Heat need solid start vs. Celtics tonight
The formula that the Miami Heat had backed themselves into using throughout this postseason wasn’t exactly ideal.
They were losing almost every first quarter, and winning almost every game anyway.
It’s not a sustainable plan, and the Boston Celtics finally showed that in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals when they pulled off a wire-to-wire win over Miami, not letting the Heat put together their typical comeback. Game 4 of the East title series — with Miami still leading 2-1 — is today, and the Heat are insisting that there will be more urgency at the beginning.
“I think we’ve just got to start off better,” Heat forward Jimmy Butler said. “I don’t think we started off anywhere near where we’re capable of. I think we dig ourselves a hole and try to fight back out of it. I think going into this next one, it’s up to the starting five to come out with a great start.”
Before Game 3, Miami was 8-0 in the playoffs when trailing after the first quarter — after going 10-16 when put in that position during the regular season. In the 36 minutes of first-period action against the Celtics, the Heat have led roughly onesixth of the time.
Butler is 1 for 6 in 29 firstquarter minutes in the series. Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic are a combined 10 for 19; the rest of the Heat in first quarters against the Celtics are 11 for 46. Boston has won the first quarters by a combined score of 88-68, shooting 54% to Miami’s 32%.
“Certainly, it would help to be able to get off to a good start,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But you have to play good basketball more consistently when you get to this point in the conference finals against a quality opponent.”
The teams have had three full days off since Game 3, a quirk in the schedule to allow the Western Conference finals matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets to catch up; the Lakers and Nuggets played the third game in their series late Tuesday.
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum offered a simple reason why Boston should be able to keep its edge after a win.
“Because we’re still down 2-1,” Tatum said. “It’s never time to relax in a series until it’s over with. Even more sense of urgency when you’re down. We’re still losing. We know that. We won’t get it all back in one game. We just got to go one game at a time.”
BULLS HIRE DONOVAN AS COACH >> The Chicago Bulls hired Billy Donovan as their new head coach. The 55-year-old Donovan spent the last five seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He replaces Jim Boylen, who was fired after the Bulls finished d 22-43 and didn’t qualify for the NBA’s restart. Donovan went 243-157 as coach of the Thunder.