Butler Cooks up Game 1 win for Miami
Jimmy Butler leads a second-half comeback for the Miami Heat to put away an under-manned Celtics team minus two starters (Al Horford and Marcus Smart), giving Miami a 1-0 series lead.
MIAMI – Former Boston Celtic Max Strus had just cruised into the lane for a dunk following a Jayson Tatum turnover in the second half.
Tatum thought he got fouled.
Soon, Grant Williams was woofing at the refs.
And right out of the time-out, Miami's Jimmy Butler had back-to-back steals that he converted into baskets.
The Celtics, four wins from a trip to the NBA Finals, looked like a team taking a trip down memory lane to the start of the season when they were an absolute train wreck of a team.
Miami had the momentum and wouldn’t relent as the Heat pulled away for a 118-107 win. They now lead the best-of-seven series 1-0 with Game 2 on Thursday.
Beyond Miami being the Eastern Conference’s top-seeded team, the Celtics were at an even greater disadvantage than usual.
Marcus Smart (mid-foot sprain) was out as well as Al Horford (health and safety protocol) whose status as being out, according to Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, wasn’t determined until a few hours before tip-off.
Without Smart, the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, and Horford who has been arguably Boston’s most consistent player in the postseason, Boston actually raced out to a double-digit lead in the first half and led by eight after the first two quarters of play.
But the Heat turned up the heat defensively, setting the tone for the second half and with it, a Game 1 victory.
Here are the Stars, Studs and Duds from Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
STARS
Jimmy Butler: After a so-so first half, Jimmy Butler morphed into Jimmy Buckets in the second half. In addition to knocking down more shots, he also ratcheted up his aggression offensively which led to more free throws that put the Celtics on their heels. He would lead all scorers with 41 points along with nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocked shots.
Jayson Tatum: Facing one of the NBA’s top defenses, it was a given that points would be hard to come by for Jayson Tatum. But for most of the game, Tatum was able to get to his favorite spots on the floor and delivered one big shot after another. He would finish the game with 29 points, but only eight in the second half.
STUDS
Tyler Herro: The NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award winner provided yet another much-needed lift for the Heat, especially in the first half when very little went Miami’s way offensively. He would finish the game with 18 points and eight rebounds.
Payton Pritchard: Being a solid defender while knocking down open shots is what the Celtics need Payton Pritchard to do on a night-in, night-out basis. He didn’t disappoint in Game 1, scoring 18 points with five rebounds and four assists off the bench.
Gabe Vincent: In addition to being part of the Heat brigade charged with limiting Jayson Tatum, Gabe Vincent made the most of his opportunities to impact the game as a scorer. He would finish with 17 points which included a trio of 3-point shots.
DUDS
Grant Williams: You didn't expect to necessarily see Game 7 Grant Williams tonight. But he has to be better going forward, than what we saw in Game 1. It wasn't just a lack of shot-making on his part. Williams simply failed to make a positive impact, at either end of the floor. His defense was shoddy, he had too many run-ins with officials and by and large, he didn’t give the Celtics what they needed on a night when they were short-handed. He would tally just five points and was a minus-14 for the game.
Jaylen Brown: Boston needed a third-quarter lift from its number two scorer in Brown. It never happened. Certainly, you have to credit Miami’s defense which made limiting his impact a priority. But there were too many empty possessions in which Brown did not maximize his matchup, which proved costly for both him and the Celtics. Brown finished a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds, but most of his production came after Boston fell behind by double-digits in the second half.