Celtics (0-0) at Heat (0-0) ECF Game #1 5/17/22

[liam]

Should still win this series but if we are inevitably going to lose it would’ve rather have just lost to the bucks because there’s 0 chance Giannis loses to this heat team

It's only one game. we won 3 quarters. Just need to not lose the 3rd by less.

[seancally]

Well game 2 Thursday, and hopefully smart is back (and maybe horford). That’s a different team. We’ve shown resilience and poise off losses before. We haven’t lost two straight in the postseason. We got this.

[hodgy03038]

How did Grant only get 2 shot attempts from 3pt this game? He played 35 mins. Might be a good idea to get your best 3pt shooter involved in the offense… Sigh.

Because they need to pass him the ball.

[jpotter33]

We were unlikely to win anyways given the absences to the starters and our clear fatigue levels, but the Jays should be ashamed for their performances - Tatum for his second half and JB for all but the last six minutes.

Still, hard to look at this Miami team as a juggernaut. They are very, very beatable, and as long as we get healthy, we got this series and still think we should be considered the favorites moving forward.

Jimmy isn't going to put up 40 every game, and JT isn't going to have a brain fart half and JB a complete no-show game every game. We got this.

How exactly are the Cs favorites going forward down two starters and no bench?

I literally said "as long as we get healthy" haha

[blink]

I had to work late, and I only saw the 4th quarter, but we were down 15 when I started watching, and at one point we closed to 7 with the 3 from PP.  Miami just wasn't missing any shots during that period and we still cut the lead.  If we would have been able to get 1 or 2 stops there it might have been a different ending.  Both PP and Jaylen seemed to get their 3ball stroke going at least for a while during the 4th.

No Smart, No Horford and after that crap 3rd quarter to be anywhere in the game at all was impressive.  I feel we have a better shot in game 2.  Get some rest tonight, hopefully get Horford back for game 2.  Come out and steal one.  Butler got really hot, but when PP and White are in the place of Smart our switching def is going to suffer.  It doesn't seem like the Heat are any better than the Bucks.  We just need to defend better and get Smart and Horford back.  We can win this series.

[scaryjerry]

People are forgetting that Miami was the best team in the East and the #1 seed. They are a tough team to beat. This team won’t go away. It’s just one game and I’m pretty confident of a Celtics bounce back in game 2.

I literally don’t care that Miami is the #1 seed…credit to them for consistently playing hard and having great coaching and playing in a city where most visiting teams come in extremely hungover in the regular season…they aren’t that good

[blink]

what is the word for Smart coming back for Game 2?  I saw him on the bench standing up.

[PAOBoston]

Sad second half effort. Unfortunately this was the best chance Cs had to steal a game in Miami imo. Considering Smart might be out again and Horford will miss at least 3 games, Miami likely makes quick work of the Cs. Cs don’t have enough quality depth.

This 3 games stuff is nonsense. It's not even clear he has Covid. Ime said Al is questionable for game two. Plenty of guys have just missed one game.

Also, why was this the best chance? This is probably the worst chance for us. Coming off an emotional series tired and having to travel versus them being rested. And that's not even counting the fact that we were down two starters, or that we have been just as good on the road as at home this season, especially this postseason. We won twice in Milwaukee, including a critical game six. We can take any and all of the remaining road games as long as we're reasonably healthy. We probably don't even lose this one if we had just one of Smart or Al available.

It’s already been reported Cs expect Horford to stay in the protocols through game two.

[hpantazo]

1. We got too confident after that first half

2. The Heat made adjustments at halftime and we were slow to respond

3. We looked worn out from the last series

[kraidstar]

Team was discombobulated today.  Maybe an emotional hangover. Gotta come back healthy,  demoralize the Heat in game 2. The Heat seem to play perfectly against us, but we just need to hit them really hard in the mouth. They can and will fold when they realize they're outclassed.

Then it's best of 5 with 3 games in Boston. Let this be another learning experience.

[jpotter33]

Not at all worried.  Miami played one good quarter.  We've struggled in the 3rd these playoffs, and we didn't have Smart or Horford.  I'm actually less worried about this series than I was before this game.  They're not that good.

Have to say, I agree. They had the one run and Butler went insane, but other than that they're very beatable. Butler ain't getting 40 again when he doesn't have PP to pick on the entire game.

[gouki88]

We were unlikely to win anyways given the absences to the starters and our clear fatigue levels, but the Jays should be ashamed for their performances - Tatum for his second half and JB for all but the last six minutes.

Still, hard to look at this Miami team as a juggernaut. They are very, very beatable, and as long as we get healthy, we got this series and still think we should be considered the favorites moving forward.

Jimmy isn't going to put up 40 every game, and JT isn't going to have a brain fart half and JB a complete no-show game every game. We got this.

How exactly are the Cs favorites going forward down two starters and no bench?

I literally said "as long as we get healthy" haha

According to him our starters are out forever, duh.

[PAOBoston]

We were unlikely to win anyways given the absences to the starters and our clear fatigue levels, but the Jays should be ashamed for their performances - Tatum for his second half and JB for all but the last six minutes.

Still, hard to look at this Miami team as a juggernaut. They are very, very beatable, and as long as we get healthy, we got this series and still think we should be considered the favorites moving forward.

Jimmy isn't going to put up 40 every game, and JT isn't going to have a brain fart half and JB a complete no-show game every game. We got this.

How exactly are the Cs favorites going forward down two starters and no bench?

I literally said "as long as we get healthy" haha

Touché. But sadly that is a large question mark at this point. Also worried now about others entering the protocol now too.

[seancally]

Not at all worried.  Miami played one good quarter.  We've struggled in the 3rd these playoffs, and we didn't have Smart or Horford.  I'm actually less worried about this series than I was before this game.  They're not that good.

Have to say, I agree. They had the one run and Butler went insane, but other than that they're very beatable. Butler ain't getting 40 again when he doesn't have PP to pick on the entire game.

…and when Brothers isn’t gifting him 18 FTs

[kraidstar]

I had to work late, and I only saw the 4th quarter, but we were down 15 when I started watching, and at one point we closed to 7 with the 3 from PP.  Miami just wasn't missing any shots during that period and we still cut the lead.  If we would have been able to get 1 or 2 stops there it might have been a different ending.  Both PP and Jaylen seemed to get their 3ball stroke going at least for a while during the 4th.

No Smart, No Horford and after that crap 3rd quarter to be anywhere in the game at all was impressive.  I feel we have a better shot in game 2.  Get some rest tonight, hopefully get Horford back for game 2.  Come out and steal one.  Butler got really hot, but when PP and White are in the place of Smart our switching def is going to suffer.  It doesn't seem like the Heat are any better than the Bucks.  We just need to defend better and get Smart and Horford back.  We can win this series.

This C's team was riding too high.  Lost that chip on their shoulder.

Come out with purpose and we will put doubt into the Heat and those 3s will miss.