By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Jimmy Butler scored 27 points, the Heat came back from a double-digit, fourth-quarter deficit, and beat the Boston Celtics 111-105 to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
Bam Adebayo had 22 points, 17 rebounds, and nine assists and Caleb Martin came off the bench to score 25 points for eighth-seeded Miami, which won twice in Boston to earn a chance to complete the sweep at home, where the next two games of the series will be held.
Jayson Tatum had 34 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for Boston. But the Celtics star went 0-for-3 with two turnovers in the fourth quarter.
Boston blew an 89-77 lead en route to a second home loss in the first two games of the conference finals.
Jaylen Brown scored 16 points on 7-for-23 shooting; he went 1-for-5 with a turnover in the final quarter, when Miami outscored Boston 36-22.
“I think they outplayed us,” Brown said. “They out-toughed us tonight and they found a way to make plays down the stretch and we didn’t.”
While coach Joe Mazzulla has taken criticism in this series for some of his adjustments and decision-making, Tatum said the lack of production is on the players.
“We got his back, he got ours,” Tatum said. “Joe ain’t missed no shots tonight. He ain’t had no turnovers. I missed shots, I had turnovers. So, any time we lose I’m going to look at what I could have done better in order for us to change the outcome.”
The game changed after a run-in Grant Williams had in the final quarter with Butler.
After hitting a 3-pointer to give his team a 96-87 lead, Williams shouted in the direction of Butler. On Miami’s possession, he committed a foul as Butler made his shot with 6:22 to play in the game.
Words were exchanged and the pair went forehead to forward, spraying words back and forth before quickly being separated by their teammates and receiving double-technical fouls.