Tag: boston celtics

Miami Silences Boston to Take A 2-0 Series Lead

By Miguel Mike Medina

The Miami Heat continue to stay focused and poised. The Celtics have not risen to the challenge. Heat win on the road again, 111-105, to take Game 2 and go up 2-0 in the series.

Miami ended the game on an 18-4 run. Grant Williams started talking trash to Jimmy Butler, which started the whole run for Miami. It’s not the best decision for Williams to start talking trash to Jimmy Butler, out of all people. You do not poke the bear in the fourth quarter. Jimmy Butler’s midrange game is off the charts. He stepped up to the challenge and lifted his team to victory. He finished the game with 27 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals.

Butler didn’t do it alone. His teammates had his back and produce. Caleb Martin was sensational with 25 points, 11 for 16 from the field, and knocked down three of his seven three-pointers. Duncan Robinson got loose and made some big shots in this game. Bam Adebayo being Bam Adebayo with 20 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists. Miami won the rebound game 45 to 35. Miami’s role players are outplaying the Celtics’ role players in this series. 

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 34 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. However, he’s been a no-show in the fourth quarter of this series. He has no field goals and combined for five turnovers. Jaylen Brown had an off-game. He finished with 16 points on a 7 for 23 shooting. 

Miami is 10-3 in the postseason. It’s the same record as the No. 1 seed in the West, Denver Nuggets. Miami is undefeated at home in the playoffs. 

Miami Steals Game 1 After A Strong Third Quarter

By Miguel Mike Medina

Miami Heat stole the home court from the Boston Celtics with a 123-116 victory in Game 1. It was a collective team effort by the Heat. Boston’s Achilles heel was their turnovers and lack of urgency. This is the second consecutive series when Boston loses Game 1 on their home court. 

Kyle Lowry kept Miami in the game in the first half. He had 15 points off the bench. Boston had a big second quarter. They went on a 15-2 run, and their offense clicked. Celtics led by nine by halftime. In the third quarter, everything changed. Miami played an outstanding third quarter. They outscored Boston 46-25, which marked the highest playoff scoring quarter in Miami Heat history. 

In the fourth quarter, it was the Jimmy Butler show. He’s a superstar for a reason. A superstar takes over the game, whether he is scoring or facilitating, or playing defense. Jimmy did all three of those. He is an unbelievable player. My favorite moment of Jimmy Butler is when he hit that dagger three-pointer to make it 120-110. After he hit that shot, he looked at his bench and winked at them. Butler finishes the game with 35 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and a player career-high six steals. Bam Adebayo added 20 points with eight rebounds. Strus, Vincent, and Martin had 15 points each. 

Miami shot the ball well as a team. They shot 54% from the field, 16-of-31 from the three-point line. 

Game 2 will be on Friday night, as Miami is trying to return to South Beach with a 2-0 lead. 

Joe Johnson is Back in the NBA

The news that we didn’t see it coming. After a three-year absence, Joe Johnson is back in the NBA. At 40, Johnson is signing a 10-day contract with the Boston Celtics.

Johnson is expected to play in Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He last played in the 2018 Western Conference finals for the Houston Rockets.

The deal reunites Johnson with the team that drafted him in 2001. He played half a season for the Celtics in 2001-02 before being traded to the Phoenix Suns.

Johnson is a seven-time All-Star and has averaged 16.0 points in 1,276 career games. He’s played for multiple teams, but his best years came with the Atlanta Hawks.