Celtics Drop Physical Game 1 to Heat

Paul Pierce was ejected with 7 minutes left in Sunday's game against the Miami Heat

Miami – The Celtics were out-muscled by the Heat on Sunday as they dropped Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to Miami 99-90. Guard Dwyane Wade scored 38 points and forward LeBron James added 22.

By that wasn’t a big deal. You expect Wade and James to dominate. Sure, this was Wade’s best performance against Boston this year, but you had to see it coming. What we didn’t see coming was reserve forward James Jones scoring 25 points off the bench, including five 3-pointers.

Celtic guard Rajon Rondo was a non-factor with 7 assists and 8 points. That will have to change if the Boston hopes to win this series.

Miami lead 20-14 after the first quarter and never trailed in the game. Celtic starters combined for just 21 points in the first half and had to play without Rondo for the last 11 minutes due to foul trouble.

The Heat led 51-36 at halftime. The teams traded several min-runs in the second half, but Boston was never able to solve Miami’s 2-3 zone defense. Guard Mike Bibby frustrated Rondo all afternoon with tight defense.

The Celtics never matched the Heat’s intensity all afternoon. Ray Allen scored 25 points for Boston, but was clearly more focused on the team’s overall bad performance on Sunday.

“There’s so many things we need to do to get better,” Allen said. “I think everybody in that locker room knows that, just from a small conversation we just had.”

So what happened? After all, they had week to rest and prepare for this series. The Celtic defense chased Wade and James all afternoon, leaving Jones wide open. Even bench players knock down 3-pointers when left that open. But don’t expect Boston to give more respect to the Heat bench, because they’re not going to let Wade and James beat them. Besides, the rest of Miami’s bench only contributed 4 points.

However, too many times on Sunday the Celtics were guilty of watching dribble-penetration by Heat players and losing sight of Jones. When they didn’t dish it off, they were going to the line for 32 free-throw attempts. This team is going to have to start paying tougher defense and communicating better.

“I thought they (Miami) were prepared, they were ready, they played with unbelievable intensity,” said Celtic coach Doc Rivers.

Look no further than Wade’s diving attempt at saving the ball from going out of bounds and James’ 70-foot chest-pass to Wade while up 10 with 3 minutes left. They just wanted it more.

Things boiled over with 7 minutes left when Pierce picked up his 2nd technical foul and was tossed from the game. His first technical came when he head-butted James Jones after a hard foul from Jones. Pierce has never backed down from anything and he’s not about to start now. That’s the kind of intensity this team needs now.

So should the Boston panic? Of course not. Miami’s bench struggled all year, which is why Jones’ performance on Sunday was surprising. First and foremost, they will have to match Miami’s intensity. James made it clear Miami came to play.

“It is personal,” James said. “You don’t want to keep getting beat by the same team; the same team sending you home to plan vacations.”

The Celtics will try to even the series on Tuesday night in Miami. This is a must win. The Heat have clearly come to play.

It’s on.

Nathan Sumner is a Staff Writer for FanHuddle.com.

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Tags: Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Dwyane Wade, Eastern Conference Finals, James Jones, LeBron James, Miami Heat, NBA, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo