NBA East Finals : Miami Heat beat Boston Celtics 117-114 to take 1-0 lead

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Miami Heat has started on a very strong note in the opening game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Heat came back from behind to defeat Boston Celtics 117-114 and took a crucial 1-0 lead in the final series. 

It was a very very close affair between the two teams. 

 

Heat trailed by as many as 13 points in the first quarter, looking thoroughly jaded on offense. It hung around, though, and in the end escaped with a 117-114 victory in overtime after a clutch play from Jimmy Butler and an incredible, game-winning block by Bam Adebayo.

Butler attacked the basket against Jayson Tatum and scored over his outstretched arms, earning a foul in the process and giving Miami a two-point lead with 12 seconds left. On the next possession, Tatum drove against Butler and went for a dunk, but Adebayo met him at the rim and swatted the ball away. Tatum then missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.

With 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Butler hit a corner 3 to give the Heat a one-point lead, but, after a timeout, Derrick Jones Jr. committed an ill-advised foul off the ball before the Celtics had inbounded it. In overtime, Kemba Walker hit a stepback jumper with 23.2 seconds left, but then Butler and Adebayo saved the day for Miami.

Heat this season has got the better of Indiana Pacers and had shocked the Milwaukee Bucks in the earlier playoff rounds. 

MIAMI VS. BOSTON History

Tuesday was the 141st meeting all-time between the Celtics and Heat. It also marked the 39th all-time matchup between the Boston Red Sox and Miami Marlins — but it was the first time those four clubs all faced off on the same date. The closest they previously came to colliding was 2012, when the Heat topped the Celtics in Game 7 of the East finals on June 9 and the Red Sox and Marlins opened a series two days later.

The second match of the series will be played on 18th September. 

The post NBA East Finals : Miami Heat beat Boston Celtics 117-114 to take 1-0 lead first appeared on InsideSport.