Jayson Tatum sparks Celtics to win over Heat, downplays fall

BOSTON — Celtics star Jayson Tatum was a catalyst in additional methods than one in Boston’s convincing 114-94 victory over the Miami Warmth on Sunday afternoon in Sport 1 of their first-round playoff collection.

He performed good, unselfish basketball in opposition to Miami’s double-teams, logging his first profession playoff triple-double with 23 factors, 10 boards and 10 assists. However as the competition entered its ultimate minute, Tatum additionally confirmed toughness, popping up off the ground instantly after getting hit by Warmth wing Caleb Martin whereas going airborne for a rebound. The play initially scared the TD Backyard crowd however galvanized the Celtics, who needed to indicate they would not be pushed round by the extremely bodily Warmth membership.

“It is playoff basketball, and it is a bodily recreation in opposition to a bodily crew. S—‘s gonna occur,” Tatum stated, including that he needed to stand up from the autumn rapidly to indicate he wasn’t damage. “It is most likely not the final time I will get hit like that on this collection.”

After the sport, Martin stated he did not deliberately collide with Tatum and that his momentum merely led him into the airborne Tatum. Replays confirmed that Boston’s Jrue Vacation may need pushed Martin from behind within the second earlier than the collision. Martin sought to assist Tatum up afterward, however Boston star Jaylen Brown pushed him away earlier than he might. Martin and Brown have been assessed technical fouls after exchanging phrases.

For as harmful because the play initially appeared, with Tatum showing to return down on his hip — and almost slamming his head on the hardwood — the Celtics instructed the skirmish would possibly create a rallying impact going ahead.

“I used to be enthusiastic about the entire state of affairs,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla stated. “I loved watching it.”

Mentioned heart Kristaps Porzingis: “I believe we matched [their physicality]. I do not know if [the Martin collision] was an accident or not. These sorts of performs occur. However a little bit little bit of motion? I believe it is good for the playoffs. It was enjoyable.”

So far as motion was involved, the Celtics introduced way more of it from the outset. Porzingis stated the membership — which lacked significant video games on the finish of the common season after clinching the East’s No. 1 seed with three weeks left to play — spoke earlier within the week about not displaying rust and discovering a solution to throw the primary punch in Sport 1.

“It was tough for us to trick ourselves into sustaining this loopy mindset of successful each single regular-season recreation [after clinching the top seed],” Porzingis stated. “However we knew we had the actual one coming quickly, and I am glad we got here out the way in which we did tonight. It units the stage for the remainder of our path.”

The message clearly received by, because the Celtics poured it on early by leaping out to a 14-0 lead earlier than Miami scored its first factors.

The Warmth started settling in and clawing again, however the path to doing so was difficult by Boston’s desire for 3s when most of Miami’s pictures have been of the 2-point selection.

The floodgates opened within the third when the Celtics, with ball motion and ample flooring spacing, drilled seven 3s and outscored the Warmth by 17 within the quarter. Via three quarters of play, Boston had knocked down 19 3s to Miami’s 5 — a 42-point margin from behind the arc. Tatum facilitated a lot of the offense by letting the Warmth’s zone assault stress him with two defenders earlier than rapidly swinging the ball again throughout the ground to a extra open shooter. Porzingis, Derrick White and reserve Sam Hauser every completed with 4 3s, whereas Brown knocked house three of his personal. The Celtics led by as a lot as 34 early within the fourth, and Boston followers started doing the wave inside the world.

The primary-round collection between the groups — their fourth playoff assembly in 5 years — is a rematch of final yr’s Japanese Convention finals, which the Warmth took regardless of being an eight-seed underdog.

The climb this time can be even steeper for Miami. Jimmy Butler, the crew’s greatest wing participant, injured his proper MCL in the course of the play-in spherical and is anticipated to overlook a number of weeks. And Terry Rozier, who averaged almost 20 factors per recreation within the common season, is out with a neck damage. Each are huge blows for a Miami unit that already struggled to attain at occasions.

“It is clear Boston managed this recreation from the tip,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra stated. “They gained the large muscle areas. Positively gained the 3-point line. And a lot of the areas in between. … We now have to do a a lot better job by Wednesday.”