BOSTON (AP) — The Celtics expended the days top up to their playoff matchup with Miami speaking about seeking to match the physicality of a team that would be seeking for an edge without star Jimmy Butler.
Boston did that and then some.
Jayson Tatum notched his to start with occupation playoff triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 helps to lead Boston previous the Miami Warmth 114-94 on Sunday to open up their initially-spherical playoff collection.
Derrick White extra 20 points and 4 assists for Boston, which finished with six players in double-figures. The Celtics’ lead grew as superior as 34 points in the fourth quarter. Miami made use of a late run to get as shut as 14, but Boston shut it out.
“It’s intended to be tough. In the playoffs no video game is quick,” Tatum said. “There’s no certain wins no matter of time and score, how much time is remaining. … We just had to answer and we did that.”
Miami spoiled the Celtics’ NBA finals goals final period, leaping out to a 3- direct in the convention finals and then blowing them out in Boston in Match 7.
But Boston fed off the electrical power of the TD Garden group on Sunday, tying a franchise playoff document with 22 3-pointers and outscoring the Heat 31-14 in the 3rd quarter.
“There was a four or five-moment stretch when we didn’t take care of it nicely, but I feel the other 42-43 minutes — which is the recipe,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla claimed.
Together with the standard season, Boston is 38-4 at dwelling and has gained its earlier 4 meetings with the Warmth.
Bam Adebayo scored 24 points for the Miami, which played for the second straight sport without having star Butler pursuing his proper knee injuries in the course of the perform-in round. Terry Rozier also remained out with a neck harm. Delon Wright added 17 factors and tied a job-large with 5 3s. Jaime Jaquez Jr. concluded with 16 factors. Tyler Herro had 11 details, but shot just 4 of 13 from the field, together with 2 of 9 from outside of the arc.
“Applying strain and building issues difficult, not genuinely permitting me to get comfy definitely from the beginning,” Herro reported. “It’s one particular activity. We’re heading to go away it driving us and hold it shifting.”
Video game 2 is Wednesday in Boston.
Tempers flared in the ultimate minute when Caleb Martin undercut Tatum on a rebound endeavor and despatched him crashing tricky to ground. Brown acquired in Martin’s experience afterward, main to a transient scrum and double technical fouls on Brown and Martin.
“It’s a bodily recreation actively playing in opposition to a bodily team. (Things is) likely to materialize,” Tatum mentioned. “It’s almost certainly not the very last time I’m gong to get hit like that, or fouled in this series. I was not damage to get strike like that. Just get up. … Just go down there and knock the free of charge throws down.”
Miami was pushed all over for most of the video game, notably confined to just 5 offensive rebounds.
That set tone, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra reported.
“Boston controlled this activity from the idea,” he mentioned. “They won the big muscle regions. Definitely won the 3-stage line and the the vast majority of the areas in in between.”
Boston didn’t have reserve massive person Luke Kornet right after he strained his right calf in observe on Saturday. But the Celtics’ bench stepped up without the need of him, contributing 30 points.
Sunday’s sport experienced a wholly distinctive sense with out Butler, whose postseason heroics keyed Miami’s run from play-in qualifier to the NBA finals a yr in the past.
Boston conquer the Warmth in all three standard-time meetings this season, together with a 33-point drubbing in Miami.
Sunday’s match resembled that a single, with the Celtics leaping on the Heat from the opening faucet.
On the initial possession of the match Tatum was stripped at the very last 2nd on a dunk try but corralled the unfastened ball and observed Brown for a 3-pointer.
Soon after a Miami pass up, Brown adopted that up with a drive and spin move past Jaquez Jr. for a two-handed dunk.
It was element of a 17-2 operate by the Celtics over the initially 3-additionally minutes. Miami begun by missing its 1st four photographs right before Adebayo’s limited jumper eventually acquired the Heat on the scoreboard.
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