Celtics Play "Smart" Game, Blow Out the Heat

Marcus Smart was back on the court and he was trouble, messed around and almost had a triple-double (24 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds) in Boston's emphatic beatdown of the Miami Heat.

MIAMI – The fact that both Marcus Smart (mid-foot sprain) and Al Horford (health & safety protocol) were back in the Boston Celtics lineup for Game 2, was going to be a good thing for Boston.

But this good?

Few would have envisioned the Celtics, even with Smart and Horford back in the lineup, absolutely destroying the Heat on their home floor the way they did in Game 2.

Boston returns home with the best-of-seven series tied up at one game apiece after delivering a 127-102 beatdown of the Miami Heat.

Marcus Smart was not the game’s top scorer (that was Miami's Jimmy Butler with 29 points), but there was no denying Smart's impact was the greatest of any player on the floor.

Smart, who missed Game 1 with a mid-foot sprain, flirted with what would have been a triple-double before finishing with 24 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds along with three steals.

Most of Horford’s 10 points came late in the game when the outcome had all but been decided, but his presence and overall defense through the first three quarters were among the keys to Boston evening up the series as it shifts to Boston for Games 3 and 4.

Here are the Stars, Studs and Duds from Boston’s emphatic Game 2 victory over the Miami Heat.

STARS

Jayson Tatum: Turnovers aside, there was a lot to like about Jayson Tatum’s play in Game 2. His aggression level at both ends of the floor was relatively high most of the game, a big factor in him finishing with an efficient 27 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the field to go with five rebounds and five assists.

Jimmy Butler: While this wasn’t “41-point Jimmy Butler” from Game 1, his offense for most of Game 2 was pretty strong. Butler led the Heat in scoring with a game-high 29 points on 11-for-18 shooting along with six rebounds and three assists.

STUDS

Marcus Smart: It’s no surprise Marcus Smart’s return bolstered the Celtics lineup, with his presence being felt at both ends of the floor. In addition to strong play defensively all game, Smart also had a double-double of 24 points and 12 assists (with one turnover) along with nine rebounds.

Grant Williams: This wasn’t “Game 7 against the Milwaukee Bucks” Grant Williams, but he was among the key reasons Boston was able to pull away so convincingly. He came off the Celtics bench to score 19 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field along with making seven of his eight free-throw attempts.

Payton Pritchard: His numbers won’t blow you away (10 points on 4-for-8 shooting), but the shots he did make were important to continue to keep the Heat from getting too comfortable. Maybe most telling was how good things seemed to happen when he was on the floor, evident by him finishing the game with a plus/minus of plus-41 when he was on the floor.

DUDS

Tyler Herro: The reigning Sixth Man of the Year won the award in large part because of his ability to score in bunches. But in Game 2, Herro was a non-factor all game before finishing with 11 points.