CelticsBlog - All Posts

28 April 2024

• Payton Pritchard brings the energy in bounce-back Game 3

  Payton Pritchard made winning plays to help Boston reclaim home court advantage.

  After losing Game 2, I remember looking at the box score and noticing that not only did Payton Pritchard not score, but he didn’t attempt a shot.

  Celtics fans know Pritchard isn’t afraid to look for his shot, and it’s his confidence in his ability that makes him a great scoring option from the bench. Seeing him not attempt a shot in 20 minutes of game time was shocking.

  "Payton is one of the most confident guys I’ve ever been around... He walks out there like he’s the best player, and to have that confidence is special. And we need him to be like that,” Tatum said. “He’s being aggressive on both ends, being able to attack closeouts and create his own shots [and] create for others. To have that off the bench is special.”

  In Game 3, Pritchard only scored seven points, but it was his aggressiveness with the ball and his energy that helped the Celtics build a double-digit lead at halftime.

  Pritchard scored all seven of his points in the 14 minutes he played in the first half. He was attacking the lane and looking for his spots, which is something Boston needs when most of Miami’s defensive game plan is to contain guys like Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis. Payton shot 3-5 for the half, but it was the energy he brought that helped the Celtics keep their momentum.

  In the first half, Pritchard skied to grab an offensive rebound that he had no business winning. After grabbing the board between three Miami Heat players, Pritchard scored the layup.

  Keep that energy, Payton Pritchard pic.twitter.com/TBGjt15o2D

  — Tomek Kordylewski (@Timi_093) April 27, 2024

  You can see after the layup, Pritchard is yelling to the bench expressing himself and you can tell how much the bench loves the effort and energy.

  In the second half, although he didn’t score, Pritchard also stood up for his teammate Sam Hauser. After Hauser fouled Tyler Herro, Herro shoved the ball back at Hauser which resulted in a technical foul. Hauser and Herro continued to jaw at one another and Pritchard came in to step up for Hauser.

  Here is the full look: Sam Hauser met Tyler Herro at the top of the key, slight shove knocked him down. Herro threw the ball at Hauser’s feet, causing a technical foul issued to him. What I liked afterwards is Payton Pritchard sticking up for his guy, knowing he doesn’t get in… pic.twitter.com/vJN1TeBlXu

  — The Celtics Files (@CelticsFiles) April 27, 2024

  Got a little chippy between Pritchard and Martin after Herro got T’d up. pic.twitter.com/T72DKI8Cst

  — Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) April 27, 2024

  These are the little things I like to see from players. It shows they will fight for one another and will step up when needed.

  When a team loses, you want to see players step up in the next game and that is what Pritchard did. It wasn’t the flashiest game in his career, but he did what Boston needed him to do: score points, maintain and provide energy and hustle plays, and play defense. When a confident Pritchard is doing that, it gives the Celtics another weapon on the offensive side of the ball.

  Miami is going to try and respond to avoid going down 3-1 and Pritchard will need to bring the same energy he did in Game 3 to give his team a good chance of returning to Boston needing one more win to advance.

• Back on track: 10 takeaways from Celtics/Heat

  The Celtics put the clamps down on defense, and now they lead the series 2-1

  #1 Pressure defense

  The biggest question coming into Game 3 was whether the Boston Celtics could adjust their defensive strategy after being decimated by the Miami Heat in Game 2. Joe Mazzulla’s team answered that question while also throwing down a gauntlet. They won three of the four quarters and didn’t take their foot off the gas until the game was out of reach.

  This possession is a good example of the additional pressure Boston applied on the defensive end. Miami was looking to attack Kristaps Porzingis off the switch, with Tyler Herro the ball-handler. Porzingis did a great job of staying on his man's hip and getting between him and the basket, forcing Herro to kick the ball back out.

  The Heat initiated a second side rotation and then looked to attack the mismatch with Jaime Jaquez Jr. on Derrick White. The Celtics guard did a great job with his footwork and positioning, forcing a tough turnaround jumper.

  Miami found success in Game 2 by limiting Boston’s ability to punish mismatches. As you can see, the Celtics repaid the favor on Saturday.

  These two clips show one full offensive possession for the Heat. A core issue for Miami throughout this game was their inability to consistently challenge Porzingis and Horford in the middle of the floor. A lot of their offenses came via secondary and tertiary attempts. As you can see above, the first clip begins with a kick out onto the perimeter after Porzingis had taken away the basket.

  Jrue Holiday is pressuring the ball and almost gets a steal. Jaylen Brown gets a block near the sideline. The Heat kicks it back out before Jaquez finds some success with a bully drive to the rim with under two seconds left on the clock. Yes, the Heat got points on the board with this possession, but they had to work incredibly hard. It took three different attempts to find a gap in the Celtics defense. Those possessions will wear you down throughout a game.

