AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
MIAMI, FL- Jimmy Butler scored 41 points as he led the Miami Heat to a 1-0 Eastern Conference Finals lead after a 118-107 win against the Boston Celtics
Boston opened the game with a 7-0 lead. Bam Adebayo made a layup to put Miami’s first points on the board. The Celtics defensively was able to cause three early turnovers.
Those turnovers gave Boston a 18-9 lead with 5:30 left in the first quarter. Miami responded with a 12-3 run to tie the game, 21-21.
Victor Oladipo then stole the ball from Tatum and passed the ball to Caleb Martin for a wideopen transition layup. Tatum redeemed himself with a driving dunk to tie the game.
Tatum then made a floater and Payton Pritchard followed with a three-pointer to give Boston a five point lead.
Tyler Herro was able to make a driving layup but Tatum scored 10 points and Boston entered the second quarter with a 28-25 lead.
Up 32-30, the Celtics went on a 9-0 run to give them a 41-30 lead with 7:34 left in the half. P.J. Tucker left the game with an ankle injury while trying to steal the ball from Jaylen Brown.
Tatum continued to be hot as he tied a playoff career-high with 21 points in the first half and Boston entered halftime with a 62-54 lead over Miami. Tucker was able to come back and play in the second half.
Miami’s comeback
In the first three minutes of the third quarter, Miami went on a 10-1 run and had a 64-63 lead over Boston. Max Strus made a 3-pointer to increase the Heat’s lead to four points.
Miami turned things around and had a 72-64 lead over Boston, prompting Ime Udoka to call a timeout.
After the timeout, Butler stole the ball from Boston two-consecutive times to give Miami a 22-2 run and a 76-64 lead. Boston returned the favor with a 9-0 run to cut their deficit to three points.
Miami ended the quarter on a 17-3 run and the Heat entered the fourth quarter with a 93-76 lead.
Herro shot three free-throws to open the fourth quarter. However, Boston scored 10-straight points to cut their deficit to 10 points with 8:21 left in the game.
Although Boston outscored Miami 31-25 in the fourth quarter, the Heat was able to maintain their lead by the end of the game.
Second Half Thriller
Miami was able to turn things around in just one quarter. It’s one thing when Butler scored 17 points in the third quarter.
It’s another thing when they outscored Boston 39-14 in the third as well. Boston fell short after a hot start. Boston had eight turnovers in the third and finished the game with 16 turnovers.
Butler dominated offensively but his defensive presence really showed this game with four steals and three blocks.
“”Keep the game easy,” Butler said when asked about what was said during halftime. “We have to learn how to capitalize on their mistakes and we gotta get back. I think that’s what changed in the second half.”
Butler was then asked what changed for him in the second half.
“Nothing. I continued to play basketball the right way. Shoot the ball when I’m open, attack, hit the open guy, and honestly, it was a team effort,” Butler said.
Gabe Vincent also recorded three blocks and Adebayo followed with four.
Miami finished the game with 12 blocks and 10 steals in total.
Tatum was Boston’s leading scorer with 29 points, however, he finished the game with seven turnovers.
Up Next
The Boston Celtics will try to tie the series in Miami against the Miami Heat on May 19, 8:30 pm est.
