BOSTON — Miami promised more threes and in 3.5 quarters on Wednesday delivered the Celtics as many makes as Boston poured on them through all of Sunday afternoon. Caleb Martin’s fifth three on sixth tries brought back memories of last year, slamming the door shut on Boston’s comeback attempt and reminding everyone that the Heat won’t go down easily in this series — even without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier.
The Heat pulled within one three of setting a franchise record for makes from deep in a shocker, coming back with a different approach that Joe Mazzulla warned about at practice on Tuesday that still seemed to catch Boston off-guard. Miami won, 111-101, tying the first round series many predicted would become a sweep as it turns to Florida Saturday.
They forecasted shooting more freely and their effort to reduce the number Boston took after allowing 45% three-point shooting on 49 Celtics attempts. Erik Spoelstra said they wouldn’t shoot 50 and they wouldn’t hold Boston to 25, but they nearly did both. Miami launched 15 of its 19 first quarter shot attempts from deep and watched eight of them fall, matching a feat they only pulled off once earlier in the season. The Celtics started 2-for-8, winning the shot margin overall 23-19, enough to stay within one point between quarters.
Jayson Tatum scored 10 points in five minutes to open the frame, starting 4-for-5 from the field, including a drive through Heat traffic, a three from the right wing and an alley-oop. He finished with 28 points on 10-for-20 shooting, though only posting three assists after his triple-double on Sunday. Boston narrowly won the shot margin, offensive rebounding battle and took more free throws — 21-18. The Celtics missed six of them, diminishing that advantage.
Kevin Love laid a hard hit on Al Horford to begin the second, recalling some of the noted physicality from Game 1. The teams played evenly form the free throw line in the first, Boston built a 2-0 advantage on the offensive boards and as the Heat clearly hedged higher on defense to prevent threes, Derrick White and others ducked under the defense to create looks closer to the rim. Horford and Sam Hauser fed each other for threes early in the second to build a small lead, 40-35, after Horford and Brown dove for a long Tatum miss.
The Heat regained an advantage later in the half, Martin pouring in their 10th and 11th makes with four minutes remaining, leading 45-44, just short of their season-high for makes in a half. Martin received boos throughout the game following his foul on Tatum late in Game 1. The Heat repeatedly showed bodies against Kristaps Porzingis in the lane, piling up fouls and banging the big man around in a half where he only posted four points. He committed his third foul with two minutes left, stepping out of the game before Brown drained back-to-back threes and stole the ball from Nikola Jovic to pour in one more layup. Boston led 61-58 at half.
The Heat shot ahead 12-6 into the third, forcing an early Mazzulla timeout as Boston continued to yield open three-point looks. Martin and Herro added two more threes, and Adebayo flushed a pair of dunks. Miami extended its run to take an 80-70 lead when Jrue Holiday took and missed a three immediately after his steal, then Derrick White threw a pass away to Jovic, who led Martin in transition for a layup that capped a 22-9 run.
Porzingis fell to 1-for-9 and exited the game in favor of Horford, who spaced while Tatum moved into the pocket to attack Robinson. He cut away from Horford and spun past Robinson for a pair of dunks, but met some physicality inside that forced a pair of misses.
The Celtics answered their three minute drought with a 7-0 run, but still trailed 85-79 entering the final frame as Holiday and Tatum complained about a no-call on the latter’s drive. He missed 3-of-4 shots between the third and the fourth, then botched a pair of free throws at the line.
Adebayo hit three mid-rangers in a row to spark a run that White matched with six straight points before Haywood Highsmith and Jaquez buried the 21st and 22nd threes of the night. Martin delivered the 23rd, finishing 5-of-6 from three as one of three Heat players to reach 20 points.
Boston and Miami continue the series at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
