Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Heat: Boston at Its Best When It Matters Most
The Boston Celtics improved to 2-0 to start the 2023-24 campaign, earning a 119-111 win over the Miami Heat in an Eastern Conference Finals rematch that had the feel of a playoff game.
Boston lacked offensive cohesion and activity for much of the night, but the hosts remained poise and were at their best in the final frame for the second-straight matchup.
Derrick White, who registered 28 points, matching Tyler Herro for a game-high, generated 14 of those in the fourth quarter, including staging an 8-0 run and scoring the Celtics' first nine points in the period.
One of the ways Boston applied the momentum that sparked was by locking in defensively, holding Miami to 23 points on 21.1 percent shooting in the last 12 minutes.
Now, a deep dive into a performance that wasn't always pretty and highlighted how far the Celtics have to go, especially offensively -- they're only two games into the season! -- but along with how talented this team is, demonstrated the intangibles required to finish the campaign as champions.
1. As expected, the Celtics stuck with the same starting five as their opening-night win against the New York Knicks, pairing Jrue Holiday and Derrick White in the backcourt with Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis in the frontcourt.
As written about repeatedly, those five taking the court for tip-off, with Al Horford in the sixth-man role, will be how Joe Mazzulla primarily utilizes his top six to begin games.
Like opening night, Horford came in at about the 7:00 mark. Expect that to be the norm throughout the season.
2. The Celtics fed into their early deficit, often rushing possessions, leading to misses early in the shot clock that fueled the Heat's transition attack. Miami's 12 points in the paint with 5:28 left in the first frame was a product of that.
3. Making his regular-season debut, Oshae Brissett helped the hosts trim their deficit to 28-25 entering the second quarter, twice extending a possession following a Brown missed free throw, leading to a Payton Pritchard three.
Shortly after that, he deflected a Tatum missed three, redirecting the ball to Horford, then forced a foul while crashing the glass on Horford's missed mid-range jumper. The former Syracuse Orange star then showcased his impact as a cutter, flashing baseline, gathering a feed from Tatum, and flushing it home.
Brissett ended the period with 2 points, three rebounds, and a plus-ten plus-minus rating in 5:02. That's how one earns minutes as a member of Boston's extended rotation.
4. The Celtics' defense was out of sync for much of the first half, often operating in scramble mode and not rotating to help when teammates got beat off the dribble.
A play that exemplified it came when no one helped on a Jimmy Butler drive as he came off a screen. White got bumped on that pick, freeing the Heat's star forward. And with the floor spread, Butler had plenty of runway to the basket. Porzingis was slow to rotate to get to him. Then, Brown didn't cover for the seven-foot-three center, resulting in a put-back by Bam Adebayo.
5. But the hosts kept the score close by capitalizing repeatedly on Tatum gathering the ball on the baseline, just in front of the three-point line, then muscling his way into the paint or spinning back baseline for two points at the rim. Jaime Jaquez Jr. was the defender the four-time All-Star often took advantage of.
6. Boston then finished the first half on a high note, picking up their play at both ends, including finally attacking downhill, with White getting to the basket before dishing to a cutting Holiday for an easy two. Brown then stepped in front of the inbounds pass and elevated above the cylinder for the flush.
7. The Celtics closed out the second quarter on a 17-6 run, entering the break leading 60-55. They generated 32 points in the paint to the Heat's 20. And while committing nine turnovers didn't help their cause, they manufactured 14 second-chance points to the visitors' seven.
While Adebayo led all scorers with 15 points and Tyler Herro contributed 14, Tatum paced the hosts with 14 while Brown chipped in 13.
8. Boston didn't build off that momentum in the third frame, though, struggling after halftime for the second-straight game. It's a problem that's plagued them for years.
There was a lack of continuity and activity offensively. Too often, it was finding a matchup it wanted to attack, then everyone watching whoever had the ball go one-on-one.
It led to getting outscored 33-27 in the period and starting the fourth quarter down 88-87.
9. Derrick White pumped life back into the Celtics and the TD Garden crowd, staging an 8-0 run, including burying a pair of threes, propelling the hosts to a 96-90 lead with 9:27 remaining.
10. Showing their poise in the final frame again, Boston's offense was at its best in the last 12 minutes. After White's barrage, there was a concerted effort to attack downhill, including ten points in the paint and Brown utilizing his height advantage over Kyle Lowry.
The Celtics also drilled 5/9 threes, and with Brown registering 12 of his 27 points in the final 12 minutes and White producing 14 of his 28 and thwarting a breakaway dunk attempt by Butler, Boston gutted out a 119-111 win over the Heat in its home opener, improving to 2-0 to start the season.
Further Reading
Kristaps Porzingis Gives Glimpse of How He'll Boost Celtics Late-Game Offense
Jaylen Brown Teams with Johnny Cupcakes to Give Back to Boston
Rajon Rondo Latest Former Celtic to Spend Time with C's
Celtics Embracing Sacrifice in Championship Pursuit: 'Have to Buy into That'
Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present
