Here’s What Stood Out in Celtics’ Win vs. Heat: Boston Starts Fast and Ends Strong

Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 29 factors, producing 18 within the second half; Jaylen Brown completed with 28, and the Celtics held the internet hosting Warmth to beneath 30 factors in all 4 quarters.

Between Boston’s stingy protection, crisp ball motion, and capitalizing when foul bother compelled Bam Adebayo out of the sport in each halves, identical to in Recreation 7 of final 12 months’s Japanese Convention Finals, the Celtics went to South Seashore and outperformed Miami.

Now, for a deep dive into what stood out in Boston’s 111-104 win over Miami.

Boston Blitzes Miami with Robust Two-Method Efficiency in Opening Body

The Warmth jumped out to a 13-8 lead on the 6:38 mark, with Bam Adebayo accounting for practically half of their scoring.

The Celtics paid for leaving him open for a pair of mid-range jumpers. He adopted that up by attacking Al Horford off the dribble and made a sweeping layup over the Boston large man.

However when Adebayo picked up his second foul on the Celtics’ ensuing possession, Erik Spoelstra known as him to the bench. Instantly after he subbed out, Boston went on an 8-2 run, together with Jayson Tatum scanning excessive of the protection and delivering a dime to Derrick White for a proper nook three.

The Celtics ended the primary body in fashion, beginning with Noah Vonleh, who had already stripped Kyle Lowry on the basket and swatted a Max Strus layup, monitoring down an offensive rebound and spinning by Haywood Highsmith for a thunderous dunk.

After that, Grant Williams blocked a Highsmith three to shut the quarter. Boston completed the primary on a 22-9 run.

White led all scorers within the opening interval with ten factors, taking and making a pair of threes with out hesitation. Tatum offered seven, and Brown chipped in 9 factors and three assists, producing three layups and getting a 3 from 28 toes to rattle in.

The Celtics constantly generated high quality pictures within the first quarter, finally discovering their rhythm, capitalizing on 48 p.c of their discipline objectives and 4/12 threes. In addition they scored 12 factors within the paint.

On the different finish, Boston restricted Miami to 40 p.c capturing, together with 2/7 from past the arc, delivering a two-way efficiency that translated to a 30-22 benefit getting into the second body.

Warmth Hit Again in Second Quarter

The Warmth started the second quarter by attacking the basket, translating to 3 buckets on the rim. Constructing on that, Miami made seven-straight discipline objectives, capped by an Adebayo 18-foot soar shot that made it 43-37 Boston on the 7:37 mark.

Vonleh’s first shift, which ended a minute later, deserves recognition. He threw down two emphatic jams, grabbed 5 rebounds, together with three on the offensive finish, and swatted two pictures in 9 minutes.

However Boston struggled containing Tyler Herro within the second body as the previous Kentucky guard entered halftime with a game-high 15 factors, doing most of his harm from contained in the paint after attacking off the dribble.

For the Celtics, who went into the break with a 59-51 lead with a team-high 14 factors on 5/8 capturing. Alongside along with his three assists and rebounds, he additionally had two blocks. Tatum scored 11 on 4/10 capturing.

As a collective, Boston knocked down 52.5 p.c of its pictures from the sector, together with 9/21 threes (42.9 p.c). Efficient ball motion was the important thing to these figures, with the Celtics aiding on 9/21 makes.

And whereas Boston did not present as a lot resistance defensively within the second quarter, the Celtics held the Warmth beneath 30, with each groups limiting one another to 29 factors.

Boston blocked seven pictures within the first half, and Miami shot 44.9 p.c from the ground whereas struggling past the arc, going 4/15 (26.7 p.c).

The Celtics’ efficiency on the defensive finish, coupled with their ball motion, is on the root of them main by eight getting into the third quarter.

Miami and Boston Go Blow-for-Blow in Third Body

The Warmth outscored the Celtics 18-10 within the first 6:39 of the third body, tying the sport on an Adebayo transition dunk after a Marcus Sensible turnover.

It did not assist that by the 8:11 mark, Miami’s aggressive strategy acquired them within the bonus, which means free throws for each Boston foul. Capitalizing on that, Lowry produced and cashed in on two free throws that prolonged the Warmth’s run to 9-0, giving them a 71-69 benefit. That was their first lead since halfway by way of the primary quarter.

With 5:12 remaining, Adebayo acquired whistled for an unlawful display, his fourth foul, forcing him to the bench. Upset with the decision, dominated appropriately on this creator’s opinion, he earned himself a technical for voicing his frustration.

Together with the free throw for the technical, Tatum then went on a 6-0 run, together with drilling a 3 from 27 toes on the left wing, Boston’s first make from past the arc within the quarter. He additionally had a stunning take to the cup, spinning by Caleb Martin en route to 2 factors.

Miami unsuccessfully tried attacking Sam Hauser on three-straight possessions, together with a Herro turnover on a nasty cross after he could not drive by Hauser.

These stops helped the Celtics shut the quarter on a 10-2 run, together with a pair of nook threes by Williams, with the second coming courtesy of an unselfish play by Tatum, making the additional cross. 

That burst helped give the guests an 89-77 lead getting into the ultimate body. Once more, Adebayo’s exit swung momentum, with Boston outscoring the Warmth 20-6 after he left the sport.

Celtics Fend Off the Warmth in Ultimate Body

Pushing the tempo off a Gabe Vincent missed layup, Brown took on and glided by a number of Miami defenders for a layup to present the Celtics it is largest lead of the evening, 98-84.

After that, he swished a contested mid-range fadeaway over Adebayo. With that basket, Brown prolonged his recreation excessive to twenty-eight factors.

However the Warmth responded with a 9-0 run, making the most of a number of Boston turnovers, together with a pair of offensive fouls from Brown that compelled him to the bench with 5 personals. That burst had the hosts down 100-95 with 4:12 remaining.

With 47.2 seconds left, Tatum drove to the basket, producing two free throws on a failed try at drawing a cost from Herro. Tatum hit the again of his head on Gabe Vincent’s knee after he landed.

As painful because it regarded, it did not stand in the way in which of him flattening each free throws to present Boston a 108-99 lead as “let’s go, Celtics!” chants broke out.

A Horford three from the correct nook was the icing on the cake as Boston improved to 2-0 with a 111-104 win.

Up Subsequent

The Celtics tackle the Magic in Orlando Saturday. The sport ideas off at 7:00 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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