  #2 Dribble-drive offense

  Another issue that blighted the Celtics in Game 2, was their inability to consistently get into their dribble-drive game. That’s the whole point of a switching defense, it encourages isolation play or high PNR’s. On Saturday, Boston made a concerted effort to drive the lane, force collapses and make reads to find the open shooter.

  Both of these plays ended in an assist. There were multiple others that created hockey assists or gave the Celtics an advantage to attack. The Celtics have a wealth of versatile scorers on their roster. It makes sense that they would look to put the ball on the floor, attack the defense and create out of the rotations that follow.

  When Mazzulla’s team is playing like this and sticking to the game plan that saw them dominate the NBA throughout the regular season, they’re a tough prospect for any defense to deal with. They are, after all, the best offensive team in the NBA this season.

  Here is another example, this time with Holiday drawing the defense before making a pocket pass to Al Horford, who was situated around the nail.

  #3 Derrick White does Derrick White things

  We’ve already seen a clip of Derrick White doing his thing on defense. That was true for most of the game, be it as a switch defender, a chasing defender, guarding mismatches, or pressuring the ball handler as a point-of-attack option.

  On offense, White was a reliable outlet for the Celtics. The above hustle bucket to get the tip-in is a great example of how his aggressiveness on the offensive end provided the Celtics with an additional offensive outlet throughout the game. I was a big fan of this give-and-go play between White and Porzingis in the second quarter, too.

  When White is playing well and showing some aggressiveness on offense, the Celtics’ overall approach is elevated. The more members of the rotation that are forcing the defense to keep track of them, the more spacing that is generated, and the less willing the Heat are to help off or send doubles — simply because shots are coming from, and falling from, everywhere on the floor.

  White had a great game on both ends. He played his role and was the connector he was acquired to be.

  #4 Attacking the switch

  A great way to attack a switching defense is to slip a screen before the contact occurs. Most switching defenses are predicated on switching on contact. That’s why slip screens and ghost screens are so effective at creating confusion on the perimeter against a switching defense.

  In the above play, the Celtics threaten to go to their “Oklahoma” set out of a stagger screen. The Heat would likely defend this by switching each screen and pressuring Brown before he shoots. Instead, Holiday slips the flare screen and short-rolls toward the nail. A little back and forth between him and White creates and opening on the perimeter as Miami’s defense collapses to defend the paint. Easy three.

  Little adjustments like these can shred an over-aggressive switch.

  #5 Kornet was back in the rotation

  After missing his first two games, Luke Kornet got a few minutes last night. Some of them came with the game tied up. And some of them came in the first quarter. I’m not sure whether Mazzulla is planning on expanding his rotation to nine guys for the remainder of this series or whether he was just seeing what the additional size would do to Miami’s coverages.

  Either way, Kornet has earned the opportunity to get some playoff minutes. Although, I do feel like a potential second round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers is where we would see the most of him. For this series, it may be spot minutes to attack the switching defense or add another zone-busting option into the mix.

  #6 Porzingis, here are your flowers

  “Probably the most important guy on our team for what we’re trying to accomplish,” Tatum told the media after the game.

  Porzingis held his matchups to 35% shooting on the night. He defended 20 shots in total, allowing just 7 makes. He also did a solid job of not allowing himself to be dragged onto the perimeter too often, contesting just 2 threes on the night. On offense, he was more mobile, operating as a screener, working in the mid-range, and taking the shots the defense gave him.

  When he’s playing with intellectual aggression, Porzingis is the game-changer we all expected him to be.

  He also added two blocks to his playoff tally, as he did a good job of moving his feet and following the ball-handler when they attempted to attack the rim.

  The Celtics need more of this defensive impact from Porzingis, regardless of how things are working out on the offensive end. He’s too good not to be a primary factor every night. Especially against a Heat team that’s lacking in on-ball creation.

  #7 Payton Pritchard's energy

  Talking of making an impact. Payton Pritchard was another member of the Celtics rotation looking to redeem themself after a dismal showing in Game 2. Pritchard checked into the game and instantly changed the tempo. He crashed the glass. He fought for buckets. And he looked to change the pace of play whenever possible.

  I was a big fan of the back-and-forth he had with Tyler Herro simply due to the aggression and passion he was showing. It’s also worth noting that he provided some solid defense. On the 8 shots he guarded from Miami, they scored 2, giving him a .25 DFG%, with his matchups shooting 1-of-4 from the perimeter.

  Pritchard also showed heart and hustle when fighting through screens. His screen navigation has improved throughout the season. It may look like his defense allowed an open shot in the possession above, but he still managed to impact the release with a rear-view contest.

  For a backup guard, Pritchard produced a solid performance and went some way to redeeming the stinker we saw from him on Wednesday.

  #8 Combining the Jays

  A nice addition to Boston’s opening-quarter offense was how they had Tatum and Brown working in the same action together. On two separate possessions, we saw the All-Stars combine in different screening actions.

  Tatum was the screener in both of these plays. Yes, I would prefer the decision-making to be a little crisper, especially when there’s space created due to the initial scramble by the defense. Nevertheless, it’s encouraging to see Mazzulla putting his two best players into the same action.

