The Boston Celtics kicked off their pursuit of the franchise’s 18th championship in impressive fashion on Sunday, hosting the Miami Heat at TD GardenJayson Tatum shone brightly on the court, achieving his inaugural playoff triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. His exceptional performance was instrumental in propelling the Boston Celtics to a decisive 114-94 triumph over the Miami Heat in the inaugural game of their first-round playoff series.
Contributing to the Celtics’ success, Derrick White chipped in 20 points and four assists, with six players from Boston reaching double-digit scoring figures.
Last season, Miami dashed the Celtics’ hopes of reaching the NBA Finals by clinching victory in the conference finals. Yet, the Boston Celtics capitalized on the fervor of the TD Garden crowd, sinking 22 3-pointers and outpacing the Heat with a dominant 31-14 performance in the third quarter. The Celtics surged ahead, leading by as much as 34 points in the final quarter. Although Miami mounted a late comeback to narrow the gap to 14 points, Boston maintained control to secure the win.
Including the regular season, Boston boasts an impressive 38-4 record at home and has emerged victorious in its last four encounters with the Heat.
Despite missing star Jimmy Butler due to a right knee injury sustained during the play-in round, the Miami Heat put up a valiant effort, with Bam Adebayo leading the charge with 24 points. Terry Rozier and Delon Wright remained sidelined with neck and injury issues, respectively, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributed 16 points and Wright added 17. Game 2 is slated to take place in Boston on Wednesday.
Tensions escalated in the final minute as Caleb Martin collided with Jayson Tatum during a rebound attempt, resulting in a hard fall for Tatum. This incident led to a heated exchange between Martin and Jaylen Brown, culminating in a brief scuffle and double technical fouls issued to both players.
Although the Celtics were without reserve big man Luke Kornet due to a right calf strain suffered in practice on Saturday, their bench players stepped up admirably, combining for 30 points. The absence of Jimmy Butler significantly altered the dynamics of Sunday’s game, as his postseason heroics played a pivotal role in Miami’s journey to the NBA Finals last year.
Boston maintained its dominance over the Heat this season, winning all three regular-season matchups, including a convincing 33-point victory in Miami.