BSJ Game Report: Heat 123, Celtics 116 - Nightmare third quarter kills Celtics

Everything you need to know about Boston’s Game 1 loss to the Miami Heat, with BSJ insight and analysis

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics came out ahead after a feel-out first quarter that saw Boston play a little sloppy and loose. Jimmy Butler had 12 in the first quarter to keep Miami close. The Celtics finally got stops and they turned 11 Miami turnovers into 19 points and a 13 point lead (9 at the half). The third quarter was an unmitigated disaster where they gave up 46 points and were outscored by 21. The Celtics won the fourth quarter, but had too many turnovers down the stretch to come all the way back. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

Third quarter disaster: “We let go of the rope,” said Joe Mazzulla of the loss. He was adamant that they lost only one quarter, which is true. ‘They came to play, which is true. They also did what they always do, which is let go of the rope when things feel comfortable. Whenever they feel like they have things in hand, they let go of the rope. It cost them another playoff game. 

Another home loss: This is their fourth, giving them a .500 record these playoffs at home. I don’t understand it. If this is how it’s going to go, Boston might as well have rested everyone all season, gotten the sixth seed, and started on the road all playoffs long. 

Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers: Boston did a great job of forcing turnovers in the first half, getting 11 for 19 points. They only forced 4 in the second half, getting 7 points off them. Meanwhile, Boston went from 5 turnovers for 8 points in the first half to 10 turnovers for 14 points. 

TURNING POINT

Miami went on a 13-1 run after Marcus Smart’s 3-pointer made it 71-59 to tie the game at 72. That was all the confidence they needed. After 72-72, Boston shot 33.3% from 3 while Miami shot 50%. The Celtics turned over 9 times, Miami only twice. 

SECOND GUESS

There was no room for Grant Williams at all? Not at all in that third quarter? Payton Pritchard was an option but Grant wasn’t? 

UP AND DOWN - No one played an outright good game. No one played an outright bad one. So let’s just look at some key players quickly here because I don’t want to characterize anyone’s game as “up” or “down.” 

Jayson Tatum: 30 points and 7 rebounds is worthy of note, but he was -20 in the second half, scoring 12 of his points but turning it over 3 times. The turnovers were killers because those all game in the final 3:00 of the game. This one was horrible: 

via GIPHY

This is the easiest steal of Jimmy Butler’s life. Tack on a pair of travels and Tatum has reverted back to late game mistakes. 

Jaylen Brown: He tried to take over down the stretch but he missed all his 3-pointers and turned it over twice. He did have 3 assists, though, in that run, and he finished with 22/9/5

Marcus Smart: 13 points, 2-4 from 3, 11 assists is a really nice final line for him, but he only had ONE assist after the half. 

Robert Williams: He started the game strong with a big first quarter, but he finished with the worst +/- on the team (-14). That doesn’t happen very often. 

Al Horford: Another rough shooting night overall (1-5 from 3), but I thought he was aggressive and he played pretty good defense. 

Malcolm Brogdon: He hit shots, going 7-14 from the field for 19 points. I still would have like to see more Derrick White. 

Derrick White: 11 points, on 3-5 shooting, but somehow he didn't get credited for any blocks and think that's a mistake. 

TOP PLAYS

TWO TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- This has nothing to do with calling a timeout

I just want to make it perfectly clear that no timeout could have saved the Celtics in the third quarter. There was a timeout called at 78-78 and Boston was outscored by 12 the rest of the way. 

“Joe is real big on a lot of times not bailing us out on stuff when we're playing like shit,” Smart said. “We've got to look ourselves in the mirror. Joe can call a timeout, and then what, we come out and do the same thing? It's on us.”

Damn right it is. I’m not letting Mazzulla off the hook. I do think there is some level of diving in to help the guys fight through the tough spell … or even recognizing that these guys have this tendency that everyone saw coming and trying to nip it in the bud at the half. 

Would I have called a timeout? Yeah, I would have, after the Love 3-pointer that made it 71-68, and I would have lit into the team about not getting back. But just because I would have done it doesn’t mean it’s the only way to do things. 

These are NBA players and they have to step up in those moments. If a coach has to hold your hand through the whole quarter while you’re hemorrhaging points, then maybe you need to do what Smart said, look yourself in the mirror, and ask yourself why that is. 

- This is the “they shot the lights out loss” not the “playoff Jimmy” loss

Remember, I’ve laid out all the ways Miami can win games in this series: The Jimmy game, the Bam Adebayo game, the Erik Spoelstra game, and the outlier shooting game. 

This was the shooting game. Butler had a great game overall with 35 points, but this wasn’t takeover Jimmy. That Jimmy closes the game out with a 20 point fourth quarter. 

Just keep that in mind. He’s due for one of those. 

Next up: Boston hosts Miami for Game 2 Friday night