The Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics matchup has been iconic over the last few seasons. On one hand, we have a hungry Jimmy Butler waiting to get his hands on his first NBA title. Butler has had an incredible career with the Heats since joining them back in 2019. Ever since then, he’s become one of the best playoff competitors around. The Heat bounced back from an abysmal regular season to the Eastern Conference Finals. They are currently up by one game and headed to Game 2.
JIMMY BUTLER WITH THE DAGGER 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/0XGjDzSlEa
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 18, 2023
On the other hand, the Boston Celtics had a taste of the NBA Finals last season but they failed to deliver. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been playing well and at a historical pace. Tatum has also established himself as one of the faces of the NBA. Even though they lost Game 1, the Celtics have always been able to fight back in such situations. That’s exactly what happened during the semi-finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tatum and the Celtics are looking to set the record straight to be the best team in the East.
In Game 1, the Miami Heat won 123-116 against the Boston Celtics. However, both teams played exceptionally well. Four Heat players recorded 15 points each with two of them from the starting lineup and the other two coming off the bench. Butler and Bam Adebayo had a combined total of 55 points. Tatum led the Celtics with 30 points and Brown had 22 points. The only issue with the Celtics during Game 1 was turnovers. Miami played better defense in comparison to the Celtics recording 12 steals and 3 blocks.
Miami Heat’s starting lineup
• Gabe Vincent
• Max Strus
• Jimmy Butler
• Kevin Love
• Bam Adebayo
Boston Celtics starting lineup
• Marcus Smart
• Jaylen Brown
• Jayson Tatum
• Al Horford
• Robert Williams III
Can the Miami Heat go 2-0 against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden?
One thing is for sure both teams are going to lay everything out on the floor. The Miami Heat are expected to return to the TD Garden with blazing guns. Surely, this series will have a mutual exchange of blows from each side. Miami is missing Tyler Herro, a massive offensive backup. But if their role players Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Max Strus, and Gabe Vincent perform consistently, the Heat could find themselves competing for the title.
JAYSON TATUM HAS 51 POINTS 😱
THE MOST EVER IN A GAME 7. HISTORY.
📺: Live on ABC pic.twitter.com/7CHmfr0GiE
— NBA (@NBA) May 14, 2023
Boston will need to shoot consistently from beyond the three-point line. They only made 34.5% of 29 shot attempts from three-pointers. During the playoffs, the Celtics have had more success while shooting 40% or above. In most of their losses, the Celtics have shot below 35%. Tatum and Brown are both the best shooters on the team. A close watch on turnovers will shift the current direction of the series. The Celtics have a very good chance of fixing things and bouncing back into the series. Boston is favored to win Game 2.
