Rapid Recap is designed for the busiest of Celtics fans. Whether you can’t stay awake to read 10 paragraphs or your hangover is just too much, Rapid Recap tells the timeline of the game in only a minute or two.
The Miami Heat have been one of the best home teams this season, having lost just twice before facing the visiting Celtics on Tuesday.
Now they have three losses. And the Celtics are 2-0 against the Heat this season and at 31-15 are just one-half game back of them in the standings.
Gordon Hayward and Jaylen Brown combined for 54 points on 20-of-30 shooting, and Daniel Theis added 10 points and 11 rebounds, leading the Celtics to a 109-101 in Miami. Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart struggled with their shooting (combined 8-of-32) but came through with key plays in crunch time. The Heat kept the game close throughout, but the Celts led almost the entire way.
Boston was still without Jayson Tatum and Enes Kanter, and Javonte Green was also out. Miami was on the second night of a back-to-back and was without starting point guard Kendrick Nunn.
A nice but double-edged look at the quick start the Celtics got off to:
The Celtics open the game with eight points in the first 69 seconds to force a quick Heat timeout. The Lakers did the same thing to the Celtics last week … and then lost by a billion.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 29, 2020
Indeed, Miami went on a mini-run after Boston pushed it from 8-0 to 13-4, quickly getting themselves into the double digits. The Cs stuck closely enough to the Heat on the defensive end of things and rode strong offense from Jaylen and Gordon to keep the gap alive.
Jaylen's 3 for 3 on 3-pointers and also has 3 assists.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 29, 2020
Jaylen/Hayward: 8/9 FG, 4/4 3pt, 22 points in 9 minutes.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) January 29, 2020
It wasn’t all roses, of course:
Unforced turnover off an ATO. Stevens might commit murder at the quarter break.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) January 29, 2020
But a quick pair of Kemba jumpers brought the Cs to a solid lead at the end of the game’s first 12 minutes.
The #Celtics race out to an 8-0 lead, proves to be the difference in the 1Q which ends w/Boston up 36-28 after 1Q.
⬆️Gordon Hayward (11 pts)
⬆️Jaylen Brown (11 pts)
⬇️Miami shooting (38.1%)— A. Sherrod Blakely (@ASherrodblakely) January 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/maxacarlin/status/1222333860173795328?s=20
Dion Waiters, recently suspended after a fiasco with weed gummies, somehow wormed his way back into the Miami lineup and immediately started jacking long jumpers.
i wish i could be as passionate about anything as much as dion waiters is passionate about not passing
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) January 29, 2020
But seriously: If anything was going to be a negative X-factor (for the Celtics) it’d be Bam Adebayo. Moreover, Boston’s players in this quarter seemed utterly baffled by Erik Spoelstra ordering Miami to run standard zone defense:
They are way too passive. They need to get someone into the middle of it. https://t.co/JQXgJJrZ0S
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) January 29, 2020
While Miami has taken its first lead of the game, 41-40, halfway through the second quarter, Bam Adebayo has three fouls. Celtics would be wise to take to advantage of his absence, which likely will extend to the end of the first half.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 29, 2020
It was more some bizarre goofy errors that kept Miami from holding their lead, not to mention defense like this:
Please watch Marcus Smart play defense pic.twitter.com/viCsCZcY8D
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) January 29, 2020
Theis continuing his run of strong play over these past several games:
https://twitter.com/maxacarlin/status/1222337766064906240?s=20
Speaking of Kemba:
Kemba Walker back in the top 5 in charge takes this season. He’s up to 15, tied with Aron Baynes.
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) January 29, 2020
DEFENSIVE MAESTRO KEMBA WALKER; you love to see it but fear slightly for the integrity of his 6’1″ and 190 lb. frame.
36 points in the first quarter
17 points in the second— CelticsBlog (@celticsblog) January 29, 2020
Yet they still held a narrow 53-48 lead rolling into halftime. Something to ponder:
Celtics aren't converting, but they're doing the right thing getting Hayward & Smart in the middle of the Miami zone. It should be Hayward most of the time because of his passing and ability in the midrange
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) January 29, 2020
Third quarter had this pretty play.
Ball movement on point! pic.twitter.com/ZzxmQ85wPV
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 29, 2020
This is a lowlight, but listen to Brad coaching.
https://twitter.com/maxacarlin/status/1222348686820245504?s=20
Gordo and Jaylen combined for 17 points in the third quarter, which ended well.
End of 3Q: Celtics 80, Heat 76
Grant Williams just grabbed an offensive board and kicked it out for a 3 from Brad Wanamaker to end the quarter's scoring. Big play by the rook and the vet. Stevens doesn't appear to be budging off his eight-man rotation tonight.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) January 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/maxacarlin/status/1222351434596999168?s=20
Fourth quarter, Grant had a putback that gave Boston an 8-point lead.
The offensive rebounds will show up though. https://t.co/Zxoez22crF
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) January 29, 2020
But the refs were picking on Grant, and Coach Stevens would have none of it.
Celtics are challenging the foul call on Grant Williams. This is a big deal because it's his 5th foul with 7:18 to play and he's been pretty key in holding off the Heat this quarter
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) January 29, 2020
(The challenge failed, dammit.)
Smarf update:
Marcus Smart 1-10? NO! 2-11
— Handsome B. Wonderful (@JamPackard) January 29, 2020
Kemba update:
Jimmy Butler is turning it up… going to need Kemba to start making some shots
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) January 29, 2020
Big time three from Kemba. Celtics needed that one.
Boston up 97-88. Timeout Miami.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) January 29, 2020
Cold-blooded 👌 pic.twitter.com/9cIZ8E1FbI
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 29, 2020
Miami had closed to within 5 points with 2 minutes to play when Smart beat the shot clock with a crucial 3; stripped Adebayo’s layup attempt; then swatted out a Celtics miss to keep possession and force the Heat to foul.
Marcus Smart does Marcus Smart things. That was a hell of a tip out to basically seal this game.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) January 29, 2020
Marcus “Winning Plays” Smart pic.twitter.com/64PYee7ar0
— Céad Míle Fáilte (@ColeyMick) January 29, 2020
After that sequence, the Cs led by 9 with just 27 seconds left. Ballgame.
Celtics 109, Heat 101. Final.
29 and 9 for Hayward on 10 of 14 shooting.
25 and 5 assists for Jaylen on 10 of 16 shooting.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 29, 2020
Celtics pulling out this road win despite the starting backcourt going a combined 8-of-32 and no Tatum is very impressive. Heat were 21-2 at home before tonight.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) January 29, 2020
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