Game Notes: Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat
Celtics 115 – Heat 107
1st Quarter
James down low; hits Chalmers for corner 3; gets pass from Wade in the block for lay in
Wade hustling and slashing; James in post hits slashing Wade for layup; James hits Wade for the dunk
James in the block again with a running hook
Turiaf backs down Bass for the hook; gets blocked next time down
Celtics with a shaky start; Garnett pulling the trigger early; Rondo at least 10 assists in last 17 games
Bradley taking open shots and contesting Wade defensively
Boston settling down – they are the worst rebounding team in the league; Miami best home team
Bosh starts the game 0-3 with a turnover; James slides over to the 4 spot drills 2 free throws
Ray Allen mic’d up says they’re wearing white so it’s their house;
Fastbreak, give and go for the alley-oop James-Wade-James; Allen had no chance stopping that
James with the between the legs pass to James Jones from downtown
Allen sinks a jumper using picks then hits a 3 from Rondo on the break; Rondo distributing well again
Wade glides to the hoop for 2; James defending Bass well in post as Boston tries to feed him
Battier denying Pierce the ball; Pierce draws a foul on LBJ and hits 2 free throws
Boston playing 2-3 zone and Miami missing open threes; Celtics on 16-2 run
Battier not helping offensively with easy opportunities; Rondo playing so well all-around
James turns it over to end the quarter
Recap:
Rondo vs LBJ featuring Wade, Celtics up 33-22
Celtics with Rondo paving the way with 5 points/assists
2nd Quarter
KG connects on a fade; Bosh with a jumper; Jones drills a corner 3
Celtics moving the ball around for open shots, Pavlovic money with 2 threes
Boston swinging the ball again; beats Miami’s defensive rotation for a Garnet layup in the middle
Heat either score, or they’re one and done; not getting second chances
Wade with a strong take to the hole; muscles a layup and attacks again and splits free throws
Bosh fronting Garnett; Heat miss a few threes; Garnett reverse layup; Wade splits 2 more free throws
Avery Bradley continues to take advantage of playing time; aggressive within the offense inside/out
Celtics up 18 (49-31); Spoelstra preaching defense – a step late on rotations (2nd guy), better close outs
Miami letting James iso on Pierce; Celtics making KG the focal point, feeding him anywhere on the floor
Nice backdoor cut, Bosh hits Wade for the jam; Wade down the lane hits James cutting from corner for 2
Rondo gets the offensive rebound, sets Pierce up for the trey; outhustling Miami; Miller nets a 3-ball
Miami picks up the pace/forces Boston to play faster, forcing turnovers for fastbreaks; 11-3 run
Wade aggressive with weakside defense; LBJ forces Pierce to airball a 3; Wade slices for 2-handed dunk
Rondo hitting perimeter shots; Bradley is feeling it; Pierce drills it from downtown on the break, 7-0 run
Too much one on one basketball for the Heat; one shot and done; Miller hitting every other shot
Miami cleaning the glass, holding Boston to one shot; LBJ to the rack for the 3-point play
Pierce faces the rim, strong take, finishes with the left; Bosh responds in the block
Celtics call a timeout and score before the half with a layup; LBJ drains a 3 at the buzzer, Celtics up 65-57
Boston Stats:
Garnett 12 points, 5 rebounds; Rondo 7 points, 8 assists; Pierce 16 points
Bradley 9 points; Stiemsma 6 rebounds; Allen 5 points, 3 assists; outrebounded Miami 22-13
Miami Stats:
Wade 16 points, 3 assists, 3 steals; James 18 points, 5 assists; Miller 6 points, 3 assists
Bosh 4 points, 5 rebounds; Chalmers 5 points, block, steal; most points allowed in a half this season (65)
3rd Quarter
Bradley first 2 points with a layup; KG rejects Turiaf at the rim; KG with another fade away
Chalmers misses a 3; nice drive coast to coast hits 1 of 2 foul shots; hits a 3 (top 10 in steals)
Wade to Turiaf for the bucket; Rondo tough floater; Chalmers graceful drive and lay in
Rondo hits from mid-range again; hits 3/4 free throws; mid-3rd Celtics 76, Heat 66
Bosh off the mark, James gets the board, misses and gets the board again, Chalmers money from 3
Bosh blocked by Stiemsma and Pierce draws a charge on LBJ; LBJ hits a pair of FTs; Pierce for 3
Great fade away from wing, LBJ over Stiemsma; Stiemsma hits a jumper; LBJ blocks Stiemsma at the rim
LBJ sinks a couple FTs; Rondo alley-oop to Stiemsma; Rondo guarding Miller; Battier put back basket
Rondo to Bass for the baseline score; Rondo pulls up just inside the arc, and drills another jumper
LBJ with a step back J over Stiemsma; Miami playing stifling defense and cleaning the glass
James between the legs drive past KG and extends for the layup; Pierce hacked/splits FTs
Recap:
Rondo controlled the quarter; James kept the Heat in a single-digit deficit, 89-81 Boston
Bosh 4 points on 2-8 shooting
A fan hits a half-court shot to win a car!
