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If Game 1 was any indication, the first Eastern Conference final to lack a No. 1 or 2 seed will not be without emotion. The Miami Heat beat the Boston Celtics 117-114 in overtime on Tuesday to kick off the historic best-of-seven trend.
The teams will look to bring a similar energy when Game 2 kicks off Thursday night in the NBA bubble near Orlando.
Game 1 featured a 14-point comeback for the Heat in the fourth quarter before Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo were the heroes in overtime.
Butler completed the game-winning three-point play with 12 seconds remaining, but it was Adebayo’s block to deny Jayson Tatum a chance to tie with 3.7 seconds left that drew the most attention after the game. It didn’t hurt that Magic Johnson tweeted that it was the best defensive play he’d seen in the playoffs.
“I agree with (Magic),” Butler said. “I really would. I think what Bam did to save that game and make sure we won it by putting his body on the line is really a great play. “
“No. 1,” Adebayo said, ranking the play among the highlights of his three-year career. “Playoffs, I play on the line – No. 1 game.”
Adebayo’s effort helped Miami secure its ninth win in 10 playoff games. Meanwhile, the loss has Boston trailing for the first time in a series in these playoffs.
“It was a great game, two great teams playing very hard,” Celtics guard Marcus Smart said. “They got the plays they needed that mattered. They did their job and it’s up to us to get back in Game 2 and do ours. “
Smart continued his strong playoffs with 26 points in the loss, but it wasn’t enough to make up for another poor performance by All-Star point guard Kemba Walker. Walker needed 19 shots to reach 19 points on the night, his third straight game failing to reach 20 points while shooting worse than 32 percent. It was 1 of 9 from 3 point range.
“I’m playing terrible, to be honest,” Walker said. “I can’t say much, but I have to be better. I have to do better for this team on both sides of the court. I have to make better decisions. I just have to shoot generally. “
Likewise, the Celtics will look to improve their defense late in the game after being outscored 35-23 in the fourth quarter. Boston held Miami to 16 points, the lowest in the playoffs, in the third.
“That’s what the playoffs are: making adjustments,” said Tatum, who had 30 points and 14 rebounds.
For the Heat, not only Butler and Adebayo delivered in Game 1. Goran Dragic scored a team-high 29 points and Jae Crowder added 22 against his former team, but perhaps the most important performance was from rookie guard Tyler Herro. who fell one assist away from his first career triple-double (12 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists) in 40 minutes from the bench.
“He was out there playing,” Butler said. “It’s comfortable. Have confidence. We keep telling him to be that way, no matter what game we are in. We need you to play that way. He has been preparing for this moment throughout the year. There is nothing we are not comfortable with him doing. ” Reuters
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