The NBA playoffs are always intense, and every game is a thrilling battle. In the just-concluded G2 contest between the Celtics and the Heat, the Heat defeated their opponents with a score of 111:101 and tied the series at 1-1. This game is undoubtedly a masterpiece of "following the gram", which makes people admire the tenacious will of the Heat.
What will be more interesting, though, is how the two star players of the Green Army performed in this game? Tatum played well but Porzingis was in a slump, how would this affect the team?
We want to applaud the Heat for their excellent play in this game. In the absence of Butler, they still showed a rare toughness.
Judging from the trend of the whole game, the Heat took the initiative from the beginning. In the first quarter, they hit eight three-pointers to lead by one point in the quarter. Such an excellent start undoubtedly injected a strong impetus into the atmosphere of the audience.
And in the ensuing game, although the Green Army also had many wonderful moments, the Heat always maintained a stable lead. Martin's explosiveness on the offensive end was indispensable, he contributed 21 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal in a single game, and the overtime win-loss value was as high as +15. It can be said that it was Martin's key play that made the Heat finally defeat their opponents with a solid momentum.
Heat coach Spoelstra was full of praise: "Martin's performance without Butler was really good. Not only was he consistent on the offensive end, but he also helped us a lot on the defensive end. It was with the unity and cooperation of the whole team that we were able to defeat the opponent and show such toughness. "
It can be said that this game fully demonstrated the resilience and fighting spirit of the Heat team. Although they were not able to settle down, they were always able to stand up at critical moments and take the initiative to take over the burden. Such courage and decisiveness are also sincerely admired.
Unlike the Heat's bravery, the Celtics' performance in this game was a little regrettable. Although Tatum played very well, scoring 28 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in a single game, Porzingis' sluggish performance is indeed a problem that cannot be ignored.
According to statistics, Porzingis only had 6 points and 8 rebounds in this game, and his shooting percentage was even lower to only 1/9. It can be said that such a performance is really unacceptable for a team that is a favorite to win the championship.
In this regard, the Celtic coach believed: "Porzingis' slump has really affected our performance in this game. As a title favourite, each of us needs to contribute to the team. But Porzingis' performance today was really disappointing and we hope that he can find his form as soon as possible in the next games and help the team more. "
Porzingis' sluggish performance not only disappointed the fans, but also allowed the opponent to take advantage of it. The Heat kept an eye on Tatum and forced others to take over, but unfortunately, Porzingis didn't inject more momentum into the team. Such a situation has to worry about the prospects of the Celtics in this series. However, we also have to see that in addition to Porzingis, the other players of Celtic have also played well.
Tatum's performance was remarkable, scoring 28 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in a single game, fully showing his all-round outstanding ability. And Jaylen Brown also performed well on both offensive and defensive ends, contributing 33 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in a single game.
Mazzulla also spoke highly of the performance of these two star players: "Tatum and Brown have performed remarkably, and they have fully demonstrated their value. We hope that in the next games, the other players will be able to play at the same level and help the team more. "
It can be said that although the Celtics failed to win this game, the performances of Tatum and Brown undoubtedly brought a lot of comfort to the fans. Their excellent play also makes people look forward to the prospects of the Celtics in this series.
I think that in addition to the slump in Porzingis, there are some problems with the defense of the whole team.
Judging from the statistics of the whole game, the Heat hit 8 three-pointers in a single quarter, and such an outstanding performance is undoubtedly a highlight of the game. And this also shows that the Celtics are not fully in place on the defensive end, allowing the Heat to succeed on the outside.
Mazzulla also admitted after the game: "We did have some problems on the defensive end, which led to the Heat's excellent performance on the outside. We need to give it our all to improve our defensive performance in the next games to win the game. "
It can be said that although the Green Army has had a lot of excellent performances on the offensive end, the holes on the defensive end have undoubtedly won the initiative for the Heat to win. This is also where Celtic need to focus on improving.
This G2 contest is undoubtedly a fantastic one. The Heat still showed tenacious fighting spirit without Butler, and finally defeated the opponent 111-101 with the excellent play of Martin and other players.
For the Celtics, Tatum and Brown's performances are undoubtedly a bright spot, but Porzingis' slump and leaky defense have become the main reasons for the team's loss.