4th Quarter
Haslem hits from mid-range; Battier/Garnet get physical, foul on KG
Chalmers steals a KG pass, Bosh misses around the FT line; Chalmers with and one on inbounds play
Offensive foul on Stiemsma; Miami crowd heating up, lead cut to 89-86 with 10 minutes to play
Bosh gets something to fall, and one – he drove to right side of the lane, fouled on a jump shot
Bass answers; all 5 starters in double figures for Boston; illegal defense Chalmers makes FT
Rondo guarding Wade/Allen on Chalmers; Allen buries a 3 off double screen, Chalmers went underneath
KG picks up 4th foul then sinks a shot from the elbow; Bosh gave him a lot of space
Bosh to the line, hits both; Boston 15-18 FT, Miami 17-21; KG pulls up over Bosh from right wing
James blows the layup, Rondo pushes and flips it back to Garnet, drills it from left wing
And yet another jumper by Garnett from right wing, he is on a 8-0 run; LBJ splits FTs; Pierce fade away
Wade to Bosh for layup; Rondo gets Wade to jump on pump fake from FT area; technical foul on Wade
Allen hits technical FT; Rondo sinks 2 FTs; LBJ drives to the left and elevates, hits a fade away
Bass answers from the elbow, Celtics up 108-96; Bosh active in this quarter on offensive boards
Bosh splits foul shots; Wade crossover, finishes at the rim with the finger roll (first basket since 2nd qtr)
Miami locks down, forces shot clock violation; Wade with a great finish at the hoop, 7-0 Heat run
KG hits a tough shot over Bosh from the wing; Bosh responds with an up-and-under
Pierce to the rack, drives left and finishes with the left over Bosh
Rondo splits a pair of free throws; Heat call their last timeout down 113-105 with a minute left
LBJ to the hoop for the left hand layup; Miami gets a stop but LBJ misses a 3; Pierce hits both FTs
Celtics win 115-107
Recap:
1st quarter Boston created separation; each team had their share of runs; Miami pulled within one in 4th
Celtics started every quarter on the right track; they moved the ball around; shot efficiently
Miami started slow; stagnant offense/role players missed open shots
Celtics responded to every run made by the Heat with a run of their own; KG was on fire, especially in the 4th
Miami crashed offensive boards in 2nd half (12 off. reb.)
Boston Stats:
Rondo 18 points, 15 assists; Garnett 24 points, 9 rebounds; Bradley 11 points
Pierce 27 points, 7 rebounds; Bass 12 points, 10 rebounds; Stiemsma 8 points, 7 rebounds
Miami Stats:
James 36 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists; Wade 20 points, 5 assists, 3 steals
Chalmers 18 points, 3 steals; Bosh 13 points, 9 rebounds
* LBJ = LeBron James
* KG = Kevin Garnett