(Basketball news) The Miami Heat got a crucial win in game 1 over the Boston Celtics as they beat them 123-116. For the Heat, Butler scored 35 points, including 20 after halftime as Bam Adebayo added 20 points and eight rebounds while the likes of Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus all added 15 points apiece.
For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum led the scoring with 30 points but didn’t take a shot in the fourth quarter while Jaylen Brown finished with 22 points and nine rebounds as Malcolm Brogdon added 19 points. The Heat became only the fifth team to open with road wins in each of their first three series as they joined the likes of 2021 Hawks, 1999 Knicks, 1989 Bulls and 1981 Rockets. The Knicks were the only other No. 8 seed to make the conference finals.
It was Butler’s fifth game in the playoffs with 30 or more points and he added seven assists, six steals and five rebounds. Miami are single handedly depending on him for the majority of the scoring as the Heats have revenge on their mind after losing the Eastern Conference finals to the Celtics last year. The series marked the third time in four seasons that the Heat and Celtics have met in this round.
“I’m playing at an incredible level because they are allowing me to do so,” Butler said. “They are not putting a limit on my game. They are trusting me with the ball, on the defensive end. I think that’s what any basketball player wants.”
“One of the premier two-way basketball players of this association. … That’s what we needed.” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Down the stretch Jimmy was able to do everything we needed – as a scorer and as a facilitator.”
“I don’t know why,” Tatum said of their home struggles. “You’ve still got to play the game, you’ve got to make plays, regardless of whether you’re home or away.”
“We lost our offensive purpose,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.
“We are just playing really good basketball,” Butler said. “More than anything, we are staying together through the good and through the bad.”
Also read: NBA: Nuggets take game 1 despite Lakers late comeback in the 4th quarter