  Hopefully, Tatum and Brown build on this and make it a staple in the Celtics half-court offense. Their gravity and decision-making will ensure their one-two-punch will be devastating, especially with Tatum slipping or popping off those screens.

  We’ve seen flashes of Tatum/Brown actions over the years, but for whatever reason, they’ve never stuck. Hopefully, this will be a subplot to the remainder of the playoffs and potentially one that helps get the team over the hump.

  #9 Horford a driving force

  Horford has been the most animated member of the Celtics throughout the first three games against the Heat. It’s clear he’s embracing his role as the veteran leader of the team and is looking to hold everybody accountable.

  On Saturday, his animated reactions were nowhere to be seen. Instead, he led by example. He fought for offensive rebounds. He battled for space in the middle of the floor. And he defended at a high clip.

  Even with the Celtics up big and the game looking like it was over, he was still battling for position around the offensive rim and fighting for putbacks.

  Horford’s production has never been something to jump out of the box score. He does his work in the margins. Screening, ducking into the post, sealing defenders, providing help defense, or limiting DHOs.

  On defense, Horford held his matchup to 3-of-9 shooting and 0-of-3 from the perimeter. Having him coming off the bench is a luxury for the Celtics. He is still the same player that helped the team make the NBA Finals two years ago. Now, his leadership is taking center stage — and he’s showing he can lead in a multitude of ways.

  #10 Got to keep it up

  The Celtics lead the series 2-1. It’s always fun to sit here and talk about a win and all the things the team did well. The reality is, we were his after Game 1, too. But as we saw in Game 2, the Heat are capable of making adjustments and punching the Celtics in the mouth.

  We’ve seen what the Celtics can do when they’re locked in and approaching games with a ‘defense first’ mindset. Now, they need to keep that level of production, and keep that level of pride. Erik Spoelstra will undoubtedly re-position his team to be a threat. That’s what he does. That’s what he does.

  The Celtics have taken back control of the series. Win the next game, and Miami will be heading into the TD Garden for Game 5 one loss away from elimination. This is not the series to mess around and risk dragging it out. The Heat are there for the taking. All the Celtics need to do is keep their foot on the gas and prove they have the dawg in the them to become champions.

• Celtics level up defense in Game 3 win over Heat: ‘We played tougher’

  Boston held Miami to just 84 points in Game 3.

  The Miami Heat made history in their Game 2 win over the Boston Celtics. They poured in 23 three-pointers, falling just two short of the NBA record for most made in a playoff game.

  A mix of outlandish shot-making and poor Celtics defense contributed to the feat, but Boston’s lackluster showing stood out most. They gave Miami far too much space to shoot, and in the end, players who normally aren’t a huge threat from outside handed the Celtics a loss at TD Garden.

  Leading up to Game 3 on Saturday, the Celtics were calm. There was no sense of panic. There were no exaggerations. “There’s no reason for us to overreact,” Kristaps Porzingis said at practice on Thursday.

  Boston blew the doors off of Miami in Game 3. They earned a 20-point win, holding the Heat to just 84 points in the process. It was an incredible defensive showing that helped the Celtics get back to their Game 1 success.

  But Joe Mazzulla doesn’t like the word adjustments.

  “Yeah, I mean, that word, it’s just such a trigger word around this time of year,” Mazzulla said post-game. “We didn’t make too many adjustments. We played a little bit harder. We played tougher. We dictated the physicality and the tempo of the game.

  “And it’s the simple things that you have to do under a higher level of stress, a higher level of adversity. So, I thought our guys did a great job of dictating that today.”

  Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

  The Celtics put their all into every defensive decision they made on Saturday.

  If their Game 2 choice was a weak closeout on an average three-point shooter, they were sprinting to the line in Game 3. If their Game 2 choice was a sluggish trail over a Bam Adebayo screen, they were almost attached to Tyler Herro in Game 3.

  “Just play harder,” Mazzulla said of Boston’s improved defense on Herro. “Be more connected. Be more physical.”

  By the definition of the word, the Celtics made adjustments. But they weren’t major changes in their defensive philosophy. Instead, they simply attacked their assignments with a greater purpose. And that was the difference.

  “Giving up offensive rebounds, closeouts—we could have had some better closeouts in Game 2,” Jayson Tatum said. “We kind of gave them some walk-up threes and things like that. Just better at contesting. It was kind of an effort thing.”

  Right from the start, the Celtics were locked in on defense. The Heat only managed to scrape together 12 first-quarter points. In a quarter where the Celtics scored just 21, they needed the defensive showing they put together.

  After attempting 43 shots from beyond the arc on Wednesday, the Heat only took 28 in Game 3 -- from 23 made threes to just nine. A 42-point difference between the two games.

  Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

  Boston trusted the math, but only in the sense that they made a concerted effort to improve their shot profile while simultaneously worsening Miami’s.

  The math involving allowing certain players room to shoot was thrown out the window.

