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Jayson Tatum got two shots at the win on Tuesday night. The Celtics could’ve cleaned up the fourth quarter with a double digit lead first. Instead, Tatum played the ball in a 106-106 game after Jimmy Butler’s three-pointer. Tatum missed a spot-up of his own.
Butler scored at the end of overtime again through Tatum, giving the Heat a lead that the Celtics had 12 seconds to overcome. Tatum blew by Butler off the dribble, reached the rim to dunk and met Adebayo’s hand there. Brad Stevens and Tatum agreed after the game that both looks were good, but the Celtics’ collapse loomed large in the post game reaction.
Scroll below for reaction from CLNS Media’s post game coverage team and the Celtics and Raptors.
The Garden Report —
Celtics Blow Game 1 vs Heat, Fall 117-114 in OT
The Boston Celtics took down the Toronto Raptors 111-89 in Game 5 on Monday night, commanding a 3-2 series lead. Jaylen Brown stole the show with 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including a highlight-reel dunk in the first quarter that set the tone for the Celtics. Boston played with more pace, aggressiveness and energy than Toronto from beginning to end, always boasting a comfortable double-digit lead.
Kemba Walker’s Struggles Continue Against Heat
The Boston Celtics fell in overtime to the Miami Heat, 117-114, in Game 1. Kemba Walker struggled, scoring 19 points on an inefficient 6-of-19 from the floor. He’s yet to find his offensive rhythm this postseason, and the Celtics couldn’t overcome it in Game 1. The All-Star point guard had a -4 rating and mishandled the ball on a number of occasions.
Game 1 Post Game Show
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Twitter reaction:
Press Conferences —
Boston Celtics
Brad Stevens:
Stevens supported Jayson Tatum’s shots to end the fourth quarter and overtime after the Celtics lost Game 1 to the Miami Heat. Tatum heaved a long three that missed front rim tied at 106-106 after draining the final 22 seconds of regulation. Down two in overtime, he met Bam Adebayo at the rim with five seconds left and got blocked after blowing by Butler. Stevens said he trusts Tatum as the go-to guy in crunch time.
Kemba Walker:
Walker discussed his performance in a Game 1 loss to the Heat for the Celtics. He only hit 1 three-pointer for the fifth game in a row and finished 6-for-19 from the field.
Marcus Smart:
Smart started hot again and thrived throughout Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals until, like the entire Celtics, crunch time. Smart said the team got out of their element in the final minutes and need to fix their execution late in games. Smart finished 9-for-18 with 26 points.
Jayson Tatum:
Tatum said he liked both looks to finish the fourth quarter and overtime in Game 1 against the Heat and both ultimately missed as the Celtics dropped the series opener. Tatum scored 30 points on 10-for-24 shooting with 14 rebounds and five assists before Bam Adebayo blocked him with the Celtics down two to end overtime.
Miami Heat
Erik Spoelstra:
Spoelstra discussed Jimmy Butler’s late plays to beat the Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and Bam Adebayo’s iconic block that followed to cap overtime.
Jimmy Butler:
Butler hit the game-winning shot through Jayson Tatum, but put the attention on Bam Adebayo’s block that followed as the most important play of the game. Butler said anyone on the Heat can step into his shoes for critical shots. He finished the Heat’s Game 1 win with 20 points, five assists and five rebounds on 7-of-14 shooting.
Bam Adebayo:
Adebayo blocked Jayson Tatum at the rim to seal a Game 1 win for the Heat after trailing the Celtics by 14 in the fourth quarter. Magic Johnson called it the greatest defensive play he’d ever seen in the NBA Playoffs and Adebayo agreed that it is the greatest play of his career. Adebayo scored 18 points with nine assists, six rebounds and two blocks.
Jae Crowder:
Crowder battered his old team with 22 points, five rebounds and two blocks including one on Kemba Walker with 38 seconds remaining in regulation at the basket. The Heat rode his and other contributions to a Game 1 win, which Crowder discussed after.
Goran Dragic:
Dragic spoke about the Heat’s Game 1 win over the Celtics and Bam Adebayo’s game-winning block on Jayson Tatum. Dragic scored 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists in the win.
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