4 weeks ago
Miami Heat halfway Bam Adebayo (R) gains position against Boston Celtics defender Derrick White (C) connected Wednesday astatine TD Garden successful Boston. Photo by C.J. Gunther/EPA-EFE
April 25 (UPI) -- Following a blowout first-round playoff nonaccomplishment to nan Boston Celtics successful Game 1 and playing without 2 cardinal players successful Game 2, nan Miami Heat opted to usage sound from doubters to substance a series-tying triumph successful Boston.
Star defender Tyler Herro and halfway Bam Adebayo paced nan 111-101 triumph Wednesday astatine TD Garden. Herro totaled 24 points, 14 assists and 5 rebounds. Adebayo chipped successful 21 points and 10 rebounds.
"We've been doubted a batch done our playoff runs," Adebayo told reporters. "There are group saying we couldn't do a batch of worldly that we did. For maine and my team, it's like, why suffer belief now?
"Our backs are against nan wall and everybody is ever against us. Use it arsenic fuel."
The Heat, who played without injured prima guardant Jimmy Butler and defender Terry Rozier, 2 of their apical 4 scorers, made 49.3% of their shots, including 53.5% from 3-point range.
The Celtics changeable 46.3% wide and 37.5% from 3-point range.
The Heat and Celtics exchanged nan lead 7 times done nan first quarter. The Heat carried a 28-27 separator into nan second. The Celtics outscored nan Heat 34-30 complete nan adjacent 12 minutes and led 61-58 astatine halftime.
The Heat utilized a 10-2 tally early successful nan 3rd to return a 72-67 edge. They later added a 10-0 tally to push their lead to a dozen. The Celtics ended nan framework pinch a 9-3 run, but still trailed by six to commencement nan fourth.
They trim nan shortage to 5 pinch 6:22 remaining, but ne'er sewage closer. The Heat held a 26-22 scoring advantage complete nan last 12 minutes.
Celtics forwards Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum scored 33 and 28 points, respectively. Celtics defender Derrick White chipped successful 13 points successful nan loss.
Heat defender Caleb Martin scored 21 points. Forwards Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic chipped successful 14 and 11 points, respectively.
"This triumph is conscionable 1 win," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Series are perchance agelong and tough. You person to enactment emotionally and mentally unchangeable passim each of it. You conscionable person to attraction connected competing astatine a precocious level together."
The Heat (1-1) will big nan Celtics (1-1) successful Game 3 astatine 8 p.m. EDT Saturday successful Miami. Game 4 of nan best-of-seven bid will beryllium Monday successful Miami.
