THE Celtics had been surprised in Game 2. Well aware of their technical superiority, in the absence of Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier in the opposite camp, Boston had played it too easy, leaving far too many shots open to Florida players, not exercise specialists, but not penguins either.
“Everyone knows how talented we are. But can we be the toughest team? If we can combine that with our talent, it will be difficult to beat us.” sums up Jayson Tatum (22 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists) after this easily won Game 3. “Can we start every match, basically, by throwing the first punch, instead of reacting? It's a test that we must pass every evening. »
This test, the Celtics succeeded perfectly in this third game, regaining home advantage behind a first quarter where they limited the Heat to 12 points at 5/21 shooting!
“We no longer wanted shots where we challenged them (by letting weak shooters draw). We have to respect the qualities of these guys. They're NBA players and they can catch fire every night.” continues Jaylen Brown. “We just wanted to make their lives complicated. »
Erik Spoelstra confirms that they succeeded in their mission, holding the Heat to 32/77 shooting, including 9/28 at 3-points.
“They were the most physical team” admitted the Miami coach. “They crashed into us, they shook us. But we have what it takes to get the job done. We know we have to play hard, and also play well. »