  “It was a little bit of that. No dare shots. Respecting those guys’ capabilities,” Jaylen Brown said. “They’re NBA players, and they can make shots on any given night. So, treating them accordingly, closing out, just making them uncomfortable. And then on the other side, just executing the offense.”

  Jrue Holiday didn’t attempt a shot in the first half, yet he was a team-high +23 in that time. Payton Pritchard battled over every pick he was thrown into. Kristaps Porzingis secured the paint against Adebayo, who dominated the mid-range in the fourth quarter of Game 2.

  Everyone up and down the roster made it their mission to level up the defense.

  “Individual defense. Team defense,” Mazzulla said. “I thought Jrue was great. I don’t know when he got his first shot, but I thought he dictated the defensive tempo of the game. I thought Tatum answered the call defensively. I thought KP and Al did a great job.

  “I thought everybody- I thought our bench came in and really pushed the pace on both ends of the floor. So, just connected, tough, physical, individual defense. Team defense.”

• Celtics tighten up on defense to beat Heat 104-84 in Game 3

  Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum scored 22 points each while the Celtics forced 12 Heat turnovers and held them to 41.6% shooting.

  MIAMI — The final quarter of Game 3 saw a return to where the Celtics and Heat stood late in Game 1. Boston approached a 30-point lead, Caleb Martin spatted with members of the Celtics after only putting three points on the board and a further short-handed Heat team sat at 32.1% from three with 28 attempts. Boston’s offensive rebounding, fast break and 62% shooting inside the arc devastated them as they turned to deep reserves.

  Earlier, Al Horford snuck a full court pass to Derrick White from baseline to baseline past all of the Heat’s defenders. White fed Brown at the basket for an uncontested two in the low point of a low-effort loss where the Celtics took advantage of them in all the hustle categories. Boston played with urgency. Miami, late, looked desperate, losing 104-84 at home. The Celtics lead the series 2-1.

  The opening quarter eerily resembled Game 3 on offense as Brown began 0-for-4, drawing the ball against Tyler Herro on most possessions and struggling to exploit him. A higher tempo eventually freed him for a 3-for-9 start while Boston’s defense held Miami’s offense to a 12-point opening frame, 5-for-21 shooting and a 1-for-9 efficiency from three where the Heat pulverized Boston’s defense three nights earlier. While stagnant offensively, losing Kristaps Porziņģis to two early fouls and trying an unsuccessful bench double-big unit for two minutes — the Celtics established full control early in their own end.

  That allowed for a 42-27 second quarter that blew the game open. Boston went to more pass-pass possessions and forced nine first half turnovers that sent them out in transition. Tatum and Sam Hauser opened the frame with back-to-back threes, forcing an Erik Spoelstra timeout one minute in.

  Boston returned to the floor with four players up in a press, and Hauser nearly stole the ensuing in-bounds from Haywood Highsmith. After building a 13-point lead midway through the quarter, Jrue Holiday, who finished the half +26 despite not taking a shot, tapped passes to Derrick White and Brown in the half court and fast break, respectively, for the first five points of a 7-0 run. White followed with the first of two put-backs, that vaulted him to 12 points over a three minute stretch late in the frame.

  Boston led by 21 and finished the half with eight offensive rebounds, shooting 38.1% from three and winning the turnover battle 3-9. Brown closed 5-for-7 after his slow start while Porzingis and Payton Pritchard added three more put-backs to combine for 19 points after their scoring struggles in Game 2.

  The Heat responded with a 14-9 run into the third while Boston’s offense flattened again. Brown scored six of those points while the rest of the Celtics opened 1-for-5, Tatum taking the final shot of that stretch and falling down, missing a three that allowed Adebayo to streak in transition for an easy dunk, finishing a 10-2 run midway through the frame that cut Boston’s lead to 19. The Celtics answered 8-4 out of timeout with White involved in each play, finding Brown and Horford inside while hitting a layup and jump shot of his own.

  The Heat fell behind by 26 after threes from Horford and Holiday out of timeout, while Herro tossed the ball off Hauser after Hauser committed a foul, picking up a technical. Pritchard shared words with Herro and Martin as the quarter came to an end, Miami going to Thomas Bryant and Patty Mills deep off their bench looking for anything offensively. Delon Wright did not play for personal reasons, further thinning a Heat lineup effectively down Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier and Duncan Robinson, the latter barely able to appear in games. They stayed behind by 20 points throughout the fourth, Tatum and Brown maintaining pressure on the Heat inside the arc, scoring 22 points each while Porzingis reached 18 at the free throw line.

  Game 4 is Monday at 7:30 p.m. in Miami.

• Luke Kornet to return in game three vs. Heat

  Luke Kornet has been cleared to play for the Boston Celtics in game 3 vs. Miami.

  Luke Kornet will be available for the Boston Celtics' tonight. He has missed the team’s opening two games against the Miami Heat due to a calf injury. Joe Mazzulla has stuck to an eight-man rotation in both contests, with Al Horford being the lone big man coming off the bench. There has been no room for Xavier Tillman or Neemias Queta.

