Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics to a dominant 103-85 road win over the Miami Heat on Monday night. Despite the victory, he emphasized the need for Boston to improve at home.
“We give up too many easy ones at home, so we got to make up for it,” Tatum said, per John Karalis. “We need to get back on track at home. We let our fans down too many times … so we owe it to them to play better at home.”
Boston improved to 38-16 with the win, holding onto the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics have been dominant on the road with a 22-6 record but have struggled at TD Garden, going just 16-10 at home.
Tatum finished with 33 points on 13-for-26 shooting, including four three-pointers. His scoring efficiency and ability to create offense helped Boston control the game from the second quarter onward.
Kristaps Porzingis added 17 points and nine rebounds, while Al Horford contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Celtics’ three-point shooting defined the game, as they attempted 53 shots from beyond the arc compared to just 32 two-pointers.
Boston’s defense stifled Miami, holding the Heat to just 33.7% shooting from the field. Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 22 points and 12 rebounds, but his efforts weren’t enough to keep the game competitive.
Andrew Wiggins, making his debut for Miami after being acquired at the trade deadline, struggled in his first game. He finished with 11 points on 3-of-12 shooting, while new additions Davion Mitchell and Kyle Anderson combined for just five points on 2-for-13 shooting.
Boston took control in the second quarter, outscoring Miami 34-19 to take a comfortable halftime lead. A 36-point third quarter allowed the Celtics to put the game away before the fourth quarter even began.
Derrick White contributed 13 points and seven assists, while Sam Hauser knocked down five three-pointers on his way to 15 points. Payton Pritchard had a strong all-around game off the bench, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out eight assists.
Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday missed the game due to injuries, but the Celtics’ depth proved to be the difference. Their ability to stretch the floor with perimeter shooting kept Miami’s defense scrambling.
Porzingis and Horford played key roles in controlling the boards, helping Boston win the rebounding battle 52-51. The Celtics limited Miami’s second-chance points by boxing out effectively and contesting every shot.
The Heat’s shooting woes continued from deep, as they made just 11 of their 45 three-point attempts. Without Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr., who were out due to illness, Miami lacked reliable offensive weapons.
Alec Burks provided a spark off the bench for Miami, scoring 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. However, the rest of the Heat struggled to find a rhythm against Boston’s defense.
The Celtics’ defensive intensity forced Miami into tough shots and prevented them from getting to the free-throw line consistently. Boston’s ability to contest without fouling kept the Heat from gaining any offensive momentum.
With another road win in hand, Tatum and the Celtics will now look to bring the same intensity to their home court. Boston remains one of the top contenders in the East but must address their home struggles as the playoffs approach.
