After grabbing Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Miami was eager to do the same in Game 2. And that's exactly what they did. The Celtics held a 13 point lead at the half, but that quickly dissolved in the third quarter, as Bam Adebayo had 15 points and the Heat outscored Boston by 20. The C's were unable to come back and slipped away from a chance of leveling the series.
Game 3 started off with 4 three-pointers by Duncan Robinson, which was in contrast with his performance last time out. Although, in the second quarter, he didn't have any points. The pace was picked up by Tyler Herro, who, coming off of the bench, was leading Miami in scoring in the second quarter. The beginning of the second half saw Bam Adebayo excel with 15 points at a 7/8 clip. If it wasn't for a mediocre performance in the first half, he would've been the team's leading scorer. But the man of the night was Goran Dragic, who was consistent the entire game. His point total is the only thing that pops out of the statline, but his presence itself was good enough for the Heat to grab the W.
The Celtics also put up a good fight. Their big three of Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum all had over 20 points. This was a very good match for Kemba, as his performance in the first game was more than disappointing. This time out, though, he led Boston in scoring at an efficient 9/19 shooting. The former "7/11" duo, also had themselves 21 points each. Overall, scoring-wise, Boston was the better tea, but it was their turnovers that held them back. They had a turnover % of 19.5, while Miami's was less than half, only 8.6%.
Boston also seems to be having chemistry problems this year, which may result in a fall in their chances to make the Finals. Reports state that clanging noises could be heard from the locker room and that Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart had to be separated after the game. The situation quickly diffused, and the Celtics seem to be back on both feet as of now. Will they be able to step up to the challenge or will defeat become inevitable for this team?
Comments