  During the season, Kornet regularly contributed to Mazzulla’s team. His size and screening ability made him the ideal non-shooting big on the perimeter, as he continually found ways to generate space for his teammates.

  Kornet’s size will give Mazzulla some additional options when facing the Heat, potentially leading him to alter his playoff rotation. Should he decide to make room for Kornet, he will likely expand his selection to nine players rather than bench Payton Pritchard or Sam Hauser.

  Boston will now have significant front-court size to throw at the Heat. Kornet is a reliable slip screener, which could allow the coaching staff to design some new ways to beat Erik Spoelstra’s switching system that stagnated the Celtics offense in game 2.

  In a boost for the Celtics, Kornet’s availability coincides with Delon Wright’s potential absence from the Heat’s rotation, leaving them four players short heading into Saturday’s game. Miami will also be missing Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson.

  With a full-strength roster, Boston will be heavily favored to secure a win over Miami and re-take control of the series. Kornet won’t be a significant momentum changer for Mazzulla’s team, but he will give them a different dimension if he’s called upon. Furthermore, he is arguably the best pick-and-roll defending big on the Celtics roster, especially when it comes to containing the ball-handler on dribble-drive penetration.

  Kornet will likely have a role to play throughout the postseason. Whether that begins tonight, or later in the series will remain to be seen.

• Celtics (1-1) at Heat (1-1) Round 1 Game #3 4/27/24

  The Celtics look to go up 2-1 against the Heat as the series shifts to Miami.

  The series now shifts to Miami with the Celtics and Heat tied at 1 game each. The Celtics won Game 1 114-94 behind a 44.9% shooting on 3’s. Miami shot 37 three pointers at 32.4%. The Celtics shot 49 three pointers at 44.9%. After that game, Erik Spoelstra vowed to change the 3 point discrepancy for Game 2, and he did just that. The Heat won Game 2 111-101 behind some blistering 3 point shooting.

  The Heat averaged just 12.5 threes on 37% shooting during the regular season. They shot 50% from 3 just 5 times the entire season. In Game 2, the Heat shot 43 three pointers and hit 54.4% of them. While the Celtics, who led the league in 3 point attempts during the regular season at 42.5 per game, hitting 38.8% of their 3’s, shot just 32 threes in Game 2 and hit only 37.5% of them.

  Most people are saying that this is an anomaly and that the Heat won’t be able to shoot that way again, but history tells another story. These two teams faced each other in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. During last season, the Heat averaged 34.8 threes a game and shot 34.4% from beyond the arc. In the playoffs, they averaged 38% on 3’s. But in the Eastern Conference Finals, Miami shot above 50% from beyond the arc in 3 games as they beat the Celtics in that series. So, it’s not guaranteed that they won’t shoot like that again.

  However, their hot shooting may be partially the result of the Celtics lack of perimeter defense. According to NBA Tracking, 14 of Miami’s 3 pointers were open and 23 shots were considered to be wide open. Miami shot 65.2% on wide open shots, which is 27% higher than league average. All but 6 of their shots were either open or wide open. The Celtics never adjusted their defense to slow down the Heat’s perimeter shooting.

  This is the 6th meeting between these two teams this season. The Celtics have won 5 of them. The Celtics won the 3 meetings during the regular season with one game at home and 2 in Miami. They won the first playoff game but lost Game 2. The Celtics were 27-14 on the road in the regular season. The Heat were 22-19 at home in the regular season. Both teams have had 2 days off since the last game.

  The Celtics expects Luke Kornet to return for this game and will have no other players on the injury report. The Heat will still be without Jimmy Butler who is recovering from a grade 2 MCL sprain. Former Celtics, Terry Rozier will miss his 9th straight game with a neck sprain. Josh Richardson has been out since season ending surgery in early March. Delon Wright has been added to the injury report as questionable for personal reasons.

  Probable Celtics Starters

  PG: Jrue Holiday
  SG: Derrick White
  SF: Jaylen Brown
  PF: Jayson Tatum
  C: Kristaps Porzingis

  Celtics Reserves
  Oshae Brissett
  Sam Hauser
  Al Horford
  Svi Mykhailiuk
  Payton Pritchard
  Jordan Walsh
  Jaden Springer
  Xavier Tillman
  Neemias Queta
  Luke Kornet

  2 Way Players
  JD Davison
  Drew Peterson

  Injuries/Out
  Luke Kornet (calf) probable

  Head Coach
  Joe Mazzulla

  Probable Heat Starters

  PG: Tyler Herro
  SG: Caleb Martin
  SF: Jaime Jaquez, Jr
  PF: Nikola Jovic
  C: Bam Adebayo

  Heat Reserves
  Thomas Bryant
  Haywood Highsmith
  Kevin Love
  Patty Mills
  Duncan Robinson
  Orlando Robinson

