Celtics-Heat takeaways: Tatum's masterclass lifts C's to victory

Share

BOSTON -- The Miami Heat put up a fight, but Jayson Tatum and the Celtics are just too good.

The Celtics defeated Miami 134-121 on Wednesday night at TD Garden in an Eastern Conference Finals rematch with Prince William and Princess Catherine in attendance. The C's have now won five in a row and 18 of their first 22 games.

Tatum was the star of the show, erupting for a season-high 49 points with 11 rebounds while hitting 8 of 12 3-pointers. Jaylen Brown added 25 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Malcolm Brogdon contributed 21 points off the bench.

Celtics Talk POSTGAME POD: Jayson Tatum leads C's to win over Miami with 49-point performance | Listen & Subscribe

The Heat put seven players in double figures, shot 52.2 percent from the floor and hit 18 of 39 3-pointers, yet still lost by 13 points. Boston's offense is simply on another level right now and has surpassed 130 points for the third consecutive game.

Here are our takeaways from another exciting Celtics victory against a Heat team that will be back at TD Garden on Friday night.

Jayson Tatum is NBA royalty

If Prince William and Princess Kate were wondering who was the best player on the Celtics, Tatum gave them an immediate answer.

Tatum put on an offensive show in front of the royals and the rest of TD Garden, scoring 11 of Boston's first 20 points and racking up 16 in the first quarter.

The Celtics usually boast a well-balanced attack, but Tatum put the offense on his back in this one, pouring in 28 points in the first half and hitting 41 by the end of the third quarter en route to a season-high scoring outburst.

Tatum got it done on both ends of the floor by adding a pair of steals, one of which led to a strong finish that helped stymie a Heat run late in the third quarter.

MVP candidates can impact winning in multiple ways, and tonight, Tatum's job was to get buckets. After the Heat narrowed Boston's lead to single digits in the fourth quarter, Tatum went into takeover mode, hitting a pair of 3-pointers to put the game on ice.

The sixth-year forward is simply on another level right now.

Malcolm Brogdon stays hot

Brogdon continues to give the Celtics starting-caliber play off the bench.

The veteran guard poured in 21 points on 7 of 10 shooting, knocking down five 3-pointers while grabbing six rebounds. Brogdon's shot-making in the second half was a big reason why the Celtics maintained their lead.

Brogdon has now scored 17 or more points in three consecutive games, boosting his scoring average to 14.0 on the season. Even on a night when Tatum was at his best, the Celtics needed Brogdon in attack mode on the second unit, and he delivered exactly what the team needed.

The Celtics could use Robert Williams

Boston hasn't missed a beat offensively without Time Lord. But they could benefit from his defensive prowess, and that was evident Wednesday night.

The Heat enjoyed open looks all night and worked the ball inside at will; Miami racked up 50 points in the paint to the Celtics' 44, with Bam Adebayo leading the charge.

Ex-Celtic Max Strus also had a field day from beyond the arc, hitting 5 of 10 3-pointers to finish with 23 points.

The C's don't need an elite defense to win games, and they're bound to give up more points while playing at an increased pace. If they can tighten up on the defensive end, however -- particularly in the paint -- they can really separate themselves from the NBA pack.

That's why Boston fans should be very excited to hear that Williams is nearing a return; the 25-year-old is an elite rim protector who played a huge role in the team's No. 1-ranked defense last season.

Contact Us