It was the same team that went on to upset the 73-9 Golden State Warriors by coming back from 3-1 down to win 4-3 in the NBA finals.
The team was shooting the lights out from beyond the arc in that game. LeBron James shot 4-6, Kyrie Irving shot 4-5, Kevin Love shot 3-4 but the biggest contributor was JR Smith, who dropped 7-13 threes.
Richard Jefferson came off the bench and hit both of his three-point attempts, while Channing Frye, Iman Shumpert, Matthew Dellavedova, Mo Williams and Dahntay Jones all contributed with one three-pointer each.
Amazingly, the NBA playoff record for the second-most three-pointers in a game was also held by the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, who shot 24 threes in Game 4 of the 2017 NBA Finals.
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