Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. We are in the conference finals!
The Miami Heat can’t be stopped.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.)
It’s been a recurring theme for the surprising Miami Heat. You let them hang around and they’re going to steal the game from you.
It looked all rosy for the Boston Celtics early. Kemba Walker was getting it going. The Heat couldn’t make anything. Miami was down, 60-43.
I noted about the Heat making consecutive baskets to close the half, though.
Heat cut the deficit down to 13 at the half. Boston better step on the gas at the start of the third.
— 𝘙𝘦𝘺-𝘙𝘦𝘺 🤞🏾✌🏾 (@TheNoLookPass) September 18, 2020
Then Miami switched to a zone as Bam Adebayo took advantage of Enes Kanter. He spurred a 20-4 run and the Heat took the lead back just like that. The game stayed close for the duration and this was when Miami was at its best.
During that close game, Jimmy Butler made an amazing steal and save that led to a dunk after a nice whip pass from Duncan Robinson. Later on, he made another steal that led to a Jae Crowder lay-up and topped off a late 9-0 run. Boston had one more chance to tie the game late but Jaylen Brown‘s corner three missed. Miami won again.
Early, it was Duncan Robinson (18 points) providing the offense for the Heat. Bam Adebayo took over in the third (21 points, 10 boards). Finally, it was Butler’s defense (I can’t believe he ONLY has four steals) and Goran Dragic’s shot-making (25 points) that took them home. The adjustment to the zone defense baffled the Celtics, too. Kemba led Boston with 23 points but he noticeably had much more trouble scoring in the second half.
Miami just seems untouchable right now. Jimmy Butler is that guy that is proving to everyone how good he really is. He affected the game so much and he only scored 14 points. But you know he’s capable of getting buckets; he showed that against the Bucks when he scored 40 points against them in the first game of the series. Jimmy can wreck it on the defensive end and he can let his teammates feast offensively.
Boston might have help soon. Gordon Hayward is due back. Obviously, there is a bit of a risk of throwing somebody in who hasn’t played in the playoffs but he does add another dimension to Boston’s offense. We’ll see if he’s back in for Game 3.
But in the meantime, the Heat are two wins away from the NBA Finals. It’s unbelievable. What the…
(PHOTO CREDIT: EMF).
Bullet Passes
As expected, Giannis Antetokounmpo won his second consecutive MVP award. Here’s the voting breakdown:
We always say that LeBron James is in the running but he hasn’t won the award since 2013.
There was supposedly a heated shouting match between Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown. I say that this happens a lot in competitive sports and I feel like this really shouldn’t be such a big deal.
Games 3 and 4 in the ECF will have three days off so they can get the Western Conference to catch up.
Hey, at least, the Denver Nuggets got two days off this time around! They should be a bit rested by the time they face the Lakers tonight.
NBA Playoff Scoreboard
Game 2: #3 BOS 101 vs #5 MIA 106 (MIA leads series, 2-0)
Watch This Play
Here’s that hustle play by Butler from one end to another. This personifies the Heat.
JIMMY BUTLER CAUSING PROBLEMS!
(📹:@MiamiHEAT)pic.twitter.com/tv3FP25sme
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) September 18, 2020
WCF starts tonight! Everyone please stay safe in the Bubble!
Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
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