The Miami Heat beat the Indiana Pacers, stunned the Milwaukee Bucks and, in the opening game of the Eastern Conference final, made a comeback against the Boston Celtics. Miami started the series at the wrong end with an 8-0 run and got around 13 points in the first quarter, completely disrupting the offense. It hung around, though, and finally survived a clutch game after a brilliant, game-winning block by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in overtime with a 117-114 win.
Butler attacked the basket against Jason Tatum and scored with his outstretched arms, failing in the process and giving Miami a two-point lead with a 12-second save. On the next possession, Tatum yelled at Butler and erupted, but Adebayo found him on the rim and kicked the ball out. Tatam then missed the 3-pointer of despair at Buzzer.
With 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Butler hit a corner 3 to give the Heat a one-point lead, but, after a break, Derrick Jones Jr. gave the ball the wrong advice before entering the Celtics. Given. In overtime, Kamba Walker hit a jumper with a step remaining 23.2 seconds, but then Butler and Adebayo saved the day for Miami.
Butler finished with 20 points on a 7-for-14 shootout, but Heat’s most important offensive player was Golan Dragick, who had 29 points on an 11-19 shootout. Miami beat Boston 35-35 in the final frame and 11-8 in overtime.
Tatum scored 30 points on a 10-for-24 shoot and Marcus Smart added 26 points on a 9-for-18 shoot, but Kemba Walker took 6 for his score of 19. Miami beat Walker 2-. Tried to get out of rhythm by adding, trapping and switching 3 zones. This time, it worked pretty well.
Game 2 airs Thursday at 7 p.m.
Sally Morgan is a contributor at Sproutwired.com, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Sally is committed to presenting stories in an accessible and engaging way, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and issues that matter to everyday readers across Australia and beyond.
