Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Complete coverage of the Heat’s win over the Celtics.
One down. One to go.
Because if the Miami Heat can follow up Sunday’s 130-124 victory over the Boston Celtics with another victory Tuesday night back at TD Garden, they then effectively can put the NBA’s play-in round in their rearview mirror.
Making a playoff-race statement when needed most, the Heat went up 26, saw that lead trimmed to six, then held on for their fifth victory in their last seven games.
“I mean, I think we’re a really good team,” forward Jimmy Butler said after leading the Heat with 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. “But I think at times I think that we think we’re too good of a team and that we can just play the game lackadaisical and not do what got us that 26-point lead.”
Ultimately, in the battle for a top-six seed, which would keep them out of the play-in round, the Heat got enough decisive late scores and stops to hold on.
“We take no wins lightly here,” Butler said. “They’re hard to come by in this league, especially against a really good team like Boston.”
Beyond Butler’s contribution, the Heat got 22 points from Duncan Robinson, 20 from Bam Adebayo, 19 from Trevor Ariza, as well as 12 apiece from Tyler Herro sand Kendrick Nunn.
“The menu was diverse,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, “and a lot of guys felt like they were in rhythm and involved, and that’s when we’re at our best.”
For the Celtics, there were 30 points from Evan Fournier, 29 from Jayson Tatum, 18 from Kemba Walker and 16 apiece from Marcus Smart and Aaron Nesmith.
The victory moved the Heat two games ahead of the Celtics in the standings and tied the season series 1-1, with the tiebreaker to be determined Tuesday.
Five Degrees of Heat from Sunday’s game:
1. Closing time: The Heat went into the fourth quarter up 21, moved to a 23-point lead in the period, but still saw Boston close within 113-107 lead with 4:41 to play, after a Walker layup.
That is when Butler stepped up with a 3-pointer for a 116-107 lead, with the Heat holding on from there.
“It still shows that we’ve still got to learn how to complete games,” said Adebayo, who was 3 of 3 from the field and 3 of 4 from the line in the fourth. “They shouldn’t close that gap within 10.” Butler scored 11 in the fourth.
“We won,” he said. “That’s’ what I like about it. It’s worse if you give up a lead and lose.”
The Heat never trailed.
“We started getting stops when we needed ‘em, rebounded the basketball,” Butler said. “I’ll take a six-point win.”
2. Offensive, to the max: The Heat scored 43 points in the second period and 79 in the first half.
Perhaps most remarkable, they accomplished that with Butler with just one first-half field-goal attempt. In fact, beyond Ariza’s 17, no Heat player had more than 13 points over the opening two periods.
The Heat shot .661 from the field in the first half, 11 of 20 on threes.
It was the second-highest-scoring first half in the Heat’s 33 seasons, topped only by the 82 scored in the first half on Feb. 22, 2020 against the Cavaliers. The Heat scored 44 in the second quarter of that game.
Of that first half, Celtics coach Brad Stevens said, “When we’re not completely engaged, for whatever reason, we’re just not good.
“I need to do a better job of making sure the first halves don’t get away from us.”
3. Been there, seen that: That Fournier and Walker had their moments against the Heat hardly is anything new.
What is different is in the uniform. Fournier, a Heat thorn with the Orlando Magic before being dealt to the Celtics at this season’s NBA trading deadline, scored 14 in the Celtics’ third-quarter rally from down 24 at the start of the period to within 12.
The Celtics then outscored the Heat by 15 in the fourth quarter behind Walker, a Heat pest during his time with the Charlotte Hornets before joining the Celtics last season.
“Look,” Spoelstra said, “they’re a really potent offensive team and both of those guys have been in a really good rhythm.”
4. When needed: Robinson not only shot 6 of 10 on 3-pointers, but converted a critical fourth-quarter 3-pointer to help stall the Celtics’ comeback.
“In those moments,” he said. “I just try to be prepared, so if the ball does come my way, I can let it fly with confidence.”
He also took several defensive turns against Tatum, able to play through with just a single foul.
“I’m not asking to do that by himself,” Spoelstra said. “So there’s a lot of scheming on both sides.”
5. Moment savored: Adebayo paused the start of his pregame media session for a Mother’s Day phone conversation with his mother.
“She definitely was like, ‘Why did you miss one free throw?’ “he said affectionately. “She was like, ‘You could’ve been perfect on Mother’s Day.’ “
Spoelstra also paused during his comments to thank the team’s mothers for their sacrifices during the pandemic-compacted season.