The Boston Celtics engaged in a heated matchup against the Miami Heat in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal. Boston lost 111-101 after an incredible shooting display from Miami. Still, the Celtics needed greater production from two key players to beat the white-hot Heat. Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday are the contributors in question from Wednesday's shocking loss.
Boston entered Game 2 after their commanding 114-94 victory over Miami in the season opener. The Celtics looked as mighty as their record and regular season run were. However, Wednesday night told a different story. The Heat came out with vengeance and massively outplayed the Celtics on the offensive end.
Miami shot a blazing 53.5% on three-pointers. Their shooting combined with the production from several players made the ultimate difference in the game. Tyler Herro led the team with 24 points, 14 points, and five rebounds. It seemed like the rim was wide open for Herro, who shot 53.8% on all field goals and 54.5% on threes.
Herro was not the only one on fire Wednesday. Caleb Martin erupted for 21 points and impressively made five of his six threes. Martin's performance gave fans flashbacks of his display against the Celtics during the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals when he was a force to be reckoned with.
Martin and Herro received help from Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic, who scored 14 and 11 points, respectively. However, the Heat got an MVP-caliber performance from Bam Adebayo. The Defensive Player of the Year candidate scored 21 points and grabbed 10 boards. His defense on Kristaps Porzingis was phenomenal, which leads to an important first point.
Kristaps Porzingis must bounce back from his Game 2 performance
Porzingis finished Wednesday's game with just six points in 30 minutes. A large reason for his subpar offensive performance was Bam Adebayo's hounding defense. Yet, the star center must find a way to overcome his pressure and contribute more.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown did their jobs as the team's leading scorers. Tatum finished with 28 points, while Brown amassed 33. That does not mean Kristaps Porzingis should take a back seat though. Porzingis' three-level offensive game greatly enhances Boston's attack.
The 28-year-old averaged an earnest 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and shot 37.5% on three-pointers during the regular season. He can explode for 20-plus at any moment, and if he increases his output for the rest of the series, the Celtics should have no problems combatting the fiery Heat team.
On the bright side, Porzingis showed up on the defensive side in Game 2, tallying two blocks and three steals. He must maintain his status as a two-way threat for the rest of Boston's matchup. Speaking of two-way threats, the Celtics need more from Jrue Holiday.
Jrue Holiday and the need for increased offense
There is no question of Jrue Holiday's elite defensive ability. He continues to be a force against opposing guards and plays his role well. However, if the Celtics want to get an extra jump on the Heat, Holiday will need to knock more shots down.
He scored just nine points in Game 2 after averaging 12.5 during the regular season. Holiday did well by attempting four threes, but he only made one of them. He should continue to shoot when he has an opening to give the Celtics another threat on offense.
Moreover, Holiday's defensive impact on Wednesday might be in question due to Miami's guards putting on insane shooting displays. However, the Heat had too hot of a night for Holiday alone to stop. Surely, the veteran guard will bounce back in Game 3 and give the Celtics more of a boost.
All in all, Boston could be in trouble with the series evened up, but trust that Joe Mazzulla will get the most out of his players going into Game 3 as the Celtics look to regain the series lead.
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