Celtics drop Game 1 in OT to Miami, 117-114

There was no easing into this.

The Celtics, in a game where neither side had breathing room, dropped Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals to Miami with last night’s 117-114 overtime loss.

Jayson Tatum finished with 30 points, but was blocked by Bam Adebayo on a drive with 5 seconds left. Jimmy Butler had just given Miami the lead with a three-point play, also at Tatum’s expense.

Jimmy Butler’s three-point play — courtesy of a drive on Tatum — gave the Heat a 116-114 lead with 12 seconds left.

Tatum, isolated at the top, drove the lane for a dunk and was met at the rim by Adebayo, and quite possibly the most dynamic block of the playoffs. Fouled, the Heat center missed the first of two free throws.

Tatum then bounced his desperation 3-point attempt off the rim.

Tatum opened overtime with a pair of free throws, and the Celtics had pushed their lead to 110-106 when Daniel Theis fouled out. The center was replaced by Brad Wanamaker, leaving Tatum as the tallest Celtic on the floor.

Jaylen Brown was stripped during a drive, and with 3:04 left Jae Crowder took the lead back with a 3-pointer. Adebayo extended the run to 7-0 and the lead to 113-110, before Brown dunked with 1:48 left.

A rash of empty possessions ensued until, with 23.2 seconds left, Kemba Walker hit a step-back 17-footer for a thin 114-113 Celtics lead.

The Celtics came out of a timeout with Grant Williams at center, and Butler, isolated on Tatum, drove for the layup, drew the foul, and with 12 seconds left hit the free throw for a 116-114 Miami lead.

Butler’s right corner 3-pointer with 22 seconds left in regulation gave Miami a 106-105 lead. The play was set up when Walker got trapped and was blocked by Crowder.

Smart drew a foul on Derrick Jones Jr. before the ball was inbounded — Tatum hit the rewarded free throw for a 106-106 tie — and Tatum front-rimmed his 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

Jaylen Brown’s 15-footer gave the Celtics a 99-93 lead with 15 minutes left, but was immediately trimmed by a pair of Goran Dragic free throws.

Empty possessions in both ends followed before, with 3:36 left, Walker was fouled by Tyler Herro and hit twice for a 101-95 lead.

Herro hit an up-top 3 that cut the lead to three points, but Tatum fed Theis down the other end. Adebayo drew a foul wrestling with Theis for a rebound, hit twice and cut the Celtics lead to three points with 2:32 left.

Tatum missed badly from deep, Butler missed under pressure from Smart, and though Tatum missed again, Brown rebounded.

The result was a Walker jumper, only for Herro to answer, cutting the Celtics lead to 105-103.

Walker got trapped and lost the ball in a shot clock violation, Crowder blocking the point guard’s shot, and with 22 seconds left Butler hit a bomb from the right corner.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3mrVwS8