First modification: 20/05/2022 – 05:08Last modification: 20/05/2022 – 05:07
Miami (AFP) – Bolstered by the return of Smart and Horford, the Boston Celtics took a resounding 127-102 victory from the Miami Heat court on Thursday with which they tied the NBA Eastern Conference final 1-1.
The Celtics handed the Heat their first home loss of these playoffs thanks to a monumental first half, with All-Star Jayson Tatum scoring 17 of his 27 points in the second quarter alone.
With ferocious intensity on both ends of the floor, Marcus Smart was key to the Celtics’ reaction with one of the best games of his career, in which he finished with 24 points, 9 rebounds, 12 assists and 3 steals.
For the Heat, only their leader Jimmy Butler, with 29 points, stood up to the overwhelming collective performance of Boston.
The Celtics will now have home court advantage in the next two games of the tie, beginning with Game 3 on Saturday at TD Garden.
© 2022 AFP
