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Keys to the Game: Heat 130, Celtics 124

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Key Moment

The Boston Celtics cut a 26-point halftime deficit all the way down to six late in the fourth quarter of Sunday afternoon’s matchup with the Miami Heat. However, that was as close as the C’s would get to Miami, as New England native Duncan Robinson closed the door on his hometown team with a dagger 3-pointer down the stretch.

Boston was on a 32-11 run that lasted from the 11:12 mark of the fourth quarter all the way up to the 2:42 mark, which is when Robinson stole the momentum away by rattling home a one-dribble, straightaway triple from about four feet outside the top of the arc.

That shot seemed to knock the wind out of Boston, as it gave Miami a 121-112 lead. From that point on, the Heat prevented the Celtics from creating anymore separation as they traded buckets until the final buzzer, resulting in a 130-124 Miami win.

Key Player

Evan Fournier has caught fire over the past week, and Sunday afternoon was the best he has played since arriving in Boston.

The veteran wing had his first 30-point game as a member of the Celtics, finishing with exactly that amount in the scoring column to lead all scorers Sunday afternoon. He shot 11-of-16 from the field, including 7-of-11 from 3-point range, while also making his lone free-throw attempt of the day.

Fournier also had his best facilitating effort as a Celtic, as he dished out a team-high eight assists. On top of that, he coralled three rebounds, blocked one shot and did not turn the ball over a single time during his 35 minutes of action.

Box Score Nuggets

  • Evan Fournier led all scorers with 30 points, while shooting 7-of-11 from 3-point range.
  • Jayson Tatum was closed behind with 29 points, as he finished with the same field-goal clip (11-of-16) as Fournier.
  • Boston gave up 79 points during the first half, which was one shy of the team record.
  • Jimmy Butler led the Heat in scoring (26 points) despite attempting only one shot in the first half.
  • Butler also led the game in assists with 11.
  • Tristan Thompson logged the only double-digit rebounding effort as he grabbed 12 boards.
  • The Heat led by as many as 26 points.
  • The Celtics never led at any point.
  • Boston had a 20-14 advantage in fast-break points.
  • Both teams made 20 free throws.
  • Marcus Smart became the sixth Celtics player to join the 700 steals club after grabbing his first of two steals in the game.

Quote of the Night

Evan Fournier after his 30-point, eight-assist effort