Takeaways From The Miami Heat's Victory Tuesday Against Boston Celtics
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Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo proved he could shine on his own.
With the Heat without Jimmy Butler, Adebayo had his sixth double-double of the season to lead them to victory against the Boston Celtics Tuesday. The win allowed the Heat to tie the season series at 2.
Here are some major takeaways from the game:
-Adebayo had arguably one of the best games of his career. He finished with 30 points and 15 rebounds, his sixth 30-point double-double this season. The most important shot was a late turnaround jumper over Grant Williams that put the Heat up for good. After being criticized for his lack of offense, Adebayo has shown he can score the ball this season.
-With Butler sidelined because of back soreness, Max Strus got his 25th start of the season. He scored all 13 of his points in the first quarter. Strus is averaging 14 points as a starter compared to 10 points as a reserve.
-Jayson Tatum kept his name in the MVP conversation with 31 points and 14 rebounds. He kept the Celtics close despite Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Al Horford and Malcolm Brogdon sitting out. Tatum has 19 double-doubles this season.
-It's been the norm for Kyle Lowry to struggle but was out of character for Tyler Herro. The two combined for just 11 points. Herro, who finished with nine points, was held to single-digits for the fifth time this season.
-With Herro and Lowry off their game, Haywood Highsmith stepped up. He led the bench with 15 points and 10 rebounds, his second double-double this season. He also tied his career-high with four 3-pointers.
Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson. You can also check out his personal blog: https://substack.com/profile/114079068-cory-nelson?utm_source=account-card
