Jayson Tatum poured in 29 points and Jaylen Brown added 28 as the Boston Celtics defeated the host Miami Heat 111-104 on Friday night in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference finals.
The duo combined to make 22 of 40 field-goal attempts (55 percent) to lead the Celtics to their second straight win to open the season. Derrick White contributed 10 points and seven rebounds, as did reserve Grant Williams.
Boston was especially efficient from deep, going 14-for-33 (42.4 percent) from beyond the arc.
Tyler Herro paced the Heat with 25 points and six rebounds on 10-for-21 shooting. Bam Adebayo supplied 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Jimmy Butler went for 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Brown made a turnaround jumper with 7:30 left to play to put the Celtics up by 14 at 100-86. Miami fought back, cutting the deficit to five twice, but ultimately couldn’t complete the comeback.
The Heat got Boston into foul trouble early in the third and was in the bonus at the 8:11 mark. Kyle Lowry later hit a pair of free throws to cap a 12-4 run that put the Heat up 71-69, giving them their first lead since the first quarter.
But that advantage didn’t last long.
Tatum rattled off eight points to help the Celtics roar back and take a 12-point edge into the final frame. Miami scored just six points over the final six minutes of the third.
After trailing by as much as 11 early in the second quarter, the Heat pulled to within 48-44 with 4:42 left in the first half. Boston responded with an 11-7 spurt, though, to head into the break with a 59-51 lead.
Brown had 14 points, Tatum added 11 and White chipped in with all 10 of his points for the Celtics, who shot 52.5 percent from the field before halftime. Herro led Miami with 15 points, thanks in large part to a run in the second in which he scored eight straight Heat points.
–Field Level Media