  Out/Injuries
  Jimmy Butler (MCL) out
  Josh Richardson (shoulder) out
  Terry Rozier III (neck) out
  Delon Wright (personal) questionable

  Two Way Players
  Jamal Cain
  Cole Swider
  Alondes Williams

  Head Coach
  Erik Spoelstra

  Key Matchups

  Jrue Holiday vs Tyler Herro
  In 3 games against the Celtics in the regular season, Herro averaged 23.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 49.1% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc. He struggled in Game 1 but, in Game 2, he led the Heat with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 14 assists and 1 steal while shooting 53.8% from the field and 54.4% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to tighten up their defense on Herro once again in this game. Holiday struggled in the first 2 games, with 15 points on 30% shooting with just 5 assists and 3 turnovers over the 2 games. The Celtics need more from him in this game.

  Kristaps Porzingis vs Bam Adebayo
  Adebayo has played well in both games. In Game 1, he finished with 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. He shot 55.6% from the field bu was 0-2 shooting threes. In Game 2, Adebayo finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists while shooting 62.9% from the field and 0-2 on threes. Porzingis finished with 18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 blocks and was 4-8 from beyond the arc in Game 1 but struggled in Game 2, going 1-9 and missing all 4 of his 3 point attempts. The Celtics will need more from him in this game.

  Honorable Mention
  Derrick White vs Caleb Martin
  In last year’s Eastern Conference Finals Game 7, Martin became a flame thrower and put the Celtics away, shooting 69% from the field and 67% from beyond the arc. After shooting 35% from beyond the arc in the regular season, Martin finished Game 2 with 21 points, shooting 58.3% from the field and 83.3% from beyond the arc. The Celtics definitely need to figure out how to slow down Martin, especially on the perimeter.

  Keys to the Game
  Defense - Defense remains the biggest key to winning every single game. The Celtics allowed Miami to shoot 49.3% from the field and 53.5% from beyond the arc. They were late on closeouts for most of the game. The Heat were more aggressive and more physical on defense than the Celtics. The Celtics must commit to playing lock down defense by every player for 48 minutes of this game. They definitely need to play better defense than they did in Game 2.

  Rebound - Along with defense, rebounding is always a key to winning. As Pat Riley once said “No rebounds, no rings.” In Game 1, the Celtics out-rebounded the Heat 44-34 and 10-5 on offensive rebounds. In Game 2, the Heat out-rebounded the Celtics 40-39. The Celtics need to commit to working harder on the boards than the Heat. It takes effort and hustle to get rebounds and the Celtics need to increase both in this game to win the rebounding battle.

  Be Aggressive - The Celtics need to be the more aggressive team. They have to be more aggressive in going after loose balls, in grabbing rebounds, in defending, and in going to the basket. The Heat are proud of having a team of “dogs” who hustle and scrap for everything and they showed that side of the team in Game 2. The Celtics need to hustle and be aggressive for 48 minutes and “out-dog” the Heat. They can win a lot of games by playing harder than their opponents and they can lose a lot of games by allowing their opponents to be the team that plays harder.

  Move the Ball- The Celtics are at their best when they keep the ball moving and when they hustle up the floor before the Heat can set up their defense. In Game 2, the Celtics allowed the Heat to set up their defense time and again as they walked the ball up the court. They hunted mismatches all game that gave Tatum and Brown good shots, but it also killed the offensive flow for the team. Mismatches are nice, but not to the detriment of team basketball.

  Everyone Needs to Step Up - The Heat got 20 points off their bench in Game 2, even though they were depleted due to Rozier and Butler being out. The Celtics got just 12 points off their bench. Payton Pritchard went scoreless while Horford and Hauser scored just 6 points each. The Celtics have got to get more production from their reserves. Pritchard, Hauser and Horford are all capable of more and need to step up and do more in Game 3.

  X-Factors
  On the Road- The Celtics are on the road and that may be good thing since the Celtics are just 13-14 at home over the last 4 years in the playoffs. This season, the Heat were 22-19 at home while the Celtics were 27-14 on the road. The Celtics have veteran players who usually play better on the road than rookies and 2nd year players. However, they still have to overcome the distractions of travel, hotel living and playing in front of a hostile crowd.

  Coaching - Erik Spoelstra is thought by many to be the best coach in the league. He has coached 2 championship teams, has taken his teams to 6 finals, and his teams have won 6 Eastern Conference Championships. Spoelstra has 112 playoff wins while Mazzulla has 12. Spoelstra made changes to his game plan and the Heat executed them while Mazzulla and the Celtics never adjusted to those changes. Hopefully Mazzulla will have the Celtics ready for whatever wrinkles Mazzulla comes up with for this game.

  Officiating -Officiating is always an x-factor in every game. Every crew officiates differently. Some call it tight, others let them play. We saw in the Knicks/76eers game that the refs missed 2 big calls against the Knicks, allowing them to get the game winning shot. The Lakers have also been blaming the officials for their losses. The Celtics need to adjust to how the refs are calling the game and not allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus from playing the game. They also need to make sure that they play hard throughout the game so as not to allow the game to come down to a final shot for either team. They also have to concentrate on the game and not on complaining to the officials.

