Celtics defense shuts down Heat, Boston win 103-91

After a troublesome loss to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Wednesday, the Celtics took a visit to South Seashore to face off in opposition to the Miami Warmth. Boston took care of enterprise, defeating Miami 103-91 for the sixth straight time going again to Recreation 3 of the primary spherical of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Jrue Vacation had his finest recreation of the yr with 25 factors on 10-15 capturing from the sector and 5-8 capturing from three. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 28 factors, however Vacation saved Boston within the recreation by the primary three quarters when the remainder of the staff was struggling. Then within the fourth quarter, it was Derrick White who closed the sport out as soon as once more along with his clutch capturing.

The Celtics protection was nice tonight as they compelled the Warmth into 17 turnovers and utterly shut them down within the fourth quarter as they held Miami to 25% from the sector and 22% from three.

Photograph by Issac Baldizon/NBAE through Getty Photographs

The Celtics began the sport scorching from past the arc, hitting their first 4 three pointers in a row as they opened up a 14-4 run from the leap. A fantastic signal for Boston was Jrue Vacation who scored 10 of the Celtics first 16 factors within the first 5 minutes of the primary quarter. Payton Pritchard scored 5 straight factors off the bench when he entered the sport together with a nasty step by transfer on Davion Mitchell.

Miami’s offense continued to wrestle in opposition to Boston’s protection with out Jimmy Butler on the staff as they didn’t hit their first three pointer till there was three minutes left within the quarter.

The Warmth had been in a position to make a brief run on the finish of the quarter, however the Celtics led 30-23 on the finish of the primary. Jrue Vacation led the Celtics with 10 factors within the quarter and Jayson Tatum was proper there alongside him with 7 factors. Boston’s protection held Miami in examine from past the arc because the Warmth solely shot 25% from three.

The Celtics offense started the second quarter chilly as Davion Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins began to get the Warmth again into the sport. Luke Kornet shot his first three-point try of the season however missed and bought into foul hassle with 3 fouls halfway by the quarter.

Miami’s offense continued to roll with the Celtics starters off of the ground. A 16-5 run by the Warmth gave them their first lead of the sport with 5 minutes left of the primary half. The Celtics offense was sputtering till Jrue Vacation got here again on the ground and hit back-to-back threes for the Celtics and pulled out the Dr. Evil celebration to power a Warmth timeout.

Each groups traded baskets and the lead again in forth to finish the quarter as the sport was tied 50-50 going into halftime. Jrue Vacation’s glorious recreation continued as he matched his most factors in a half this season with 16 factors on 6-10 capturing from the sector and 4-6 from three. Andrew Wiggins was the main scorer for the Warmth with 14 factors, giving Celtics followers everybody PTSD from the 2022 Finals.

Boston’s chilly capturing was the primary catalyst behind Miami getting again within the recreation because the Celtics shot solely 25% from the sector and 27% from three in second quarter. The Celtics ball motion was a problem within the first half in addition to Boston solely had 9 assists as a staff. Tatum additionally had a tough half capturing the ball as he completed with 12 factors on 3-11 capturing.

Jrue Vacation picked up proper the place he left off to start the third quarter as he hit one other three however Miami answered with an 8-1 run to power an early timeout for Boston. Vacation hit a fadeaway jumpshot out of the timeout however Jaime Jacquez Jr. instantly answered with a 3 for the Warmth.

Jayson Tatum bought off the schneid along with his first basket of the second half with seven minutes to go within the third quarter and it began a mini rally for the Celtics to chop the deficit to 1 highlighted by Vacation tying his season of 23 factors with 1 / 4 and a half remaining. After a Warmth timeout, Vacation tied the sport with a layup and surpassed his season excessive in factors with 4 minutes to go.

The Celtics retook the lead with two and a half minutes to go on a Payton Pritchard three and a final second midrange jumper from Jayson Tatum gave Boston a 78-77 lead going into the fourth quarter. Boston’s capturing bounced again within the third quarter because the shot 61% from the sector and 42% from three.

Derrick White was foremost supply of offense for the Celtics to begin the fourth quarter. He hit a 3, discovered Luke Kornet slicing to the basket for a layup, and hit one other deeper three from the brand to offer Boston an 8-2 begin to the quarter and bought Ean Horford hyped.

It took the Warmth virtually six minutes to attain one other basket, however the Celtics weren’t in a position to reap the benefits of it as their capturing began to go chilly once more. The sport’s tempo grinded to a halt because the Celtics went virtually 5 minutes with a basket till Al Horford hit a hook shot and Davion Mitchell responded with a 3. Derrick White responded along with his third three pointer of the fourth quarter to push the Celtics result in 7 factors with beneath 4 minutes to go within the recreation.

The Celtics protection continued to clamp the Warmth on protection as they shot 5-20 capturing within the fourth quarter and Jayson Tatum hit the dagger with a nook three to offer Boston the victory in Miami as soon as once more.