Celtics vs. Warmth Recreation 3 turns into early NBA playoffs strain level – USA TODAY

Don’t overreact to Boston’s 111-101 Game 2 loss to the Miami Warmth of their Jap Convention first-round sequence.
Let’s not underreact, both.
It was a foul loss. The East’s No. 1 seed that gained a league-best 64 video games and is enjoying the No. 8 seed that was barely over .500 through the common season and is with out its greatest participant (Jimmy Butler) and one other sturdy scorer (Terry Rozier) shouldn’t lose Recreation 2 at house.
However the Celtics did. It occurs. No matter whom is on the court docket for the Warmth, final I checked, they’re nonetheless paid professionals and among the many greatest basketball gamers on this planet with a excessive diploma of aggressive delight that motivates them.
Miami’s Erik Spoelstra is arguably the very best coach within the NBA. Heart Bam Adebayo is a finalist for defensive participant of the 12 months. The roster is stuffed with gamers who’ve deep playoffs expertise, together with final season’s run to the NBA Finals. They aren’t the Washington Generals.
However the Warmth additionally wanted to make a playoff franchise-record 23 3-pointers and shoot a smoking 53.5% on 3s to beat the Celtics by 10. It’s laborious to win a sport when the opponent makes that many 3s at that proportion.
So after caring for enterprise in Recreation 1, the Celtics slipped in Recreation 2. What issues greater than the Recreation 2 loss is what occurs in Recreation 3 on Saturday in Miami (6 p.m. ET, TNT).
By probably the most significant measures – wins and losses, offensive and defensive effectivity – the Celtics are a greater workforce this season than final, and the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Vacation helped make that potential. Jayson Tatum is headed for an additional All-NBA choice, and Jaylen Brown is an All-Star.
The Warmth play nicely in opposition to the Celtics within the playoffs, going 12-10 since 2019. Whereas 23 made 3s will not be a sustainable system for achievement every sport, the Warmth have made 14 or extra 3s 9 instances in playoff video games in opposition to Boston.
However that is extra about how the Celtics reply and the way they carry out higher offensively and defensively. They want higher ball motion and execution whereas not letting Adebayo have such a defensive affect. And so they can’t permit Tyler Herro (and the pick-and-roll with Adebayo) to dominate like he did, accounting for 62 of Miami’s factors. He scored 24 and his 14 assists created 38 points.
For comparability within the West, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder did their job, caring for the eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans 124-92 in Game 2 after a down-to-the-wire Recreation 1.
The Celtics have to win Recreation 3. Boston’s playoff problem got here sooner than anticipated in opposition to the shorthanded Warmth, and maybe the Celtics profit from this second.
Which means they will’t afford to fall behind 2-1 within the sequence and let even the smallest little bit of concern creep in in opposition to Miami, which beat the Celtics within the convention finals final season, successful Recreation 7 in Boston.
The Celtics don’t need that stress within the first spherical.
Observe NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

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