  Official Report
  Crew Chief: James Williams
  Williams is a homer ref with a home win/loss record of 42-24. 49% of his foul calls are against the road team and 51% are against the home team. Boston is 5-5 in their last 10 games with Williams, while Miami is 6-4 in their last 10 games with Williams. Williams came under fire in February for bad calls in several games. He has 15 years of experience.
  Referee: Mark Lindsay
  Lindsay has a home won/loss record of 39-26. 51% of his calls are against the road team with 49% against the home team. Boston and Miami are both 6-4 in their last 10 games with Lindsay calling the game. He has 17 years of experience.
  Umpire: Jacyn Goble
  Goble has a home won/loss record of 39-26. 50% of his fouls are called against the road team with 50% against the home team. Boston is 7-3 in their last 10 games with Goble while Miami is 6-4 in their last 10 games with him. He has 8 years of experience.

  And make sure to check out CelticsBlog’s Playback stream for a live conversation about the game. To participate, just create a free account, connect your LP sub if you have it, and join our community.

  celticsblog

  new Playback.Embed("playback-embed", { room: "celticsblog", style: { height: "100%", width: "100%" }, });
• Boston Celtics Daily Links 4/27/24

  All the Celtics news you need in one convenient place.

  Globe Celtics must pick up intensity, effort in defending 3-point line vs. Heat

  Celtics at Heat preview: Time, TV, odds, and notes

  CelticsBlog The key for the Celtics? Don’t underestimate the Heat

  First round challenges are a Boston Celtics tradition

  Heat lose another guard ahead of facing Celtics in Game 3

  Game 2 was a wake up call

  Celtics .com C’s Confident Their 3-Point Defense Will Return to Form in Game 3

  4/27 Game 3 Preview: Celtics at Heat

  Celtics Wire Heat’s upset win vs. Celtics in Game 2 proves Boston is vulnerable

  Jaylen Brown names Boston’s 23rd most influential person

  Celtics history: Red Auerbach hired as coach; Heat eliminated in 2010

  
  Just how bad was the Celtics’ perimeter defense vs. Heat in Game 2?

  Is Miami’s ‘Heat Culture’ responsible for the Celtics dropping Game 2?

  Joe Mazzulla could be coaching for his career

  How will the Celtics and Heat adjust for Game 3?

  Mass Live Kristaps Porzingis has refreshing take on playoff officiating

  Celtics get favorable playoff news with Bucks’ injury woes

  Boston Sports Journal Picks ‘n Pops: Annoying Heat, clutch players, and a comical ejection

  BSJ Live Coverage: Celtics at Heat, Game 3, 6 p.m. - Celtics need more from defense, Porzingis

  NBA Notebook: Joe Mazzulla and Erik Spoelstra coaching matchup could define Celtics-Heat

  Hardwood Houdini Analyst pushes for bigger role in offense for Boston Celtics’ forgotten near-star

  Boston Celtics analyst says team has no chance to win the title

  CLNS Media/YouTube How The Celtics Can BOUNCE BACK After Game 2 | BIG 3 NBA Podcast

  How Celtics Can RIGHT SHIP in Game 3 vs Heat | Cedric Maxwell Podcast

  Why Celtics vs Heat Series Could Be Long Series | Garden Report

  Derrick White Previews Celtics Game 3 Adjustments vs Heat | Pregame Interview

  All U Can Heat 3 Things Heat can carry over from Game 2 to beat Celtics in Game 3

  The Heat don’t need Kendrick Perkins’ belief to beat the Celtics

  3 Things Heat can carry over from Game 2 to beat Celtics in Game 3

  Why the Miami Heat and Caleb Martin both need ‘Code Red Caleb’

  5 Underrated Heat performances from stunning Game 2 win

  SI .com In Order To Go Up 2-1, The Miami Heat Feel They Have To Get Past A Strong Response From Boston Celtics In Game 3

  Eye-Popping Stat Shows Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra Worth In The Postseason

  Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra Downplays His Impact On Series Against Boston Celtics

  Stephen A. Smith ‘Shocked’ by Boston Celtics’ Loss in Game 2 vs. Miami Heat

  The Sun NBA icon Sam Cassell relishing his Boston Celtics role and ‘history and tradition’ – but reveals his career ambitions

  
  Hot Hot Hoops Heat look to defend home-court after their game 2 upset in Boston

  Heat Nation Celtics conduct unusual move ahead of pivotal Game 3 vs. Heat

  Athlon Sports What The Miami Heat Are Saying Ahead Of Game 3 Against Boston Celtics

  CBS Sports Celtics’ Luke Kornet: Likely available Saturday

  Heavy Celtics Get Tough Reminder Ahead of Heat Game 3

• Game 2 was a wake up call

  The Miami Heat defeated the Boston Celtics 111-101 in Game 2. Given their history, there are several adjustments to be made for Game 3.

