Heat survive the loss of both Jimmy Butler and a huge lead, keep the Celtics 109-103 and leading the series 2-1 – Reading Eagles

It was a game that left the Miami Heat with a loss, whatever the outcome, Jimmy Butler spent the evening in the break due to knee inflammation.

But it is also the place where the Heath summed up, bringing central Bama Adebayo’s aggression to a terrific victory Saturday night over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden 109-103 and leading 2-1 in the Eastern Conference final with seven the best. .

“It was unpleasant there,” Heat coach Eric Spoelstra said of the game’s wild pendulum.

On a rare night when “Heath” started completely, when playmaker Kyle Lowry stepped away from a hamstring sprain and forward, Pi Jay Tucker due to a knee problem, “Heath” soon had to find a way to finish in the absence of their leader by results.

Thus, Adebayo became their leader in the game, closing 31 points and 10 rebounds, after scoring a total of 16 in the first two games of the series, including a key jumper.

“He made his version of what Jimmy is doing in terms of what’s needed for the game,” Spoelstra said of Adebayo.

Because Lowry provided stability in his return and Tucker’s aggression, Heath made a variety of additional contributions from both ends, including Max Strus ’key last 3-pointer, on the way back to home-field advantage.

“There’s just constant adversity on both sides, and the competition is so intense that it creates these adversities,” Spoelstra said, and Heat guard Tyler Héroe ended the game with an ATV injury after a miserable 4- 15 night off the field.

Concussion added 16 points to the Heat, Lowry scored 11 points and 6 assists, and Tucker added 17 points and seven rebounds.

“We just made the guys grind, gut,” Spoelstra said. “And that’s what the playoffs are.”

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 40 points, with teammate Jason Tatum scoring 3 of 14.

The heat ended with 19 interceptions, one of which is ashamed of the NBA record after the season, within 24 turns of the Celtics. This led to a 33-9 advantage in points from revs.

“We wanted to show that we are here and will continue to fight,” Strus said.

The series continues Monday at 8:30 p.m. Game 4 at TD Garden.

Five degrees of heat from Saturday’s game:

1. Closing time: At the end of the opening, Heath led 39-18, scoring the highest score for any quarter this postseason, increasing the score to 26 in the second period before leading 62-47 at the break.

In the third, the Celtics closed within nine, but in the fourth quarter, the advantage of “Hit” was again 15 with a score of 87-72.

And then suddenly the Celtics series with a score of 20-4 reduced the advantage of “Hit” to 93-92 from 2:40 before the game.

But it was then that Strus scored a three-pointer with a score of 2:16 to play to bring out the Heat with a score of 96-92, and Adebayo followed with a 17-foot jumper with a score of 1:21.

Further doubts ended when Lowry sneaked in to steal a pass to the entrance to the Celtics and feed Strus, who made the score 103-94 42.5 seconds before the end, which allowed the Heath to withstand a three-point brown.

About his important three-pointer Strus said: “We just needed a basket. . . . In the timeout, Kyle said, “Let’s identify Max.” “

2. Always something: The rare night, when the heat began completely, took a decisive turn to concern when Butler was unable to make it to the start of the second half due to recurrent knee inflammation.

It was Victor Aladzipo, who did not play in the first half, but started at the opening of the third period, providing several key defensive series.

Butler’s night ended with eight points, three rebounds and two assists in 19:30.

“He didn’t have the usual explosive rupture,” Spoelstra said of his impression of Butler in the first half before the training staff decided to close it during the break.

Earlier, Butler missed the victory over the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of Heat’s Game 5 due to inflammation of the right knee.

3. Message received: At the morning shooting, Spoelstra said of Adebayo: “We want him to be more involved.”

Message received.

Adebayo opened 5 of 6 off the field, scoring his 10th point 5:37 in the game.

Adebayo’s 12th point moved Tim Hardway to 10th place in the playoffs for Heath’s entire time, and during the break he scored up to 16 points. He scored 23 points, coming out in fourth.

“He really is the heart and soul of the band,” Spoelstra said. “We needed a test tonight.”

31 points became one of the highest figures in his post-season career when he scored 32 in the 6th game of the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics.

“Its versatility just opens everything up,” Tucker said. “It was nice to see how early he left.”

Adebayo said the defeat at home with 25 points on Thursday gave all the necessary motivation.

“In the previous game, they beat us as if we had stolen something,” Adebayo said. “It should wake someone up.”

Adebayo’s 22 throws were the highest in his career for any game.

“He lowered his head,” said the Celtics coach named Udok. “We didn’t match.”

4. Low back: Lowry is back after missing eight of his previous 10 games due to left hamstring tension, regaining his lead with the first block.

Remembering his illness, he went into the locker room tunnel during the outing.

“It’s hard to try to find a rhythm, just being able to be around my guys is always fun,” said Lowry, who played 29 minutes. “I feel good. I’m playing there. “

The 36-year-old Lowry had previously tried to come back from a hamstring in the second round against the Philadelphia 76ers after a four-game absence, only to miss four more games.

Spoelstra stressed that the failure against the 76ers was not a failure in terms of Lowry’s rehabilitation.

“He was not injured again,” Spoelstra said. “I think it was important so he was still able to heal. If he had been injured again, I think he would have been much longer. It’s just that he still felt it, so we made a mistake and spent more time. “

When Lowry returned, but within minutes, Gabe Vincent, who started in his place, was first on the bench, sharing 24 minutes of the first half equally with Lowry.

5. Tucker also: Also returned is Tucker, who suffered a bruised left knee in Match 2 on Thursday night to such an extent that initially there were thoughts of the need for an MRI.

Tucker left defeat Thursday night at the FTX Arena after a first knee injury in the first half and a worsening of it in the third quarter.

Then in the first half on Saturday night he scored eight points and four rebounds.

“I told the guys tonight that I don’t know what I have,” Tucker said, “but I was going to give them everything I have.”

Spoelstra paused when asked what it would take to keep the 37-year-old Tucker out.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I think we’re all with him somehow on an eggshell. You can’t ask him how he’s doing. I can’t ask the coach because when he sees me talking to the coach, he barks at me and yells at me when I talk to the coaches. I’m allowed to talk to coaches, that’s part of my job.

“But it’s a return on every definition of it.”

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