BOSTON – The Miami Heat, at least this injury-depleted version of the Miami Heat, could not have asked for more, could not have scripted it better.
There were 3-pointers falling at a record pace, silky Bam Adebayo mid-range jumpers nestling through the net when relief points were needed, Tyler Herro sizzling as both set-up man and scorer, and a defense that reminded what Erik Spoelstra’s team can look like at its best.
And, through it all, still a fight to the finish.
Going against Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum can have that effect.
So no humbling Game 2 rout in this best-of-seven Eastern Conference opening-round playoff series like the 20-point mauling the Celtics put on the Heat in Sunday’s series opener.
Instead, the Heat finding their way to a 111-101 victory Wednesday night at TD Garden, finding a way even amid the injury absences of Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier.
While the Celtics got 33 points from Brown and 28 from Tatum, the Heat’s attack was more balanced. There were 23 points and a season-high 14 assists from Herro, 21 points and 10 rebounds from Adebayo, as well as 21 points from Caleb Martin, 14 from Jaime Jaquez Jr. and 11 from Nikola Jovic.
The Heat closed 23 of 43 on 3-pointers, two conversions shy of the all-time NBA playoff record.
The series now shifts to Kaseya Center for Saturday’s Game 3 and Monday’s Game 4, before now returning next week to TD Garden for a Game 5.
Five Degrees of Heat from Monday night’s playoff game:
1. Closing time: The Heat led 28-27 after the first quarter, with the Celtics then taking a 61-58 lead into halftime.
From there, the Heat pushed to a 12-point lead in the third quarter, before Boston closed within 85-79 going into the fourth.
Later, the Heat went up 102-91 with 4:12 left, before the Celtics drew within 3:16 to play, forcing a Heat timeout.
A Martin 3-pointer and Herro driving layup followed for a 107-96 Heat lead, with the Heat holding on from there.
2. The long ball: The 3-point emphasis was clear for the Heat from the outset, wth 15 of their first 19 attempts in the first quarter from beyond the arc.
That included a pair of 3-pointers apiece in the opening period from Jovic, Herro and Jaquez.
The Heat kept launching from there.
The Heat then moved to 13 of 24 on 3-pointers at halftime, their high on 3-pointers in a half this season and most for a playoff half.
Through three quarters, the Heat were 19 of 33 from beyond the arc, at that stage one shy of their playoff single-game record.
The Heat’s 20th 3-pointer also gave them the most by a Celtics opponent in the playoffs.
3. The villain: After his hard foul against Tatum at the close of Game 1, Martin was jeered from his first touch.
He countered the noise by opening 4 of 5 on 3-pointers, evoking memories of what he did against the Celtics in last season’s Eastern Conference finals, when he finished as runner-up for MVP of that series to Butler.
Martin went 0 for 4 on 3-pointers in Game 1.
4. Herro ball: Praised earlier in the day bySpoelstra for his playmaking, Herro played was artful and adept as the Heat’s primary ballhandler.
He was up to 18 points and eight assists going into the fourth quarter, a stage he also was 6 of 9 on 3-pointers.
With Butler and Rozier out, it largely remains Herro or bust when it comes to shot creation for the Heat, be it for himself or for teammates.
5. The Jovic factor: The question of where the Heat first might find more 3-point shooting was somewhat answered early, with Jovic converting a pair of 3-pointers in the opening 2:30.
Jovic had been added to the injury report earlier in the day due to back spasms, but again was in the Heat starting lineup.
Jovic, who continually pushed the ball on bustout dribbles after defensive rebounds or Celtics turnovers, was up to 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists going into the fourth quarter.,
Jovic’s play largely kept Kevin Love out of the Heat rotation.
