For a couple of days, the Boston Celtics were stewing over their loss on their home court. When they finally For a couple of days, the Boston Celtics were stewing over their loss on their home court. When they finally Һιt the court again, they unleashed all that pent-up frustration, resulting in a defensive showcase.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each put up 22 points, leading a well-rounded effort as the Celtics decisively defeated the Miami Heat 104-84 on Saturday night, seizing a 2-1 advantage in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

“We didn’t overhaul our strategy much,” remarked Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. “We simply upped our intensity, controlled the physicality, and set the tempo. It’s about executing the basics under pressure, and our team did an excellent job of that tonight.”

Game 4 is set for Monday in Miami, where the Celtics have been formidable with a 9-2 record in their last 11 games and a 6-1 record in their last seven playoff matchups.

Tatum also contributed 10 rebounds and six assists for the Celtics, who maintained their lead from start to finish in Game 3 and regained the home-court advantage relinquished after Miami’s Game 2 win in Boston. Kristaps Porzingis racked up 18 points, and Derrick White chipped in 16 for the Celtics.

The defensive prowess displayed by Boston and the оffеnꜱιυе struggles faced by Miami hadn’t been seen since Game 5 of the East finals on May 25, 2022, when the Celtics secured a 93-80 victory on the road, propelling them to that season’s NBA Finals. Since then, the Heat had consistently scored over 84 points in every game, while the Celtics had conceded more than 84 points in each game.

“That’s where we’re going to win games, on the defensive end,” emphasized Tatum.

Bam Adebayo led eighth-seeded Miami with 20 points, but the team remained without key starters Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier due to injuries. Nikola Jovic and Tyler Herro each contributed 15 points for the Heat, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. adding 12.

“They disrupted our game plan,” admitted Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “They were more physical, аɡɡгеꜱꜱivе, and controlled the game on both ends of the court.”

Boston has shown resilience throughout the season, particularly after losses. As the top seed in the playoffs, they rarely falter, often bouncing back with a win. They now boast a 15-4 record in games immediately following a loss this season, with an average margin of victory of 12.2 points.

“It’s all about mindset,” said Brown. “We focused on defense, aiming to unsettle them a bit… and that opened up opportunities for us.”

Boston never trailed in Game 1, securing a 114-94 victory, and replicated that dominance in Game 3, leading from the outset to notch their fifth win over Miami in six encounters this season. They established a 21-12 lead after the first quarter, setting the tone for a challenging night for the Heat.

Though Miami briefly showed signs of a comeback in the second quarter, cutting the deficit, Boston swiftly regained control, outscoring Miami 20-8 in the next 4 ½ minutes to establish a commanding 61-36 lead by halftime. The Celtics dominated every aspect of the game, with a 19-2 advantage in points off turnovers, a 26-12 lead in points in the paint, and a 27-15 rebounding advantage.

The lead ballooned to 29 points in the second half, with Miami unable to narrow the gap beyond 18 points after halftime.

“Right from the start, they were more аɡɡгеꜱꜱivе than us,” remarked Jovic. “That shouldn’t happen.” the court again, they unleashed all that pent-up frustration, resulting in a defensive showcase.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each put up 22 points, leading a well-rounded effort as the Celtics decisively defeated the Miami Heat 104-84 on Saturday night, seizing a 2-1 advantage in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

“We didn’t overhaul our strategy much,” remarked Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. “We simply upped our intensity, controlled the physicality, and set the tempo. It’s about executing the basics under pressure, and our team did an excellent job of that tonight.”

Game 4 is set for Monday in Miami, where the Celtics have been formidable with a 9-2 record in their last 11 games and a 6-1 record in their last seven playoff matchups.

Tatum also contributed 10 rebounds and six assists for the Celtics, who maintained their lead from start to finish in Game 3 and regained the home-court advantage relinquished after Miami’s Game 2 win in Boston. Kristaps Porzingis racked up 18 points, and Derrick White chipped in 16 for the Celtics.

The defensive prowess displayed by Boston and the оffеnꜱιυе struggles faced by Miami hadn’t been seen since Game 5 of the East finals on May 25, 2022, when the Celtics secured a 93-80 victory on the road, propelling them to that season’s NBA Finals. Since then, the Heat had consistently scored over 84 points in every game, while the Celtics had conceded more than 84 points in each game.

“That’s where we’re going to win games, on the defensive end,” emphasized Tatum.

Bam Adebayo led eighth-seeded Miami with 20 points, but the team remained without key starters Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier due to injuries. Nikola Jovic and Tyler Herro each contributed 15 points for the Heat, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. adding 12.

“They disrupted our game plan,” admitted Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “They were more physical, аɡɡгеꜱꜱivе, and controlled the game on both ends of the court.”

Boston has shown resilience throughout the season, particularly after losses. As the top seed in the playoffs, they rarely falter, often bouncing back with a win. They now boast a 15-4 record in games immediately following a loss this season, with an average margin of victory of 12.2 points.

“It’s all about mindset,” said Brown. “We focused on defense, aiming to unsettle them a bit… and that opened up opportunities for us.”

Boston never trailed in Game 1, securing a 114-94 victory, and replicated that dominance in Game 3, leading from the outset to notch their fifth win over Miami in six encounters this season. They established a 21-12 lead after the first quarter, setting the tone for a challenging night for the Heat.

Though Miami briefly showed signs of a comeback in the second quarter, cutting the deficit, Boston swiftly regained control, outscoring Miami 20-8 in the next 4 ½ minutes to establish a commanding 61-36 lead by halftime. The Celtics dominated every aspect of the game, with a 19-2 advantage in points off turnovers, a 26-12 lead in points in the paint, and a 27-15 rebounding advantage.

The lead ballooned to 29 points in the second half, with Miami unable to narrow the gap beyond 18 points after halftime.

“Right from the start, they were more аɡɡгеꜱꜱivе than us,” remarked Jovic. “That shouldn’t happen.”