Jimmy Butler scored 41 points including 27 in the second half as the Miami Heat's third-quarter charge helped them to a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 118-107 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday.
After trailing 62-54 at half-time, the Heat went on a 22-2 run early in the third quarter to storm ahead and never looked back from there. The Heat are 7-0 in the 2022 playoffs at FTX Arena.
Butler's 41-point haul was his sixth time in 12 playoff games where he has hit the 30-point mark. It was also his third 40-point night of these playoffs.
The Heat forward shot 12-of-19 from the floor, along with eight-of-11 in the second half, while he also had nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks in a remarkable all-round display.
Butler becomes the first player this postseason with at least 30 points and four steals in multiple games.
Gabe Vincent (17 points, three assists, three blocks), Max Strus (11 points including three triples, four rebounds, two assists, two steals) and Tyler Herro (18 points, eight rebounds, three assists) all provided good support.
The Celtics were left to lament their 39-14 third quarter, along with their 11-of-34 three-point shooting, cooling off in the second half.
Boston's two-of-15 (13 per cent) third-quarter field goal shooting was their worst in any quarter over the last four seasons. The Celtics only managed four points in the paint in the second half, having scored 42 in the first.
Jayson Tatum top scored for Boston with 29 points with two-of-nine from beyond the arc along with eight rebounds, six assists and four steals.
Jaylen Brown added 24 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, while the absence of Marcus Smart (foot) and Al Horford (health and safety protocols) was felt.
The Heat were also missing veteran point guard Kyle Lowry due to a lingering hamstring issue.
Miami's 12 blocks for the game, led by center Bam Adebayo (10 points, four rebounds, four blocks), was a joint franchise playoff record.
Caitlin Clark fulfils WNBA dream as Indiana pick college star first in draft
Caitlin Clark is living the dream after she was chosen as the first pick in the WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever.
The 22-year-old is stepping up to the professional league as the most successful college player in history, which has made her the new star of the sport.
She joins last year’s first pick Aliyah Boston – a former team-mate of hers in the United States Under-19s – at the Fever as the club try to revive their fortunes after again failing to reach the play-offs in 2023.
Clark said on the WNBA website: “I dreamed of this moment since I was in second grade, and it’s taken a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs, but more than anything, just trying to soak it in.
“Obviously going to an organisation that has, in my eyes, one of the best post players (Boston) in the entire world.
“My point guard eyes just light up at that. And obviously, Aliyah has been one of my team-mates before. I’m excited. I can’t wait.”
View this post on InstagramFever head coach Christie Sides said on the club’s website: “Caitlin is one of the most naturally gifted basketball players I have ever seen enter the WNBA from the college level.
“Her shooting and passing abilities captivated an entire audience of basketball fans, and her ability to make those around her better was even more evident during her collegiate career.
“We can’t wait to bring her to Indiana and incorporate her into our locker room with a group ready to get back to the postseason.”
Clark’s Fever career kicks-off in the WNBA opener against the Connecticut Sun on May 14.
Joel Embiid 'ready to go' for play-ins – Nurse
Joel Embiid will be "ready to go" for the Philadelphia 76ers when they host the Miami Heat, coach Nick Nurse has confirmed.
The reigning MVP sat out the Sixers' 107-86 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in Sunday's regular-season finale at Wells Fargo Center.
Embiid returned from a two-month lay-off against the Oklahoma City Thunder two weeks ago, but his status has been questionable for every game since.
And after missing the Nets game, concerns were raised with regards to his status ahead of Wednesday's 7-8 play-in contest with the Heat.
However, Nurse allayed any fears regarding the fitness of Embiid, who practised with the rest of his team-mates on Saturday.
"He did everything at practice yesterday," Nurse said after the Nets win. "But we decided out of caution to hold him out. He'll be ready to go."
Despite winning their final eight games, the Sixers finished seventh in the Eastern Conference and are set to contest their first play-in contest.
As a result of other results over the weekend, the Heat now stand between Philadelphia and a place in the playoffs.
"Obviously, we've had some great battles with them, and we always expect that facing them," Nurse said.
"The mindset is we're playing well and do everything we can, like we've been doing for the last month.
"We're digging in and playing our guys and doing whatever we have to do to win. We've got a good mindset, and we'll take that into Wednesday."
Allen reportedly agrees to 4-year, $70million extension with Suns
When Grayson Allen takes the court for the Phoenix Suns in their first play-off game this weekend, he'll be playing with a new contract.
Allen and the Suns agreed to a four-year, $70million extension on Monday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The six-year veteran is coming off his best NBA season, averaging career highs of 13.5 points per game, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 0.92 steals while starting 74 of 75 contests.
He also shot a league-leading 46.1 per cent from 3-point range and averaged a career-best 2.7 made 3-pointers per game.
He had seven games this season with at least eight made 3-pointers, and only the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry had more such games with eight.
The 21st overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz, Allen joined the Suns last off-season as part of the three-team trade that saw Damian Lillard go to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Prior to being acquired by Phoenix, Allen spent one season with the Jazz, two with the Memphis Grizzlies and two in Milwaukee.
He averaged 9.7 points per game in his first five seasons before becoming an important part of Phoenix's offence in 2023-24.
In the 30 games Allen scored at least 14 points, the Suns went 22-8, compared to going 27-25 when he scored 13 or fewer.
Phoenix won 10 of its last 14 games to end the season 49-33, and finish in sixth place in the Western Conference.
The Suns will face the third-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in a first-round play-off series, beginning on Saturday.
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