The Warmth placed on a clinic within the third quarter of Tuesday’s 118-107 win towards the Celtics in Recreation 1 of the Jap Convention Finals, and in accordance with Ime Udoka, his star gamers let the sport “get away” from them.
After the sport, the Celtics coach positioned blame on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for Miami’s takeover within the second half, which noticed the Warmth go on a 22-2 run.
“Having Marcus [Smart] and Al [Horford] might need helped as a result of they settle us down, nevertheless it wasn’t actually simply that,” Udoka mentioned. “And it wasn’t our younger guys, Payton [Pritchard] and Aaron [Nesmith]. Nevertheless it was our veterans Jayson and Jaylen who let it get away from us.”
Good was already listed as questionable for Recreation 1 after struggling a mid-foot sprain in Sunday’s Recreation 7 towards the Bucks within the earlier spherical. Good underwent an MRI on Monday on his proper foot and the imaging returned clear, per ESPN.
Nevertheless it was Horford’s absence that got here as a shock when the Boston huge man was dominated out Tuesday afternoon after being positioned within the league’s well being and security protocols. It’s attainable that protocols may preserve Horford out for a number of video games.
Tatum scored 29 for the Celtics, and Brown added 24, to go along with 18 apiece from Robert Williams III and Payton Pritchard, who performed key roles in Recreation 1 with a restricted roster.
The Warmth took a 62-54 lead into halftime. Miami got here out swinging within the third quarter and outscored the Celtics, 39-14. Boston didn’t have a subject aim within the first six minutes of the second half — the slowest begin to a half in any of the Celtics’ 94 video games this season, in accordance with ESPN.
Throughout Boston’s dismal third quarter, Williams and Udoka had an obvious heated alternate on the bench, when Williams advised the coach to “transfer on.“
After the sport, Tatum took duty for the Celtics’ struggles down the stretch.
“I’ll take the blame for that. I’ve acquired to guide higher,” mentioned Tatum, who had seven turnovers in Recreation 1. “I’ve acquired to play higher. Particularly in these moments.”
Tatum scored simply eight of his 29 factors within the second half. Brown additionally missed various prime shot alternatives, together with free throws, to maintain Boston alive in Recreation 1.
“[We] acquired out-toughed, out-physicaled,” Udoka mentioned when requested what occurred within the third quarter. “They regarded like they got here out within the second half and needed to up their physicality and aggression on each ends, and so they did that. I don’t suppose we clearly responded properly on both finish of the ground. We had eight of our 16 turnovers in that quarter. Performed within the crowd on offense, acquired sped up. After which defensively – offensive rebounds, getting muscled round within the publish. Some poor fouls acquired them to the free-throw line.”
Udoka has proved all through Boston’s postseason run that he could make changes on the fly. He'll try to do this Thursday, when Recreation 2 will get suggestions off in Miami.
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