Despite getting off to one of their worst starts of the season, the Boston Celtics still managed to emerge victorious against the Miami Heat at TD Garden on Friday night.
Coming off four straight wins, the new-look Celtics came out ice-cold in their first game after Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline. They trailed 29-15 at the end of the first quarter and 59-38 at halftime. It just didn’t seem to be Boston’s night.
The Celtics trailed by as many as 22 points but kept battling, turning things around in the third quarter. They outscored the Heat 36-15, completely erasing their halftime deficit and tying the game heading into the fourth quarter.
Boston pulled ahead for good on Derrick White’s go-ahead 3-pointer with just over a minute left, giving the Celtics a 98-96 lead that held until the final buzzer.
Boston improved to 34-18 with the win, reclaiming second place in the Eastern Conference as the New York Knicks got throttled by the Detroit Pistons.
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The Celtics endured a tough shooting night but won the battle on the boards, outrebounding Miami 50-42. They also had more blocks, free-throws and points in the paint, all of which helped make the difference in such a tight game.
Boston was led by its trio of stars as Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard and White all topped 20 points. Nikola Vucevic also played well in his Celtics debut with 11 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes off the bench.
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Meanwhile, Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell combined for 50 points for the Heat in the losing effort.
Joe Mazzulla’s squad will look to keep rolling on Sunday afternoon against the New York Knicks at home before the New England Patriots face the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl later that evening, setting up a potentially epic day for Boston sports fans.
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