NBA playoffs – Boston-Miami: Butler is the phenomenon and drags his team

Boston Celtics (2)-Miami Heat (8) 116-123 (0-1 in series)

The Heat’s trademark in these playoffs. Lots of Butler and success away in the first match of the series. It also happened against Milwaukee and New York, Boston, which however has to recite several mea culpas, is no less and is knocked out thanks to a sensational change of pace by the visiting team in the third quarter, ending with 46 points on the scoresheet, a new record in the postseason for the franchise.

The key

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Jimmy Butler places a performance of his own, defending great, especially in the final minutes of the match and scoring 35 points, five rebounds, seven assists and six steals. The hand of coach Spoelstra also makes the difference, who wins the match against his colleague Mazzulla who, moreover, with the Celtics in great difficulty in the third quarter, chooses not to call timeout and therefore does not try to take the pace off the Heat’s attack. Miami starts without fear and Butler scares the defense of Boston, but the Celtics with the assists of an excellent Smart and the production of Tatum remain there and in the end of the first quarter they try to accelerate.

The protagonists

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It’s not just Butler producing and that’s great news for coach Spo. Lowry exalts himself in the first part of the second half, but Miami’s turnover becomes expensive and Boston takes advantage of it. With a run of 15-3, the home team reaches the double-digit advantage, then they arrive at the break on +9. In the third quarter, however, the incredible reaction of the Heat takes place and in attack they become absolutely infallible. Strus immediately picks up the pace, Vincent follows close behind with Adebayo and the usual Butler to punish all the bad readings of the Celtics defense. It’s a real cyclone that hits Boston, Mazzulla can’t find answers and the race is channeled on the tracks preferred by the Florida team. Brogdon’s plays or Brown’s flashes aren’t enough, Miami dominates far and wide and with the umpteenth triple from Strus in the final seconds, closes the third quarter 11 lengths ahead. The answer that the home crowd was waiting for comes at the beginning of the fourth period with a 7-0 that deceives the Celtics fans. Butler immediately takes care of restarting the Miami attack, Boston, incredibly, Tatum’s one-on-one card is not played (zero shots from the field in the final fraction) and the guests defend a five-point advantage with their teeth . The end of the game should belong to Tatum, back from 51 points in game 7 against the 76ers, however, incredibly, the Boston star in the last three minutes runs into three unfortunate turnovers which thus facilitate Miami’s task. To close each speech, he thinks so much about changing Butler with the triple at 1’03” from the siren which gives the Heat the +10 which becomes a sentence. Game-2, Friday in Boston, therefore becomes a “must win” for the Celtics.

Boston:Tatum 30 (8/14, 1/3, 11/11 tl), Brown 22, Brogdon 19. Rebounds: Brown 9. Assists: Smart 11.

You love me:Butler 35 (10/21, 2/4, 9/10 tl), Adebayo 20, Vincent, Strus, Martin, Lowry 15. Rebounds: Adebayo 8. Assists: Butler 7.