  Game 2 sent shockwaves across the basketball world after the Heat stunned the Celtics to tie the series 1-1. C’s loyal expressed sheer panic on social media platforms, but I assure you, it’s not time to panic.

  When you think about it, Boston narrowed the gap to a handful of possessions, all while the Heat made history from the three-point line. You have to give credit where credit is due. Miami made 23 three-pointers, a franchise postseason record for the Heat. Many fans wondered how it was possible to concede to a team that’s been without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier.

  Joe Mazzulla called it perfectly. After a massacre in Game 1, a different Heat team awaited Boston. Under the mastermind of head coach Erik Spoelstra, they rallied back. We’ve seen this time and time again with depleted Heat rosters. It’s not who they have on the court; it’s how they plan to attack their opponent.

  I don’t think Mazzulla expected the Heat to shoot over 53 percent from deep on Wednesday. The Heat stuck with their outside attack plan after shooting less than 33 percent from beyond the arc in Game 1.

  As for the C’s head coach, the focus is on improving the team’s offensive response. Limited to just 12 deep shots in Game 2, Boston must find a way to navigate around their switches.

  “When things like that are happening, it puts more pressure on your offense,” Mazzulla told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “Your offense has to be more efficient. Your offense has to be more effective. The first adjustment was to try to become more efficient on the offensive end, and we were able to do that in some stretches.”

  Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

  How do you expect to claim victory with poor contests on outside shots and negligent screen switches — not to mention the high turnovers and Kristaps Porzingis's disastrous night? Spoelstra sent bodies everywhere, which explains why Porzingis was physically dominated in the middle all night. The Unicorn finished 1-9 from the field, including 0-4 when guarded by 6’5 guard Tyler Herro.

  I’m not making excuses for the Celtics; an extremely well-coached team disrupted their rhythm. It forced Boston into late actions, and the defense couldn’t match their standards. The more physical team, the Heat, gave the C’s a reality check, which was needed. As I mentioned during the In-Season Tournament, the Celtics were tested, and now it’s time to learn from it.

  "It's unfortunate that losing a game is adversity. It's just the nature of the playoffs."
  
  Joe Mazzulla talks mentality going into game 3 after losing at home in game 2 pic.twitter.com/lDOPDQjvaU

  — Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 25, 2024

  It’s all about the Celtics’ reaction tonight. Early challenges in playoffs are positive, especially in a seven-game series. This setup allows Mazzulla to manage the game and adapt. If the Celtics quickly swept 4-0, would there be any lessons to take away? There’s something to be said about learning from adversity in high-pressure situations.

  “It’s unfortunate, losing a game is adversity,” Mazzulla told CLNS. “I would say the nature of the playoffs is adverse itself. To think that you’re not going to have ups and downs through that run, you are not being realistic. You just have to go back and look at what we did well and where we didn’t, and figure out the areas that we can improve upon.”

  Having won its first five games of the season, Boston finished with a 64-18 record and a league-best 37-4 at the TD Garden. Sure, they’ve endured 18 losses, but how many times has this team truly been challenged?

  JT drives and kicks it out to D-White for the 3 pic.twitter.com/a3lzlWqMkm

  — Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 25, 2024

  For starters, Jayson Tatum must get the ball more. Although he finished with 28 points on 10-20 shooting, a one-on-one matchup would open up many opportunities. Instead of forcing the C’s into uncomfortable shots, utilize Tatum to create kickouts, open threes, and make the defense uncomfortable.

  Also, it may be time to test Xavier Tillman on Bam Adebayo. Adebayo sealed the game with several mid-jumpers when the Celtics cut the deficit. He fired on all cylinders, shooting 5-8 against Al Horford and Porzingis.

  For Mazzulla, it’s about controlling their pace and not playing into Spoelstra’s scheme. Protect the three-point line, attack downhill, and trust the process. I know that’s cliche; however, the Celtics have proven time and time again why their incredible spacing makes them one of the most lethal teams in the NBA. Although attacking on offense is important, I do believe in defensive adjustments.

  Finally, we all know Miami has burned the Celtics in the past, which initially caused overreactions and panic. Although the regular season matchups don’t matter much, this Celtics team swept the Heat 3-0. As they head to Miami for Game 2 tonight, we can’t forget they are 5-2 on the road against Miami since May of 2022.

  Overall, the Celtics are an elite team, and they won’t allow the Heat to shoot 23 three-pointers in Game 3. Although winning on the road is tough, now is the wrong time to hit the panic button. Let’s trust Mazulla and the championship-caliber roster built in the offseason. After all, this team ranked second in defensive efficiency, limiting opponents to 35.2 percent from deep. For those criticizing Mazzulla, he led the Celtics to the 1st seed in the East and the best overall record in the league.

  We all witnessed how Boston took care of business in Game 1. Let’s have a little trust in Mazzullaball.