The Celtics, all throughout this playoff run, have counted on bouncing again when their backs are in opposition to the wall. For most of Friday night time, they appeared like they might once more.
But what’s that saying? When you fiddle, you discover out.
The Celtics led by double digits within the fourth quarter of Game 2 however couldn’t shut the deal this time. Their worst nightmares got here true as a spirited Jimmy Butler led the relentless Heat down the stretch. The Celtics didn’t have a solution in crunch time. They misplaced, 111-105. And now they head again to Miami in a foul spot, in a 2-0 collection gap of those Eastern Conference Finals.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 34 factors, 13 rebounds and eight assists, however did most of his work within the first three quarters as Boston constructed a double-digit lead, solely to see it slip away with the dangerous habits which have price them of their worst losses.
After getting torched by the Heat within the third quarter of Game 1, the Celtics didn’t let historical past repeat itself on Friday.
They didn’t have a alternative. The Celtics trailed by 4 at halftime and wanted to come back out of the locker room sharp. They went on a 6-0 run, capped by a Tatum two-handed slam, to provide them a 61-60 lead and pressure a Heat timeout. The C’s pushed forward by 5 after that timeout earlier than the Heat introduced it again to at least one with back-to-back straightforward buckets, and Mazzulla known as a uncommon timeout.
That sparked some Bronx cheers from the group. But the Celtics responded with power and a special bounce. Tatum took over, delivering a nasty step-back transfer on Jimmy Butler for 3 earlier than a cease led to Tatum getting fouled on a 3-pointer.
The Celtics threatened to run away with the sport when Tatum discovered Marcus Smart for a 3-pointer to construct the result in 11. But Caleb Martin responded with 5 consecutive factors, they usually trailed by a manageable eight factors coming into the fourth.
The Celtics led by 12 early within the fourth quarter behind an lively Robert Williams. But the Heat fought again once more because of a pair of Duncan Robinson 3-pointers that made it a four-point sport with 8:40 to go. It obtained fascinating down the stretch as issues obtained heated between Grant Williams and Butler.
Williams, taking part in huge minutes in his first motion of the collection, made a 3-pointer with 6:37 left and had phrases for Butler as they went the opposite means. When Butler then drew a foul on Williams for a three-point play, the 2 went head to head screaming at one another, every drawing technical fouls.
It might have backfired. Butler then made a jumper to chop Boston’s result in 4. They quickly made it a two-point sport when Robinson beat Jaylen Brown for a layup. Williams dunked it for a 100-96 lead however the Heat scored 9 unanswered factors. Butler tied the sport on a pull-up jumper, then took the lead on a fadeaway sandwiched round a turnover by Marcus Smart because the Celtics’ crunch time offense locked up.
After Tatum was whistled for an offensive foul, the Celtics nonetheless trailed by three with lower than 90 seconds to go after they let the Heat seize three offensive rebounds. Bam Adebayo obtained the final one and completed a thunderous two-handed slam, letting out a roar as he gave Miami a five-point lead with 55 seconds left.
Tatum was fouled on a 3-pointer the opposite means and made all three makes an attempt to chop their deficit to 2, however then Gabe Vincent drilled a 3-pointer from the wing for a 107-103 Heat lead with 35 seconds left.
Other takeaways from the loss:
– Grant Williams didn’t play in Game 1 as Mazzulla favored Payton Pritchard for a pair of stints, however the coach went away from that sport plan in Game 2, giving Williams his first minutes in a giant spot. It paid rapid dividends, and gave the Celtics much-needed power. With Williams and Malcolm Brogdon on the ground, the C’s made power performs on each ends of the ground with stops and offensive rebounding as they closed the primary on an 11-2 run to take a 25-24 lead.
Williams stayed within the sport to start out the second quarter and the Celtics reeled off an 8-0 run to start the interval, which included Williams discovering Derrick White for a 3-pointer earlier than a fast steal led to a Brogdon triple. The run was 19-2 for Boston earlier than the Heat known as timeout, because the C’s turned an eight-point deficit right into a nine-point lead.
– The Heat, as they sometimes do, didn’t give up, although. Aided by 14 first-half factors from Caleb Martin off the bench, Miami went on a 14-2 run to tie the sport at 42. And after taking criticism for not calling timeout because the Celtics have been bludgeoned within the third quarter of Game 1, Mazzulla known as one then. But it wasn’t efficient. The Heat scored 5 consecutive factors out of the timeout, and scored the ultimate 5 of the half to take a four-point lead into the break.
– Tatum normally takes a relaxation to finish the primary or start the second quarter, however he did neither for Game 2. He performed the whole first quarter, after which the primary three minutes of the second earlier than lastly sitting after placing up 14 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 assists to open the sport.
– Jaylen Brown didn’t appear like himself, and didn’t appear completely snug to start the sport. The Celtics star missed eight of his first 9 pictures and lots of of them have been compelled appears to be like. Perhaps he simply wanted to struggle extra to assault the basket as he obtained back-to-back buckets in the direction of the tip of the primary half on the rim. His plus/minus within the first half was a team-worst minus-20.
Source: www.bostonherald.com