MIAMI — – For two days, The Boston Celtics He lamented that he was beaten on the floor of his house. When they finally play again, they let out all their frustration.
Conclusion: A defensive masterpiece.
Jayson Tatum And Jaylen Brown Each scored 22 points to lead a balanced approach, and the Celtics won loudly Miami Heat 104-84 on Saturday night to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
„We didn't make too many changes,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. „We played a little harder, we played harder, and we dictated the physicality and pace of the game. Those are the simple things you have to do under a lot of pressure, a lot of adversity. I thought our guys did a great job of dictating that tonight.
Game 4 is Monday in Miami, where the Celtics are 9-2 in their last 11 games and 6-1 in their last seven playoff games.
Tatum added 10 rebounds and six assists for the Celtics, who led Game 3 wire-to-wire and regained the home-court edge they lost when Miami won Game 2 in Boston. Kristaps Porzingis 18 points and was Derrick White Scored 16 runs for Celtic.
The last time either team saw these kinds of numbers — Boston on defense, Miami on offense — was Game 5 of the East Finals on May 25, 2022, a 93-80 Celtics road victory that helped them reach that season's NBA Finals. The Heat scored over 84 points in every game and the Celtics allowed over 84 in every game.
„That's where we're going to win games on the defensive end,” Tatum said.
Pam Adebayo He scored 20 points for eighth-ranked Miami, which is without its starters Jimmy Butler And Terry Rozier Due to injuries. Nikola Jovic And Tyler Hero Each scored 15 for the Heat, with him scoring 12 Jaime Jacques Jr.
„They took us out of things we wanted to get,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. „They were a more physical team. They harassed us, bullied us on screens, passed stuff, broken screens, everything. … You have to give them credit for that. They were a more physical team, a more physical team and a strength team on both ends of the court.
Bounce-back attempts have been a trend in Boston this season. The Celtics — the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs — don't lose often, and when they do, they come out and win the next one. Boston is now 15-4 in games following a loss this season, and its average margin of victory in those games is 12.2 points.
„Just the mindset,” Brown said. „We put an emphasis on defense and try to make them a little uncomfortable … I think that opened up the game.”
Boston never trailed in Game 1, winning 114-94, and never trailed in Game 3 en route to beating Miami for the fifth time in six meetings this season. The Celtics led 21-12 after one, setting the tone that nothing would come easy for the Heat.
Midway through the second quarter, it looked — briefly — as if Miami had weathered the storm. The Heat ran a bit, had some life in the building, and Hero hit a 3-pointer that would have gotten the Heat within 10.
It is bent. The storm did not hit. In fact, it has only just begun.
The Celtics went 20-8 over the next 4 ½ minutes to put Miami up 61-36, and the game was never in doubt again, 63-39 at halftime, as Boston dominated in every way — a 19-2 edge in points off turnovers, 26-12 scoring in the paint. Edge, 27-15 in rebounds, 13-6 in assists.
The lead reached 29 in the second half and Miami got no closer than 18 after halftime.
„From the jump, they were more aggressive than us,” Jovic said. „It shouldn't happen.”
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