MIAMI -- Jayson Tatum led the charge with 33 points, while Kristaps Porzingis contributed 17, as the Boston Celtics overwhelmed the Miami Heat 103-85 on Monday night. Al Horford chipped in 16 points, Sam Hauser added 15, and Derrick White scored 13 as the Celtics launched 53 three-pointers compared to just 32 two-pointers. Bam Adebayo performed well for Miami, scoring 22 points and securing 12 rebounds, despite the team missing Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. due to illness. Andrew Wiggins had 11 points in his debut for the Heat, which has struggled recently, scoring under 90 points in their last five matchups against Boston. The Celtics have now triumphed in five consecutive encounters with the Heat, dominating previous games with scores of 104-84, 102-88, and 118-84 during their first-round playoff series in 2024, along with a 108-89 victory on December 2. Injuries sidelined Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday for Boston, but coach Joe Mazzulla remained optimistic, suggesting these challenges present opportunities. For Miami, the newly acquired players from the Jimmy Butler trade struggled to find their rhythm, shooting a frail combined 5 for 25 from the field. A turning point in the game came when Miami briefly led 24-13 before Boston surged with a 26-5 run. Notably, the Heat have shot less than 35% in 69 games throughout their history, with a dismal record of 2-67 in such performances. Boston will look to continue its momentum into the All-Star break, facing San Antonio at home next. Meanwhile, the Heat have upcoming games against Oklahoma City and Dallas. Jayson Tatum expressed the need for improvement at home, acknowledging the pressure on the team to perform better in front of their fans. The Celtics boast a strong road record of 22-6 this season but have faced challenges at home, where their performance has dipped. They aim to rectify this before the postseason, with Tatum emphasizing the importance of staying aggressive and maintaining their rhythm as they continue to build on their recent victories.
