Here’s What Stood Out in Celtics’ Win vs. Heat: Boston Prevails in Offensive Slugfest, but Has Much Work to do Defensively

The Celtics and Warmth handled Prince William and Princess Kate, sitting courtside, to a high-scoring affair on Wednesday, combining for 255 factors while not having additional time.

Jayson Tatum strengthened his MVP case with a 49-point efficiency that even Miami’s zone protection could not decelerate. He did so on an environment friendly 15/25 capturing, drilling 8/12 threes, taking 12 free throws, and changing on 11. Tatum additionally grabbed 11 rebounds, turning into the primary participant in NBA history to file a number of video games with 45+ factors, 10+ rebounds, and eight+ threes.

Talking of strengthening instances, Bam Adebayo bolstered his All-Star candidacy, stepping up in Jimmy Butler’s absence, registering 23 factors, matching Max Strus for a staff excessive.

The guests additionally received 22 factors, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds from Tyler Herro, who did a wonderful job initiating offense and creating off the catch. 

Haywood Highsmith’s 16 factors off the bench, frequently pulling down open pictures, captures Boston’s defensive struggles as successfully because the three performances talked about above.

Happily for the Celtics, the NBA’s highest-scoring offense affords them appreciable margin for error, as evidenced on Wednesday.

The Jekyll and Hyde Nature of the Celtics’ First Body

The Celtics shortly constructed a 14-2 lead, opening the sport 5/5 from the sector, together with 3/3 from past the arc. They assisted on 4 of these, a mirrored image of enjoying up-tempo and dealing the ball side-to-side, persistently creating open, in-rhythm pictures.

However turnovers, much less ball motion, and lower-quality makes an attempt helped gasoline a 21-4 Miami run to erase a 14-point deficit and take a 27-25 lead.

Happily for the hosts, improved shot creation, getting again to drive-and-kick basketball, and getting it to shooters on the weak facet helped Boston recapture its rhythm. Malcolm Brogdon buried a pair of threes, and Jayson Tatum banked in a floater from ten ft to assist the Celtics take a 38-35 benefit into the second body.

Boston shot 67 p.c from the ground within the opening 12 minutes, together with drilling 9/15 threes (60 p.c). Tatum led all scorers with 16 factors.

Stepping up in Jimmy Butler’s absence, Bam Adebayo scored 9 of the Warmth’s 35 factors. Down its main scorer, Miami, who ranks twenty eighth in factors per sport, wants a giant night time from Adebayo offensively to stroll out of TD Backyard with a win.

Jayson Tatum Strengthens His MVP Case

Tatum was excellent Wednesday night time. On the heels of scoring 35 factors in three quarters towards the Hornets, the Celtics’ star registered 28 within the first half, serving to Boston take a 68-60 lead into the break.

With 8:53 left within the third body, he already reached 34 factors, together with drilling back-to-back threes to assist wake the hosts up after a sluggish begin to the second half.

When the quarter ended, he was as much as 41 factors on 13/21 capturing. Tatum’s scoring was as environment friendly because it was spectacular. He was 6/9 from past the arc and took ten free throws, changing on 9.

His double-digit makes an attempt on the foul line had been a product of his assertiveness, attacking off the dribble, initiating contact, and never shying away from it on the rim. That included powering his method downhill in transition within the third body, as soon as ending with a floater, then an underhanded layup as he inverted his proper hand whereas laying the ball in on the left facet of the rim.

Tatum additionally earned a Tommy Level when he dove on the parquet, beating a number of members of the opposition to a unfastened ball, resulting in a Derrick White dunk.

Whereas 50 factors appeared like a lock for Tatum, he did not enter the fourth quarter till the 6:17 mark. He went to test in a bit earlier, however Joe Mazzulla despatched him again to the bench. However when Kyle Lowry knifed his strategy to the cup for 2 factors and a foul, chopping Boston’s result in 116-112, earlier than making the free throw to trim the hole to 3, in got here Tatum.

The MVP candidate, maybe the early favourite for the award, drilled a pair of threes en path to a 49-point efficiency, serving to the hosts shut out their 134-121 win over the Warmth, a victory that additionally had its negatives, together with a obtrusive problem.

Wednesday was Considered one of Boston’s Worst Showings Defensively

An Jap Convention Finals rematch on the Celtics’ house ground towards a staff struggling to attain when wholesome and enjoying with out its main scorer and a number of second-unit members represented a possibility for the hosts to ship one in every of their higher defensive performances this season.

As a substitute, followers received handled to a much more entertaining offensive slugfest with either side buying and selling blows. Miami’s retaining tempo below the circumstances talked about about deserves reward, and it is a testomony to #HeatCulture and the teaching of Erik Spoelstra.

However for the Celtics, Miami registering 35 factors within the first quarter, 36 within the third, and ending with 121 will probably translate to prolonged movie periods forward of Friday’s rematch.

The guests from South Seaside shot 52.2 p.c from the sector, 18/40 (45 p.c) from past the arc, produced 50 factors within the paint and 14 on second-chance alternatives.

These figures spotlight a scarcity of resistance on drives, late rotations and closeouts, and a staff that misplaced focus all through the night time. Committing 18 turnovers, translating to fifteen factors for the Warmth, did not assist, both.

Boston additionally struggled defending the pick-and-roll. 

After the sport, Joe Mazzulla acknowledged, “they did an incredible job out of pick-and-roll, being aggressive with the ball handler, which was one thing we weren’t ready for.”

Mazzulla additionally famous the constructive in seeing that look and having two days to arrange to take action once more. Spoelstra will probably use that point so as to add a wrinkle or two.

The Protection Struggled, however Boston’s Offense Continues to Shine

The Celtics entered Wednesday’s matchup producing essentially the most factors per sport. They confirmed Miami that is not a fluke, as Tatum’s 49-point efficiency led the best way to placing 134 on the board.

Boston did so whereas pulling down 55.4 p.c of its pictures, together with 22/45 (48.9 p.c) of its threes. The hosts additionally scored 44 factors within the paint, 20 on the quick break, 19 off 15 Warmth turnovers, and transformed 11 offensive rebounds into 15 second-chance factors.

The Celtics scored at the least 30 factors in all 4 frames, together with 38 within the opening quarter.

Jaylen Brown registered 26 factors on 10/18 capturing, additional stuffing the stat sheet with seven rebounds and 5 assists. His 11 factors within the ultimate 12 minutes led all scorers within the ultimate body.

Malcolm Brogdon delivered an excellent efficiency off the bench, contributing 21 factors on 7/10 capturing, drilling 5/7 long-range makes an attempt. He additionally grabbed six rebounds.

White additionally had a powerful offensive displaying, persevering with to maintain the aggressive strategy he is adhered to all through the season. He supplied 15 factors on 6/10 capturing, buried 3/7 threes, and dished out 5 assists within the win. 

Up Subsequent

The Celtics host the Warmth once more on Friday. The sport ideas off at 7:30 pm EST. Inside The Celtics may have content material associated to the sport popping out earlier than, throughout, and after. And comply with @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and evaluation from pregame to put up.

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