For 16 consecutive times, all home teams have won Game 2 after losing Game one. And we knew the Miami Heat were going to get the Boston Celtics best punch at home. After a back and forth first quarter, the Celtics jumped to a double-digit lead over Miami in the second quarter. But then, Miami responded with a run of their own and lead by four at halftime. The Celtics once again jumped to a double-digit lead in the second half, but Miami stormed back and took Game 2. With the win, Miami moves to 2-0 for the series. Here are my takeaways from Miami’s Game 2 victory over Boston.
Never Poke the Bear!
The first three quarters were fairly quiet for Jimmy Butler. He missed a couple of shots in the paint that he usually makes, and he was passive a few times. With six minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Celtics had momentum with a nine-point lead in the period. And then, Grant Williams made what was the biggest mistake of the game: Firing Butler up. The next possession, Jimmy went inside the paint for the and-one basket over Williams. This became the beginning of the end. Butler kept attacking the Williams matchup, scoring bucket after bucket. Now, the Heat take the lead and never look back. Simply put, another Butler masterclass in the fourth quarter. Butler finished the night with 27 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks.
Martin Keeps the Heat Afloat
While Butler may get the headlines, Caleb Martin was also huge for Miami. Whenever the Heat’s offense was stagnant, it was Martin providing the scoring for Miami. With both Miami stars getting doubled, Martin did a great job of attacking the closeouts at the three-point line. He kept attacking the paint for lay ups and also hit on his jumpers. Boston has often dared him to shoot, and Martin hasn’t been shy about taking those shots. He kept going throughout the whole game. Overall, it was another solid production from Martin off the bench. He’s really been Miami’s most consistent role player throughout the season. Martin’s contract is certainly looking like a steal for Miami. Martin ended the night with 25 points.
Bam Flirts with a Triple Double
It was another good performance from Bam Adebayo. Adebayo certainly wasn’t shy about taking the shots in the Game 2. He was assertive on both ends of the court and made his presence felt. This wasn’t an efficient night for Adebayo. However, it was good to see him still be aggressive. Adebayo also did well in finding his teammates cutting to the basket and open for three-point shots. That’s what Miami wants and needs from him on a nightly basis. On the other side of the floor, Adebayo continued to be everywhere on the floor defensively. He switched out on the perimeter and protected the paint as well. Most importantly, he crashed the boards. He was only one assist shy of getting his second triple double of the postseason. Adebayo finished with 22 points, 17 rebounds, and nine assist.
Protecting Homecourt
The best-case scenario in Boston has now happened. Miami has won both games in Beantown. Although both games weren’t easy, Miami still found ways to get the job done. There’s a lot to appreciate about the resilience of this Miami team. They simply have not been down even when trailing by double digits. Now, they head to Miami to play Games 3 and 4. Win both games and the Heat will be back in the NBA Finals since 2020. However, the job’s still not finished yet. Boston has played well on the road in the postseason with a 4-2 record. Miami is in control of their NBA Finals destiny now. Now it’s time to get the job done.
Next up: Game 3 on Sunday. Game tips off at 8:30pm eastern time.
