Heat drubs Boston Celtics to take 3-0 lead in Eastern Conference finals

The most improbable run in Heat playoff history now sits on the cusp of something that seemed unimaginable five weeks ago: a berth in the NBA Finals.

The Heat’s thoroughly dominant — and dominantly thorough — 128-102 Game 3 trouncing of the Boston Celtics on Sunday night left Miami ahead 3-0 in the Eastern Conference finals and just one win from the franchise’s seventh Finals appearance since 2006.

NBA teams that take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-7 series are 149-0 all time. Game 4 is Tuesday night in Miami (8:30 p.m., TNT).

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This 11-3 Heat playoff run, after an uninspiring 44-38 regular season and play-in game loss to Atlanta, has been jaw-dropping at times, the way the eighth-seeded Heat has rolled through the Milwaukee Bucks and now the Celtics, with a 7-1 record against those two teams that had the best records in the East this season.

On Sunday, the Heat not only won, but snatched the soul of a desperate Boston team, leading by as many as 33 in the third quarter, before a euphoric crowd at Kaseya Center. The Heat shot 57 percent from the field, while limiting Boston to 40 percent.

“The belief is real,” Bam Adebayo said. “And we’ve got a will to win.”

Game 3 was a continuation of the first two games in so many ways: very good Heat three-point shooting (54 percent/19 of 35), poor Celtics three-point shooting (26 percent/11 for 42), damaging Celtics turnovers (15), exemplary work from Caleb Martin (18 points) and the Heat’s supporting cast, including a huge night Sunday from Gabe Vincent, who scored 29, and Duncan Robinson, who scored 22.

And, oh yes, this: Jimmy Butler and Adebayo continued to outplay Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. None of the four played in the fourth quarter because of the lopsided score.

The Heat’s defense has a lot to do with Tatum and Brown consistently coming up short after a season when Tatum was named first team All-NBA and Brown was second team All-NBA.

During one sequence midway through the third quarter, Adebayo blocked Tatum’s shot, and Martin then stole the ball from Tatum on Boston’s next possession, leading to a Max Strus three that put the Heat ahead 27.

Tatum and Brown combined to shoot just 9 of 24, including 1 for 7 on threes, with five turnovers in a first half that ended with the Heat ahead by 15.

They were even worse during the decisive third quarter when Miami stretched its lead from 15 to 33; Tatum shot 2 for 7 in the quarter and Brown 1 for 4; they combined for 0 for 7 shooting on threes in the third.

“We’re trying to do everything to make it tough on them,” Martin said.

Tatum (14 points) closed 6 for 18 from the field, including 1 for 7 on threes. Brown (12 points) was 6 and 17 and missed all seven of his threes. Both committed three turnovers.

“That was a solid, mature, professional approach,” Erik Spoelstra said. “We’re getting closer but we still have to finish this off. You can tell… how much this means to everyone. We were able to get the game on our terms and sustain it. We’ll decompress [Tuesday] and get our minds right to finish this thing off.”

The Heat rolled without a dominant scoring game from Butler, who scored 16 in 31 minutes and chipped in eight rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Adebayo was very good for a third consecutive game; his numbers (13 points on just five field-goal attempts, three rebounds) don’t begin to quantify his impact. His night included electrifying dunks off alley oops from Robinson and Strus, and a twirl around Brown for a tomahawk dunk.

Vincent’s jumper was pure all night; he shot 11 for 14 from the field, including 6 for 9 on threes.

“Gabe has been Mr. Reliable,” Adebayo said.

The Heat bench entered having outscored teams by an absurd 156 points in the playoffs. Miami did it again Sunday; its reserves outscored Boston’s 25-10 in a first half that ended with the Heat ahead 15. The bench margin was 31-14 after three quarters.

Martin, who shot 17 for 27 in the first two games of the series, opened Game 3 by making his first three shots en route to closing 7 for 11 on an 18-point night that also included three rebounds, four assists and a steal. His 11 points and three assists in the first half were vital in the Heat building a 22-point second quarter lead.

“We’ll take our chances with any team that has to beat us four times,” Martin said. “We’re a connected group.”

But “it’s not done,” Martin said. “It’s first team to four, not to three. [Game 4] is going to be the toughest game.”

Robinson — who made 5 of 7 threes — surpassed LeBron James for most three-pointers in Heat playoff history. He not only hit two threes in the second quarter, but dished out three assists and scored on two layups, including one when he drove past a Celtics defender and got to the basket, showcasing a part of his game that he has worked to develop.

Kevin Love scored the Heat’s first five points but departed after 4:47 with what appeared to be a calf injury and never returned, though he warmed up before the second half. Martin started the third quarter in his place.

Spoelstra said Love said he’s fine and could have re-entered the game. He was wearing a medical device on his calf after the game but seemed to be walking without a limp.

After winning three of four games in Miami during last year’s Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics never even seriously challenged after halftime.

Two big Heat runs pushed the Heat to a 22-point lead late in the first half.

The first of those, a 9-0 burst, was fueled by Martin’s eight first-quarter points and left the Heat ahead 30-20 late in the first quarter.

Miami then flourished in the non-Butler minutes — a trouble spot in the regular season — and outscored Boston by 12 points when Butler rested in the first half. Robinson was instrumental during those minutes, converting on two layups

Butler returned with the Heat up 14, and Miami promptly unleashed a 13-5 run, punctuated by a Robinson three, to go up 59-37. At that point, Boston was 4 for 13 on threes.

A 9-2 Celtics run to close the first half trimmed the Heat’s lead to 61-46 at the half, marking the Celtics’ third largest halftime deficit all year.

“I’m embarrassed for the Celtics, no mental toughness,” TNT’s Charles Barkley said at halftime.

For the Celtics, it got only worse from there.

Two threes from Vincent highlighted an 18-4 run that put the Heat up 79-54. The lead grew to 89-56 after a Celtics scoring drought that lasted nearly four minutes.

And the jubilant crowd at Kaseya Center got to enjoy extended garbage time in the fourth quarter.

“We got the matchup we wanted,” Martin said. “We got to see the team who took us out last year. Nothing like a second crack at it. We’re playing like we have something to prove. We’re a bunch of guys with a chip on our shoulder.”

This story was originally published May 21, 2023 10:50 PM.