In a dominant performance, the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat 114-94 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Jayson Tatum shined with his first career playoff triple-double, recording 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Derrick White also had a big game for the Celtics, adding 20 points as Boston had six players in double-figures.
The Celtics tied a franchise playoff record with 22 3-pointers and outscored the Heat 31-14 in the third quarter. Miami, playing without injured star Jimmy Butler, struggled to match Boston’s physicality and fell behind by as much as 34 points.
Tempers flared in the final minute of the game as Caleb Martin fouled Tatum hard, resulting in a brief scuffle and double technical fouls. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged Boston’s dominance in controlling the game.
Boston’s bench stepped up in the absence of Luke Kornet, contributing 30 points. The game had a different feel without Butler, who played a key role in Miami’s playoff run last season.
The Celtics had previously beaten the Heat in all three regular-season meetings and started Game 1 strong with a 17-2 run. Game 2 of the series is set for Wednesday in Boston, where both teams will look to make adjustments for a competitive matchup.
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