Celtics Solve Zone Early and Batter Heat in Game 2

MIAMI — The Celtics and Heat agreed entering their eastern conference finals rematch that 2020 was a long time ago.

Miami courted Derrick Jones Jr., Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala, long, active, defensive-minded wings perfectly suited to run Erik Spoelstra’s zone defense for long stretches then. They successfully hid Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro, allowing both to light Boston up offensively. The Celtics, stagnant offensively with Kemba Walker battling knee soreness, couldn’t solve the zone. It became the story of Boston’s disappointing six-game loss in the NBA. In some ways, it defined the beginning of the end of the Brad Stevens era.

“That team two years ago was totally different, so you can’t even compare,” Spoelstra told CLNS Media pregame on if the zone could have the same impact and when it would appear. “It depends on what’s called for in the game.”

Now, everyone, Boston included, waited for Spoelstra to unveil it again. In Game 1, a second-half rout for the Heat, it didn’t appear. Miami disrupted the Celtics with aggressive switching and traps. They built an 18-8 lead to start Game 2, and decided to roll it out.

Ime Udoka predicted the Celtics could get the Heat to discard it quickly when zone appeared, because they had done so during the regular season after early-season struggles. He proved prophetic again. Boston shattered Miami’s zone defense with six straight three-pointers to close the first quarter as part of a 37-10 run on the way to a 70-45 halftime lead and 127-102 win in Game 2 to even the east finals going back to TD Garden on Saturday night.

Marcus Smart returned from his mid-foot sprain and dished seven first half assists on a night where the Celtics racked up 28. His teammates shot 12-for-15 following his passes in the game, and he added 24 points, nine rebounds and three steals in a team-high 40 minutes. Al Horford exited COVID protocol to screen, play the high post and allow Boston to reunite its dominant starting lineup and aggressive switching defense.

“(They) didn’t get to (the zone) in the first game. Not surprised, they upped their physicality and didn’t need to get into it. Being that we saw (the zone) quite a bit early in the season,” Udoka told CLNS post-game.

“We were ready ready for that.”

Jaylen Brown, who dribbled himself into trouble three times early and threw the ball away, took a decisive three and found Payton Pritchard for a drive-and-kick on another late in the first quarter against it. Tatum checked back in with his second foul midway through the frame and caught a swing pass after Brown’s third throwaway in the lane found Smart at the top of the arc. Udoka turned to Grant Williams in place of Robert Williams III early, sensing the Celtics needed additional spacing.

Williams III gave Tatum the outlet for post touches again early, but Boston wanted to open up the lane and give themselves run-out opportunities. Grant and Horford, a more switchable duo, piled up 14 stops on 17 possessions between the first and second quarters and sprinted up the floor.

Boston entered the second quarter on a 27-6 run already, Tatum zipping a pass to Williams on the back line for a cutting two before Brown and Al Horford found Williams on the weak side for back-to-back threes. Tatum’s advancement beyond his early days a point forward in the NBA Bubble became the biggest talking point around the Heat entering the series when comparing it to their past playoff series.

Tatum, who put the Game 1 loss on his shoulders following a string of third quarter turnovers, served five assists while only giving the ball up three times on Thursday.

“I think the idea of zone can make you shoot a lot of jump shots and cause you to be stagnant,” Tatum told CLNS post-game. “That’s what zone wants you to do. Taking open shots, but still finding ways to penetrate and make the right play and find the open man.”

The Celtics buried 20-of-40 shots from three in a red-hot response reminiscent of Game 2 against the Bucks in the second round. Boston maintained that against a Milwaukee drop defense that rarely left that scheme through the seven-game series. Miami can shape-shift into switching looks that mirror the Celtics’, try to aggressively take Tatum off the ball and force others to make plays. With Smart, Brown and Horford available that became a less straightforward option.

Pritchard added 10 points and two assists in another productive bench effort, while the Heat remained without Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker injured his knee and Gabe Vincent and Max Strus’ production diminished into 20 combined points. Duncan Robinson appeared off the bench for 14 second-half minutes and missed all four of his three-point attempts. In Game 2, the Heat, always finding a solution throughout a turbulent regular season and dominant first two playoff rounds, started reaching. Minutes later, Miami fans spilled out of FTX Arena leaving mostly mostly chanting Celtics fans. Another stark difference versus 2020’s empty gyms.

“I think we changed the way we played,” Vincent said post-game. “Obviously, they are a very effective defensive team. They flattened us out. The ball got stagnant. We didn’t move it as much and we saw the result of that.”

This series between two high-level defenses projects to continue to swing around who executes better on offense and feeds the other’s transition game less. Williams, Horford and Tatum repeatedly broke out for easy baskets midway through the game like Jimmy Butler did in the decisive third quarter of Game 1.

Transition and dominant half court defense, Boston holding the Heat to 80.9 points per 100 possessions in the half court, factored as as heavily into the Celtics’ runaway win as their short run against the Miami zone. Smart and Horford held the Heat to 5-for-20 shooting in their individual matchups in their returns.

A sticking point entering the series likely disappeared for the Heat already though. A flurry of passes, assertive shot-taking and movement on the offensive end shook free the Miami zone with relative ease. Two years too late for some, but in this series right on time.

“Miami does a good job with it and Coach Udoka just kept it very simple for us. He wanted us to go about it a certain way, play with pace and that’s what we did,” Horford told CLNS post-game. “Our guys kept making the right reads, Jayson, Jaylen, Marcus, kind of attacking downhill and making plays for us.”