Sometimes in the sport of basketball, it does not take long for one team to turn the game around. In the game between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics on Tuesday, it was the third quarter.
Heading into halftime, the Celtics had every reason to be confident. They had a 62-54 lead, thanks to 21 points from Jayson Tatum.
However, the third quarter was marvelous for the Heat and a complete disaster for the Celtics. Miami outscored Boston 39-14. Tatum and Jaylen Brown were awful defensively as they were a combined -46. (Tatum was a -25 and Brown was a -21). It would take the Heat only two minutes and 58 seconds to erase an eight-point deficit and post a 64-63 lead. In fact, the Heat outscored the Celtics 22-2 over the first six minutes and 18 seconds of the third quarter. Of the 22 points scored in this stretch, Heat star small forward Jimmy Butler had 11 points. He ended up leading the team with 41 in their 118-107 win.
Butler scored his 41 points from 12 field goals and 17 free throws. He had a field goal percentage of .632. According to ESPN, Butler had his fifth career playoff game with 40 points and 60% shooting. The only players who have accomplished that feat more times in the playoffs over the last 30 years are LeBron James (12 times) and Shaquille O’Neal (eight times). On our greatest NBA player all-time list, we have James at number four, and O’Neal at seven.
Four other Heat players reached double digits in scoring on Tuesday. NBA sixth-man of the year Tyler Herro had 18 points, Gabe Vincent had 17 points, Max Strus had 11 points, and Bam Adebayo had 10 points. For Vincent, it was a playoff career high.
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