Jimmy Butler, Heat topple Celtics to steal Game 1 of ECF

Jimmy Butler performed a stable all-around recreation with 35 factors, seven assists, six steals and 5 rebounds to steer the Miami Heat to a 123-116 victory over the host Boston Celtics on Wednesday night time in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Bam Adebayo recorded 20 factors, eight rebounds and 5 assists because the Heat recovered from a 13-point, second-quarter deficit. Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent all scored 15 factors apiece for Miami.

Jayson Tatum had 30 factors and 7 rebounds and Jaylen Brown added 22 factors, 9 rebounds and 5 assists for Boston. Malcolm Brogdon scored 19 factors, Robert Williams III had 14 factors and 7 rebounds and Marcus Smart registered 13 factors and 11 assists for the Celtics.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven sequence is Friday night time in Boston.

The Heat led 114-105 after Butler’s basket with 5:33 remaining earlier than the Celtics scored the subsequent 5 factors. Martin halted a Miami scoring drought of three:23 by burying a 3-pointer to make it 117-110 with 2:10 to go.

Butler then made a 3-pointer that went out and in and again in to make it a 10-point recreation with 1:03 left and the Heat closed it out.

Miami shot 54.1 p.c from the sphere, together with 16 of 31 from 3-point vary.

Boston made 51.9 p.c of its photographs and was 10 of 29 from behind the arc. Derrick White added 11 factors for the Celtics.

Miami trailed 66-57 at halftime earlier than outscoring Boston 46-25 within the third quarter to take a 12-point benefit.

The Celtics led 71-59 after Smart’s 3-pointer 65 seconds into the interval earlier than the Heat’s explosion started.

Miami used a 13-1 burst to tie the rating. The Heat later went on an 10-2 push to maneuver forward 86-80 on a 3-pointer by Strus with 4:25 left within the interval.

Butler’s 3-pointer made it 95-87 with 1:56 left and Strus capped the quarter’s 17-of-26 taking pictures efficiency with a 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds remaining as Miami took a 103-91 lead into the ultimate stanza.

Boston fought again with the preliminary seven factors of the fourth quarter to maneuver inside 5 however could not catch the Heat.

Tatum scored 18 first-half factors. The rating was tied at 47 earlier than the Celtics went on a 15-2 run to open up a 13-point lead with 2:08 left within the second quarter.

Butler scored 15 factors and Lowry had 13 within the first half for the Heat.

–Field Level Media/Reuters