Heat (0-0) at Celtics (0-0) Round 1 Game #1 4/21/24

[Phantom255x]

Great win and start to the postseason.

They fell asleep in the 4th quarter but one thing that encouraged me at the end? They attacked the rim,  drew contact and went to the line to finish it. In previous years someone like Smart would have been left open and bricked a bunch of 3s allowing the other team to possible complete the comeback or at least get close (ex. 2022 ECF Game 7 at Miami)

[CelticsWhat35]

Starters should’ve been out of the game with at least 9 minutes to go.  The Heat are dirty and they will actively try to hurt our guys.  Once the game is in hand, bench them. 

[Neurotic Guy]

I don’t think I missed Grant Williams once this season. But I did have a GW thought when JT went down. Right or wrong, GW would have acted like an enforcer if he was on the court - would have got in Martin’s space/face.  Would have postured. Not saying that’s necessary but it was missing.

[hpantazo]

Tatum and Brown's response after that Martin foul was great. They basically were like, we've seen this crap before and we're more than ready for it, bring it.

[kraidstar]

Wooooooooooooo

Ric is ready

[Phantom255x]

I don’t think I missed Grant Williams once this season. But I did have a GW thought when JT went down. Right or wrong, GW would have acted like an enforcer if he was on the court - would have got in Martin’s space/face.  Would have postured. Not saying that’s necessary but it was missing.

And this is where I think we finally saw something from JB + JT. JB went at Martin's face, and even JT had some words and then in the next few possessions basically attacked MIA. No backing down. Glad to see it. Grant could do it but last year he was the only one doing it while the Jays, Smart and others stayed mum

[Goldstar88]

Starters should’ve been out of the game with at least 9 minutes to go.  The Heat are dirty and they will actively try to hurt our guys.  Once the game is in hand, bench them.

The Heat were down, but not out with 9 mins to go. Also, Redick made a good point that the starters need the conditioning after not playing for almost two weeks.

[Roy H.]

Starters should’ve been out of the game with at least 9 minutes to go.  The Heat are dirty and they will actively try to hurt our guys.  Once the game is in hand, bench them.

I agree.  If Tatum had landed awkwardly on his leg or banged his head on that Martin foul, he could have been out for weeks.

From a cost / benefit standpoint, it's just a really poor decision. 

[Kuberski33]

That might fire up the Celtics next game. Getting chippy.

best thing that could have happened.  We need to play with more of an edge, especially against the heat.

Agree with this. Scal post game thought it was a blatant cheap shot and blamed Spoelstra.

He practically tackled Tatum.  Someone was saying he got pushed into Tatum, maybe a little push, but he was moving at Tatum the whole time.   It looked cheap to me.   So glad JT got right up after, and glad that JB gave the little shove to Martin, IE you just tackled him, stop trying to help him up now you jerk.  We need to increase our level of physicality.  We need to tell other teams that tackling our #1 guy isn't ok.

I didn't notice at the time but Scal said Spoelstra called a TO with 1:30 left and that play followed shortly thereafter. My concern is that once the adrenalin goes away, maybe Tatum feels that with this back. In the moment, you're fired up and he jumped back up as it to prove that it didn't hurt him.  He may be sore tonight.

[kraidstar]

Tatum and Brown's response after that Martin foul was great. They basically were like, we've seen this crap before and we're more than ready for it, bring it.

Yup. Don't let those bums in our heads. They don't call them the cHeat for nothing

[Goldstar88]

I don’t think I missed Grant Williams once this season. But I did have a GW thought when JT went down. Right or wrong, GW would have acted like an enforcer if he was on the court - would have got in Martin’s space/face.  Would have postured. Not saying that’s necessary but it was missing.

JB had words for Martin and pushed him away from Tatum. He stood up for his teammate.

[Phantom255x]

Now we wait 3 days for the next game. And then after that another 3 days

The first week is really drawn out, only 3 games in a span of 6 days.

[celticinorlando]

Not sure what Miami’s offense would be without bam being a continuous moving screen

[hpantazo]

That might fire up the Celtics next game. Getting chippy.

best thing that could have happened.  We need to play with more of an edge, especially against the heat.

Agree with this. Scal post game thought it was a blatant cheap shot and blamed Spoelstra.

He practically tackled Tatum.  Someone was saying he got pushed into Tatum, maybe a little push, but he was moving at Tatum the whole time.   It looked cheap to me.   So glad JT got right up after, and glad that JB gave the little shove to Martin, IE you just tackled him, stop trying to help him up now you jerk.  We need to increase our level of physicality.  We need to tell other teams that tackling our #1 guy isn't ok.

I didn't notice at the time but Scal said Spoelstra called a TO with 1:30 left and that play followed shortly thereafter. My concern is that once the adrenalin goes away, maybe Tatum feels that with this back. In the moment, you're fired up and he jumped back up as it to prove that it didn't hurt him.  He may be sore tonight.

It wouldn't be a Heat playoff series without a few dirty plays from Miami

[Kuberski33]

Now we wait 3 days for the next game. And then after that another 3 days

The first week is really drawn out, only 3 games in a span of 6 days.

Maybe that had something to do with Joe leaving his starters in till the end.