Horford is not only Boston’s top rebounder but has contested more shots than any Celtic in the postseason. Gabe Vincent, the undrafted guard who continues to fill in for the injured Kyle Lowry, added 17 points in 34 minutes. Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro scored 18 off the Heat’s bench. "Those two steals kind of changed the momentum, and every pocket in the game, when we needed control, take the right shot or make the right play, Jimmy had his fingerprints all over it." "Jimmy just really inspired everybody in that third quarter," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. This was his sixth playoff game this spring with at least 30 points. His turnaround jumper over Tatum with about 2:30 left in the game put the Heat up, 114-102, seemingly ending any legitimate chance Boston had at a comeback. That’s the style of basketball I like."īy the game’s end, the Heat set a season high - regular season or playoffs - with 12 blocks.īutler, who entered play averaging nearly 29 points per game in the playoffs, finished with nine rebounds, five assists and shot 17-of-18 at the foul line. "Like, I want to run into people and see who falls down first. Miami stole the ball seven times and blocked five shots in the quarter, which ended in a 39-14 rout on the scoreboard and the Heat leading the game, 93-76. Jaylen Brown added 24 for Boston, which learned about three hours before game time that they would be missing not only Marcus Smart, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year who is nursing a right foot sprain, but also Al Horford, who was placed in the NBA’s COVID-19 protocol late in the afternoon.Īfter Boston scored 42 in the paint in the first half - two points shy of a playoff record - the Celtics managed just four inside points in the third as the Heat blocked shot after shot and poked away pass after pass.īutler notched three of his four steals in the third, including two on consecutive possessions that he turned into a layup and an emphatic slam. The Celtics’ Jayson Tatum scored 21 of his team-best 29 points before halftime. … If I score 40 and we lose, I’m going to be really pissed off." "I think I speak for my teammates and the Miami organization when I say I know what I am capable of," Butler said. He has three games with at least 40 points this postseason. Jimmy Butler, arguably the best performer in the 2022 playoffs to date, scored 17 of his game-best 41 points in that pivotal third period, in which the Heat erased a 62-54 halftime deficit by ratcheting up the defensive pressure, tenfold. The series continues with Game 2 at 8:30 p.m. Shaking off a sluggish first half, the Heat enforced its will in a dominant third quarter for a 118-107 win over the short-handed Boston Celtics in Game 1. The Miami Heat joined the Eastern Conference finals a little late, but not too late.
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