Remember them?
The zombie Heat, who spooked the Celtics into the scare of a basketball lifetime last year in Game 7?
Well, they’re back, and scarier than ever.
The Walking Dead rebooted for a surprise 12th season Wednesday night at TD Garden, when the Heat stole Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Boston 123-116. Miami’s formula felt painfully familiar. The Heat were tougher, smarter and better-coached — again.
The memory of Jayson Tatum’s spectacular 51-point performance last Sunday faded instantly into another episode of the Playoff Jimmy Butler Show.
Butler proved unsolvable, scoring 35 points around seven assists and six steals. He swiped three passes in the fourth quarter alone, helping expedite yet another crunch-time collapse for these Celtics. Meanwhile, Tatum committed three turnovers in a 90-second span down the stretch, and after his last giveaway, Butler drilled a dagger 3 to lift Miami into a 10-point lead with 1:03 left.
The Heat led for the entirety of the fourth quarter, boosted by a 46-25 showing in the third that exposed all of Boston’s other problems. What was the main issue? If you can believe it, urgency.
“We just let go of the rope,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said post-game.
That’s right.
A day after Al Horford stopped practice to remind his teammates to focus ahead of one of the biggest games of their lives, the Celtics couldn’t stop Miami in transition during a devastating third quarter. Bam Adebayo initiated fast break after fast break, racing ahead of Boston’s defense to score or create for himself, Butler, Kevin Love and Max Strus.
“We get tired of doing the little things sometimes,” said Celtics guard Marcus Smart.
Miami more than tripled the Celtics in fast-break points during that quarter, clobbered them on the offensive glass and led by 12 entering the fourth. How could that be?
At this point, the only answer is this is part of who the Celtics are; a faulty link in their competitive DNA. Boston lost Game 1 because of a controllable: their effort. The Celtics’ sporadic effort and purpose is an established habit.
The Heat have habits, too — kicking your ass when the chips are down.
Wednesday’s lack of urgency undermines significant trust Boston earned back over the weekend. Sure, they lollygagged over a six-game, first-round series versus Atlanta, and they unfurled a red carpet for Philly to walk into a Game 7 last weekend. But in both instances, Tatum delivered a series win.
But can he do that again versus Miami without home-court advantage? Against a team that thrives with a talent deficit and without a margin for error? And with a team that insists on playing with its food?
The Heat play on a tightrope. Butler and Adebayo are their only stars. Post-prime Kyle Lowry is coming off the bench. Love, who was collecting dust in Cleveland until a midseason trade, started Wednesday.
And when Miami couldn’t survive with him on the floor and Adebayo off — which allowed the Celtics to form layup lines offensively — Heat coach Erik Spoelstra shelved Love for good in the fourth. Smart move.
On the other sideline, Mazzulla watched and later repeated a point to reporters that Boston won three of the four quarters. Who cares?
The Heat finished with a better offensive rating, shot better — including 51.6% from deep thanks to a bevy of gifted open shots — and grabbed more offensive rebounds. They won on ball movement and hustle.
Not to mention, Butler played the entire fourth quarter, when Mazzulla allowed Tatum to sit while the clock ticked under nine minutes remaining. This was after Spoelstra re-entered Adebayo once the Celtics cut their lead by more than half less than two minutes into the fourth.
Another smart sub. Miami’s defense stabilized, and the Heat took control.
Signs of a possible upset sprouted early, too.
The grizzled Heat reintroduced themselves by forcing 13 lead changes in a tight first quarter. Miami played clean, hard basketball tallying just two team fouls (both on Cody Zeller) and a couple turnovers. They even out-scored the Celtics when Butler sat for the first four-plus minutes of the second quarter and staked a lead.
But around the time Butler returned, Adebayo took a breather and Boston seized on Miami's lack of rim protection. The Celtics ripped off a 15-3 run built entirely around ferocious rim attacks, starting with Tatum and Marcus Smart each drawing fouls en route to the basket on consecutive drives.
After they went a combined 3-of-4 from the line, Tatum hit a layup, Horford cashed another and Jaylen Brown flexed upon finishing an and-1 through contact with 4:47 left. Adebayo re-entered and restored order to Miami's defense, but the Celtics held steady for a 66-57 lead at halftime.
Then the Heat returned and ran and ran and ran. It didn't matter the Celtics had a higher gear than Miami, more talent and weapons. The Heat out-muscled them, out-worked them and didn't offer a lifeline as they pulled away.
Boston should win this series. It has superior star power and depth. These Eastern Conference Finals offer the chance to treat an old rival as a stepping stone to Banner 18.
Instead on Wednesday, Butler stepped all over the Celtics, and Tatum faltered. Boston looked unprepared for Miami's cleverness, pump-fakes and active hands on drives, getting stripped a half-dozen times in the first half alone.
All of this after the Celtics watched the Heat clobber the Knicks with this same formula last round. They scraped out more loose balls. They committed fewer turnovers. They feasted on mistakes and cruised.
So what did the Celtics do Wednesday?
Let it happen all over again.
