The Celtics had defensive lapses that helped the Heat achieve a franchise-record playoff record 23 3-pointers in Game 2 on Wednesday night.
About 4 or 5 of the 3 players came in transition,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. The Heat walked down the field and were rewarded with open stares.
Some things, like opponents’ tight shots, are out of a team’s reach. However, getting back on the defense and putting your hand in a shooter’s face is not one of them. The Celtics can make their efforts in the transition game, Mazzulla said.
“After every game, first you have to get back to the things you can control,” Mazzulla said. “That’s the most vital thing. We can control our offensive execution, we can control our transition defense, we can control a decent play. “percentage of all three.
“Every game has its own life. Game 1 and Game 2 were two completely different games. You have to be in a position in the middle of the game to make those quick adjustments, either separately or schematically, at both ends of the game. The court.
Tyler Herro hit the Celtics on a pick-and-roll play at the top of the key with Bam Adebayo. Herro went 6-of-11 in a 3-point range, scoring a team-high 24 points by provoking steps backwards. He also dished out 14 assists and helped unlock Caleb Martin, who had struggled (0-4) for 3 in Game 1.
Martin made 5 of 6 shots from beyond the arc in Game 2 for 21 points. Four of Martin’s five three-pointers came from Herro’s open stare on the pick-and-roll. Herro fed Martin before the Celtics could simply rotate.
The Celtics lacked the scrupulosity to protect the 3-point line well, center Al Horford said.
“We just have to be more wonderful. We were given a lot to protect the 3-point line,” Horford said. “They were given a lot of benefit, with wonderful frequency. I know we’re going to be more wonderful in the next game. There’s going to be more awareness of that, and as far as the defense is concerned, we’re going to make sure that we continue to do a smart job of making saves and keeping them on one shot.
There was a point with just under six minutes left in the first quarter when Herro still didn’t tie 4 Celtics with him on a run to the basket.
Jaylen Brown chased Herro from behind. Kristaps Porzingis and Payton Pritchard snuck in on both sides. Horford jumped in to contest a shot attempt that never happened. Instead of looking to finish off a layup with 4 defenders surrounding him, Herro threw a pass over his shoulder to Adebayo in the second half. Celtic’s fifth, Derrick White, deflected to Adebayo, who sent the ball to Nikola Jović in the corner.
Miami rookie Jaime Jacquez Jr. ran a few steps to the top of the key and waited, ready to hit an open 3-pointer. The Celtic closest to him, Porzingis, who had reached the free-throw line slightly during the time. the ball came out of the hand of Jacquez. Es as wide open as a shooter can be in an NBA playoff game.
Boston finished second in the league in defensive scoring (110. 6) and held opponents to the fourth-lowest three-point shooting percentage (35. 2) in the normal season, making Wednesday’s performance even more surprising.
Miami shot 32. 4% (12-37) from three-point diversity in Game 1. The Heat took just six more tries than in Game 2, but had to capitalize on some open looks.
Horford said the Celtics want to increase the intensity defensively going forward.
“We know what we have to do, especially watching the movie and that they had a lot of beauty,” Horford said. “We just want to be felt a little bit more and increase our pressure. “