Erik Spoelstra said the Miami Heat did not fold defensively in Wednesday’s 147-129 loss to the Boston Celtics, even after Boston raced to 53 first-quarter points at Kaseya Center. “This is different than the other games that we’re talking about,” Spoelstra said, adding that his team was “locked in and competing” even while Boston delivered an “exceptional level of shot making.”
The Celtics made 11 of their first 13 shots and closed the opening quarter on a 24-3 run, but Spoelstra said Miami did enough early to keep the game from getting away immediately. “We were able to stay the course and get that thing down to nine,” he said.
Spoelstra pointed to Boston’s efficiency on two-point looks as the main separator. “It really probably ended up being the shots that were inside the three,” he said. “They shot a remarkable percentage. It just felt like they didn’t miss any pull-up jump shots, you know, from the areas that you would like teams shooting from.”
The Heat actually tied a franchise record with 24 made 3-pointers, but Spoelstra said that was not enough because Boston kept getting answers in the paint and off the dribble. “I believe we outshot them from the three-point line,” he said. “The two-point field goals, they made a heck of a lot more than we did.”
Miami trimmed a 27-point deficit to single digits early in the fourth quarter, yet Boston quickly regained control. Spoelstra said the turning point came when the Heat failed to start the final period with more force. “We really needed to have a better start to the fourth quarter, and we weren’t able to do it,” he said.
Asked whether the Celtics’ barrage was simply about make-or-miss, Spoelstra said the Heat did create chances, but they also forced the issue at key moments. “There were times where they were making shots and then we would have a couple forced possessions, trying to will it and get it all back in one possession,” he said.
Still, Spoelstra did not sound like a coach describing a lifeless effort. “This game felt different than the other games,” he said. “We brought a disposition. You have to tip your hat to the shot making that they had in this game.”
Spoelstra specifically highlighted Jaylen Brown, who scored 43 points, and Jayson Tatum, who added 25 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists. “Jaylen Brown was making some high degree of difficulty shots,” he said, while also noting that Boston’s stars repeatedly hit tough looks in the lane and from the perimeter.
Boston improved to 51-25 and remained second in the Eastern Conference, while Miami fell to 40-37 and stayed in the No. 10 play-in spot. Spoelstra said the Heat need to clean up their execution quickly before hosting Washington on Saturday.
