Jimmy Butler delivered another standout playoff performance as the Miami Heat faced the Boston Celtics, reclaiming home-court advantage in the East finals with a 116-123 defeat in game one.
Butler continued his postseason breakout in his first matchup with Boston, posting 35 points on 12-of-25 shooting, plus 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 6 steals while committing only 3 turnovers.
From Butler’s leadership, Miami featured a balanced attack in Boston, with six players reaching double digits while Bam Adebayo led the charge with 20 points and 8 rebounds.
Heat supporters again brought strong energy, as Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, and Kyle Lowry each added 15 points.
Two numbers stood out: Miami’s sharp 3-point shooting, hitting 16 of 31, and the Heat’s dominant third period, which swung the game with a 46-25 edge in favor of Miami.
The Celtics endured shifts throughout the night and paid a steep price for inconsistency.
Jayson Tatum scored 30 points with 7 rebounds, and Jaylen Brown added 22 points with 9 boards as six Celtics reached double digits, though they shot 10-for-29 from long range. Dominican Al Horford contributed 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists.
This playoff meeting mirrors last season’s Eastern Conference Finals clash, which Boston won in seven games, as game two moves to Boston on Friday.
Bright ButlerRocky Heat
The Heat set the tone from the opening tip, playing with tenacity and relentless pressure. Butler opened with 12 points in the first quarter, while Boston answered with a strong second period led by Tatum and steady support from the rest of the roster.
Butler’s decision-making tested Miami’s depth, but Lowry delivered a dramatic burst, scoring 13 points in about five minutes, including three triples to spark a late run and trim the gap to 42-44 with 6:32 remaining in the hour.
Boston answered in the paint, piling up 40 points inside the arc in the first half and tightening its defense as Miami’s attack briefly steadied, aided by Smart’s 10 first-half assists.
Boston built a 24-13 stretch midway and headed to halftime with a 66-57 edge, fueled by Tatum’s 18 points in the first two quarters and Robert Williams’ efficient 12 points on perfect shooting from the floor.
At the restart, momentum shifted again in Miami’s favor. Adebayo pushed from the interior, Strus found his perimeter rhythm, and the Heat leveled the score within minutes, closing the third period tied at 72-72 after a 6-15 run.
Miami erupted with a furious third-quarter display, scoring 46 points to take a 91-103 advantage and setting a franchise playoff record for a single quarter in Florida. Strus and Butler joined forces for that surge, while Erik Spoelstra’s rotations kept Adebayo and Love shooting efficiently in key moments at 65.4 percent combined.
Frustration spilled over for Boston as coach Joe Mazzulla voiced his displeasure during the break, and the Celtics opened the fourth with renewed energy. A 7-0 burst in 90 seconds, anchored by Williams, shifted the tide and gave Boston late momentum to chase a comeback.
Brown and Tatum reasserted their scoring touch in the fourth, but Butler remained a steady threat, especially with mid-range work and active defense. Two timely triples from Martin and Butler helped seal the emotional win for Miami as Boston pressed on until the final horn.
[Source attribution: game recap and statistics from league and team press materials]