Boston Celtics lose Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 against Miami Heat.
The Miami Heat's 123-116 away triumph against the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday maintained Jimmy Butler's playoff hot run.
Miami was the 8-seed in the Play In tournament, but they've had a great playoff run.
After defeating Giannis Antetokounmpo and the No. 1-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, Erik Spoelstra's squad defeated the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semis.
The Heat's shock triumph against the Celtics sends another message to the doubters.
The Celtics led 66-57 at halftime in Boston's TD Garden.
Spoelstra's feisty team outscored the Celtics 46-25 in the third quarter.
Boston rallied in the last 12 minutes, but it wasn't enough to overcome Butler & Co.'s disadvantage.
Butler scored 35 points, had seven assists, and five rebounds in another classic playoff effort.
“I’m playing at an incredible level because they are allowing me to do so,” Butler said of his teammates after another postseason masterpiece.
My game is not limited. They give me the ball defensively. Every basketball player wants that.”
After the road victory, Spoelstra praised his star player: “He’s one of the premier two-way basketball players of this association. We needed that.”
Celtics' series starts poorly again. Boston must recover from a Game 1 setback to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference playoffs to defeat the Heat.