Excluding a stretch within the fourth quarter, Recreation 1 couldn’t have gone a lot better for the Celtics, who got here away with a dominant 114-94 win and led by double-digits for many of the afternoon.
However Joe Mazzulla advised reporters at follow on Tuesday he is aware of that a greater Warmth staff awaits his squad in Recreation 2.
“In the event you suppose you’re not going to see a unique model of Miami, then you definitely’re kidding your self,” Mazzulla mentioned.
So, the Celtics, whereas actually glad to come back away with a win within the opening sport of the sequence, know to keep away from complacency. Jaylen Brown mentioned the staff wants to come back out with the identical urgency they did in Recreation 1, once they jumped out to a 17-2 lead.
“We acquired to come back out with the identical mentality, nearly like we’re down 1-0 as an alternative of we’re up,” Brown mentioned. “We acquired to come back able to play, able to combat, as a result of we will’t count on them to come back out and do nothing much less. They’re well-coached. They’re organized. They’re disciplined. They’re gonna have a superb sport plan of assault. We acquired to make it possible for we take them out of it.”
One potential adjustment the Warmth could make is limiting the Celtics’ three-point makes an attempt. On Sunday, the Celtics have been red-hot towards the Miami zone protection. They tied their postseason franchise report for made threes in a sport (22), powered by a Jayson Tatum triple-double and double-digit scoring performances from six gamers. The staff shot 44.9% from downtown, with Sam Hauser hitting 4 of 6 makes an attempt, and Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis every hitting 4 of 8 from past the arc.
Miami rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr., who had 16 factors on Sunday, mentioned he’s assured the Warmth will probably be so much higher subsequent sport. Although Miami will nonetheless be with out Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, the Warmth teaching workers could have had the chance to dive into movie from Sunday’s loss.
“I feel two days to arrange – that’s loads of time to get mentally and bodily prepared,” Jaquez Jr. mentioned postgame. “I do know the teaching workers goes to work actually laborious to determine a sport plan. Us as gamers, we’re going to get able to execute it.”
“I feel 2 days to arrange – that is loads of time to get mentally & bodily prepared. I do know the teaching workers goes to work actually laborious to determine a gameplan. Us as gamers we will get able to execute it.”
“We’ll be so much higher subsequent sport.”
– Jaquez pic.twitter.com/ZCeboFZB7E
— Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) April 22, 2024
For Joe Mazzulla’s staff, it’s about upping the depth slightly than making any main adjustments.
“‘Higher’ is simply doing what we did with increased depth and better physicality – I feel that’s what Recreation 2s name for,” he mentioned. “The primary adjustment is to do what you probably did with the next stage of depth and the next stage of physicality.”
Payton Pritchard acknowledged that Miami may match to remove a few of the Celtics’ three-pointers – the Celtics have led the league in three-point makes an attempt (42) and makes (16.5) this season, and generated dozens of high-quality seems to be towards the Warmth on Sunday. However he additionally mentioned the staff is comfy with taking completely different seems to be relying on what defensive changes Miami makes.
“We attempt to satisfaction ourselves on taking what the protection provides us,” Pritchard mentioned. “So, in the event that they find yourself taking away extra three-balls, we now have the flexibility to go inside. Guys are able to hitting these mid-ranges. If that’s what they need to give us, we’ve acquired to take them, and be assured taking them. However we now have loads of completely different choices – it’s what makes us laborious to protect.”
Joe Mazzulla famous that staying versatile with the game-plan is vital. All yr, he’s praised the Celtics for his or her open-mindedness and willingness to regulate on the fly.
“There’s a sport plan, however we simply can’t have an expectation of how that sport plan goes to go,” Mazzulla mentioned. “The sport might name for one thing completely different. It might name for going small, it might name for double bigs, it might name for zone, various things. So, it’s simply having an open thoughts, being able to execute, and giving that specific sport what it wants.”
Jaylen Brown on what he expects the Warmth to be in like in Recreation 2:
“They’re going to be hungry. Much more aggressive… Be bodily, knocking us to the bottom. Simply making an attempt to win that bodily match anyway they will… we’ll be able to do the identical factor.” pic.twitter.com/9HHK2uYaQA
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) April 23, 2024
Miami stays the staff that despatched the Celtics dwelling final season, and Jaylen Brown is just not taking the end result of tomorrow’s sport without any consideration.
“They’re going to be hungry,” Brown mentioned. “Determined. They’re going to come back out quick, much more aggressive. Making an attempt to show us over. Simply making an attempt to crash the glass laborious, be bodily – knocking us to the bottom. Simply making an attempt to win that bodily match anyway they will. That’s what I foresee. However, we’ll be able to do the identical factor.”
