Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics with 26 points, and Kristaps Porzingis added 19 before leaving with a sprained left ankle. The C’s secured a commanding 143-110 win against the Miami Heat during Thursday’s NBA slate.
This victory, marked by the Celtics’ 22 three-pointers, was the most points Boston has ever scored against the Heat and their largest margin of victory in the history of their matchups.
Mazzulla emphasized the transient nature of the win, stating the importance of learning from it and applying those lessons to future games. The Celtics, at the top of the NBA standings with a 35-10 record, showed improvement from last year’s near miss in the Eastern Conference finals.
“This game was really good, but it means nothing at all in the grand scheme of things if we don’t take the lessons that we need to and apply it to the next game,” Mazzulla said. “So, we’ll enjoy it until we get to the plane and then it’s on to the next one.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat Updates
The Heat, with Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro each scoring 19 points and Jimmy Butler adding 17, are now experiencing their longest losing streak since March 2021. Adebayo pointed out defensive lapses and miscommunications as key issues in their loss.
“I felt like there was a lot of miscommunication throughout the game, defensive lapses, a whole bunch of things that went on through the game that we didn’t correct and we paid for,” Adebayo said.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat Updates
Miami, who were significant underdogs in their arena for the first time since 2019, failed to repeat the success of their past upset over Golden State. Boston established dominance early in the game and maintained control, leading 77-64 at halftime and extending their lead in the third quarter.
This game marked only the fourth time in Heat history that a Miami team allowed as many as 113 points through the first three quarters of a game, including playoffs. The Heat have also recently faced substantial deficits in several games, leading to their most lopsided losses of the season.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat Updates
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged the challenge of facing a potent Boston offense, describing the defeat as a humbling experience.
“What went wrong was we faced a very potent offensive team that’s been doing this for several months now,” Spoelstra said. “It was a humbling night. That’s for sure. They put us in our place tonight.”
Looking ahead, the Celtics will host the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Heat travel to play the New York Knicks, both games scheduled for Saturday.
