Author: Monojit Mandal
Heat 123 – 116 Celtics
Jimmy Butler’s incredible effort, which included 35 points and an incredible comeback in the third quarter, led the Miami Heat to a dramatic 123-116 victory over the Celtics in the first game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals in Boston.
The Heat showed their determination by overcoming a 13-point deficit in the second quarter to beat the Celtics 46-25 in a strong third quarter that turned the tide in their favor. Despite his incredible 30-point performance for Boston, Jayson Tatum struggled with important mistakes in the final minutes, when the Heat tightened up their defense.
Butler’s impressive performance included five rebounds, seven assists and six steals in addition to his points. Bam Adebayo scored 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Max-Strus , Gabe-Vincent, Caleb-Martin and Kyle Lowry scored 15 points each to help Miami win.
Butler emphasized unity in the face of adversity when talking about the team’s great dynamic, saying: “We’re just playing really good basketball”. More than anything, we’re sticking together through the good times and the bad. It’s a racing game. We can communicate… and we can fix it“.
Butler’s explosive start continued as he scored 12 points in the first quarter, his sixth game of the playoffs with a double-digit first quarter. The game remained tight throughout, with no team holding more than a four-point lead in a first quarter that included 13 lead changes and ended with the Celtics holding a slim 30-28 advantage.
Tatum took over in the second quarter, leading the Celtics to a 13-point halftime lead, 66-57. Boston’s aggressive offense dominated on the court in the first half, outscoring Miami 40-16. Marcus Smart was key for the Celtics, dishing out 10 assists in the first half, equalling his career record for one half.
The Heat, on the other hand, made an incredible comeback in the third quarter, outscoring the Celtics by 12 points and taking a dominant lead into the fourth quarter. After overcoming 11 turnovers in the first half, Miami demonstrated excellent ball management, committing just one turnover in the third quarter and succeeding in all aspects of the game.
The Celtics disrupted the Heat’s offensive flow in the first half, but Heat coach Erik-Spoelstra valued Jimmy Butler’s ability as a playmaker and facilitator down the stretch.
The Celtics went on a 7-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to four points with 2:31 remaining, but Miami responded with decisive plays. Caleb Martin hit a three-pointer in the corner after a pass from Butler, and Tatum’s infractions on successive possessions turned the tide even further in Miami’s favour.
Butler secured the win with a game-winning three-point jumper with 1:03 remaining.
Miami’s performance from beyond the arc was crucial, as they rebounded 16 of their 31 three-point attempts, compared to Boston’s 10 of 29. Tatum was completely blocked by the Heat in the fourth quarter, denying him any shooting opportunities.
The Celtics will try to tie the series when they host the second game on Friday. However, Butler stressed that the Heat are determined to secure another win in Boston and not settle for a split of the first two games.