The NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals are in the third game, after the Heat led the Celtics 2-0 on the road in the previous two games, which is even more unfavorable for the Celtics, and the next two Celtics will go to the road. After the first two games, the Celtics made a starting lineup adjustment, replacing Lowe with White and starting with Tatum, Brown, Horford and Smart, while the Heat's starting lineup remained the same, Butler, Love, Strus, Vincent and Adebayo.
In the first quarter, the Heat started not with Butler, but with Love, scoring five points in a row, while the Celtics had to rely on Tatum and Brown, who contracted the first nine points of the Green Army's start. From the beginning of the game, the unmasked Brown has regained his touch, using mid-range shots to score in succession, shooting 4-of-6 in the half-quarter. It is worth noting that Love seemed to twist his foot in the first quarter, and after the first timeout, he went straight back to the dressing room.
The Heat found their hands on the outside and played as a team, Martin, Vincent and Strus each made three-pointers, and Adebayo caused a foul on the basket and scored through the free throw, and the Heat overtook the score. After the Green Army timeout, the Heat sacrificed the joint defense, and the first round was scored by Horford basket, but then the Green Army offensive power out, outside three-point also iron, Tatum and Brogdon shot missed, the Heat did not give him a chance, Martin first made a three-point shot, then converted the offensive layup to score, the Heat led the Celtics 30-22 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Heat role players stepped up, Dunroe and Adebayo scored consecutive small layups, Vincent mid-range and three-point shots, and the Heat quickly stretched the gap to more than 10 points. The Green Army's offense was still too simple, with Tatum and Smart trying to try three-point shots, but they missed.
After the Green Army timeout, there was still not much change at both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, Adebayo singled Brown to shake Brown to complete the dunk, Dunroe hit a three-point shot in the bottom corner, Butler caused Lowe to shoot a foul, both free throws, the point difference was stretched to 20 points! The Green Army was then pressed and beaten, and Gwee defended Butler in the first round, and was beaten to two and one, but Butler missed a free throw. The Heat led the Green 61-46 at the end of the first half.
From the performance of the first half, the Green Army's change of formation did not have an effect, and the offensive end did not play the advantage of the small lineup, but reduced the defensive intensity, and some gains outweighed the losses, while Tatum and Brown felt cold in the second quarter and could not find offensive status. Instead, the Heat erupted en masse, with Martin, Dunroe and Vincent all scoring more than 10 points.
In the third quarter of the game, Butler, who had enough in the first half, began to play, and the first shot faced White's defense to play two plus one, the Green Army increased the inside impact, Smart and Brown scored inside, but the outside opportunities were given to Horford, obviously not a good choice, Horford's two outside shots, the first three-point three-pointer, the second still iron. And the Heat's Strus hit a solid three-pointer, Adebayo made an empty dunk, Vincent countered and hit a three-pointer, and the Heat were 13-2, and the point difference was stretched to 23 points.
After the Green Army timeout, Vincent and Martin continued to shoot, three points and Tatum outside three points still no, and there was a mistake, was tackled by Martin, assisted by the undefended Strus easy layup, the score was pulled to 27 points. Then the Green Army shot from the outside, but did not shoot in succession, and was directly beaten, and the Heat led the Celtics 93-63 at the end of the third quarter.
There was no suspense in the fourth quarter, and the Heat finally beat the Celtics at home to lead the series 3-0.
Player data from both sides in this match
Heat: Vincent 29 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, Butler 16 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, Adebayo 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, Strus 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal, Love 5 points and 2 rebounds, Martin 18 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists.
Celtics: Tatum 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, Brown 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, White 9 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, Smart 8 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists, Horford 8 points, Lowe 8 points and 8 rebounds.