:strip_icc()/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_bc8228b6673f488aa253bbcb03c80ec5/internal_photos/bs/2022/T/S/BLwjGJQbAnZBXeqWOAnQ/gettyimages-1398570296.jpg "Adebayo Scores 31 Points, Heat Beats Celtics 2-1 in NBA Eastern Conference Finals | nba")
Even losing their star Jimmy Butler with a mid-game injury, the Miami Heat managed to prevent the Boston Celtics from reacting in the third game of the Eastern Conference Finals and won the duel by 109-103. Bam Adebayo was the highlight of the victory. of the visitors on Saturday night by scoring 31 points. The fourth game of the series will be this Monday at 9:30 pm, again in Boston.
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With 40 points, Jaylen Brown commanded a reaction from the Celtics in the last quarter, decreasing a lead from 15 to just 1 point in the final minutes of the game. But the Miami team, with a record 19 steals in the game and Adebayo’s inspired night, ended up winning in the end.
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Bam Adebayo scores 31 points in the Heat’s win over the Celtics (Photo: Getty Images)
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In the game that marked the return of point guard Kyle Lowry, who was being treated for a hamstring injury, the Heat managed to recover after being hit in the last game, won by Boston 127-102. In addition to scoring 31 points, Adebayo managed 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals.
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PJ Tucker and Max Strus were other Miami highlights, with 17 and 16 points, respectively. With just 8 points, Jimmy Butler had to leave the game at halftime after the first half due to an inflammation in his right knee.
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Despite the loss, Jaylen Brown became the first player since 1954 to score 40 points in the playoffs with 100% 2-point shooting (11-11). Another Celtics standout in the game was Al Horford, who scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. The great name of the last game, Marcus Smart left the court loaded with an ankle injury, but returned to the game and scored 16 points and gave 7 assists.
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Jaylen Brown scored 40 points and hit 11 on 11 2-point shots — Photo: Getty Images
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With the return of Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker recovered from the injury that took him out in the middle of the last game, the Miami team came with everything in the beginning of the game. Well in defense and without mistakes in the shots, the Heat opened 14 points of advantage in the marker (20 to 6), in just 5 minutes, with 8 points of Bam Adebayo. The visitors’ scramble continued for the remaining 7 minutes of the fourth, with Max Strus accurate on the 3-pointers and Tyler Hero coming off the bench to close the end at 39-18.
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With Jayson Tatum out and Jaylen Brown being an individual highlight in the match, the hosts came back making many mistakes in the second quarter. The Heat’s lead reached 26 points (46 to 20), even with their main star Jimmy Butler discreet until then with just 3 points. Adebayo reached 16 points in the game, surpassing the total points he had in the series until then, to maintain the good advantage of the visitors.
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But in the final two minutes of the partial the situation was reversed. Miami stopped converting their baskets, while Al Horford and Tatum led the recovery of the Celtics, who took 10 points in the final minutes, won the partial (29 to 23) and reduced the advantage of the visitors to 62 to 47 on the scoreboard.
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On the return of the break, Miami came back with worrying news for its fans: Butler had to leave the game due to an inflammation in his right knee. Then it was the turn of Boston fans to see one of their main players go into the locker room loaded: Marcus Smart suffered a right ankle injury less than a minute into the third quarter. But the highlight of the second game recovered quickly, he came back four minutes later and, in his first shot, hit a 3 (check it out in the video below) to narrow the Heat’s lead to just 10 points (72-62).
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If Adebayo was taking Butler’s turn as Miami’s scorer in the game, with 23 points so far, on the other side Jaylen Brown, also with 23, had the help of Horford (20 points) to touch the score at 74 to 65. But Miami again opened the 15-point lead at the end of the fourth with Tyler Herro making the difference, and the visitors reaching 15 steals against only 1 of the opponent: 87 to 72.
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The hosts came with everything to seek the unlikely comeback in the last quarter and even reduced the Heat’s lead to just 1 point, with a beautiful basket by Jaylen Brown, with 3 minutes left in the match. But the big defensive game, with a record 19 steals in the match, and Adebayo’s inspired night ensured a 109-103 victory in the end.
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