Celtics' defense answers call in blowout of Heat in Game 3 - ESPN

MIAMI — After perhaps the most surprising result of the postseason thus far — the shorthanded, No. 8-seeded Heat beating the No. 1-seeded Celtics in Game 2 to tie their first-round series — it was natural to wonder how things would play out in the pivotal Game 3.

Would Boston, after the head-scratching loss, rebound and again resemble the club that won the East by 14 games in the regular season? Or had coach Erik Spoelstra and his scrappy group found a formula it could repeat to play spoiler in the series for a second straight postseason?

The answer, emphatically, was the former.

After surrendering 23 3-pointers in their Game 2 loss, the Celtics were far more active and physical defensively Saturday night and smothered the Heat in a 104-84 Game 3 win to take a 2-1 series edge.

Game 4 is Monday in Miami.

Boston stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown said coach Joe Mazzulla challenged them to play with more defensive intensity after watching Miami go off from deep in Game 2.

«Everybody knows how talented we are. But can we be the tougher, harder-playing team?» said Tatum, who finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. «If we can combine that with the talent, it's going to be hard to beat us.

»Can we start off every game, essentially, punching first instead of reacting? That's a test we have to be up for every single night."

The Celtics' response to Mazzulla's challenge was instant. Guard Jrue Holiday and his teammates locked in early against the Heat's offense, surrendering just three points through the first 6 minutes, 46 seconds of play. Boston gave up just 12 points on 5-for-21 shooting in the first quarter, which Mazzulla called «a physical, tough… rock fight.»

Boston was happy to create those kinds of conditions