Reaction to Heat vs. Celtics: Game 1

Everyone knew coming into the series that this was going to be a dogfight. The Boston Celtics threw the first punch and had a double-digit lead to start the game. Instead of putting their heads down, the Miami Heat kept fighting. They overcame a 13 point deficit in the first period and a 14-point deficit in the fourth period. In the end, they escaped with a 117-114 victory in overtime thanks to clutch plays by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. With the win, Miami now holds a one-game lead in the series.

Here are my takeaways from Tuesday’s victory over the Celtics.

Butler Comes Through in the Clutch

Butler was quiet for the first three-quarters of the game. However, he came through when it mattered the most. Butler hit a clutch three-pointer late in the fourth quarter to give Miami the lead and then got a three-point play to win it for the Heat in overtime. This is why they call him playoff Jimmy, because of clutch moments like these.

pic.twitter.com/nzLJuLeCIT

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 16, 2020

Jimmy Butler is unbelievable. AND ONE. https://t.co/23pNtGP386

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 16, 2020

Butler finished with 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

Adebayo’s Game-Saving Block

Adebayo arguably had the biggest play of the night. Jayson Tatum tried to tie the game with a dunk, but Adebayo met him at the rim with an epic block. It was a block that set the Twitter world on fire, with some comparing it to the biggest blocks in playoff history. Regardless, it is plays like these that show why Adebayo deserved to make one of the All-Defense teams. Even when his offensive struggles at times, Bam can still make an impact on the game.

THIS ANGLE 🤩@Bam1of1 with the GAME-SAVING BLOCK for the @MiamiHEAT! #PhantomCam

Game 2: Thurs. – 7pm/et, ESPN pic.twitter.com/Z3K6xhvKFb

— NBA (@NBA) September 16, 2020

Adebayo finished with 18 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and two blocks.

Goran Dragic Keeps the Heat Afloat

As he’s done many times this postseason, Goran Dragic kept the Heat in the game. The point guard kept breaking down Boston’s defense, hitting a variety of shots in the paint. Dragic’s aggressiveness helped spark a big 12-2 run in the second period that help Miami claim their first lead of the game. Whether it was inside or outside, Boston had no answer for him.

Dragic finished the night with 29 points on 11-19 shooting and added seven rebounds.

Heat Back in Zone

Coming into the series, the question was how Miami would defend Boston’s perimeter players. Boston has multiple guys that can create their own shot. However, their offense has looked out of sorts because of zone defense in their series against Toronto. Seeing how effective the zone was in the previous series, Miami went with the 2-3 matchup zone. The zone was successful for the most part because the Celtics were intent on beating their matchups.