The Boston Celtics continued their strong start to the season with a commanding 108-89 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday night, led by Jaylen Brown's 29 points and Payton Pritchard's electric 25-point performance off the bench. Jayson Tatum contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Derrick White added 19 points as Boston claimed its eighth win in the last nine games.
Despite missing key players Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis, the defending NBA champions delivered a cohesive and dominant effort. Miami struggled offensively without Jimmy Butler, who missed his fifth game of the season due to a knee injury.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyler Herro each scored 19 points, with Jaquez adding 10 rebounds. However, Herro’s 2-for-10 shooting from 3-point range epitomized the Heat’s woes as they shot just 23% from deep and 36% overall. The Heat’s offense sputtered after an early 7-0 run, allowing Boston to seize control with a 17-2 run in the first quarter.
Boston turned up the pressure in the second quarter, quickly extending its lead into double digits and maintaining a comfortable margin throughout the game. Pritchard provided a highlight late in the third quarter, weaving through the lane to beat the buzzer with a crafty left-handed layup that pushed Boston’s lead to 22 points, their largest of the game.
The Heat’s shooting struggles and missing key personnel underscored their inability to keep pace with Boston, who remain undefeated in back-to-back scenarios this season. With the victory, Boston solidified its position atop the Eastern Conference, while Miami was left searching for answers after a second consecutive loss. The Celtics will be very pleased with their performance tonight, and let's grade the performances.
Payton Pritchard: A
Stats: 25 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 10-17 FG, 5-12 3PT FG, 0-0 FT, 33 mins
Payton Pritchard delivered an outstanding performance off the bench, leading the team with 25 points and playing a crucial role in extending the Celtics' lead. He was efficient from the field (10-17 FG) and from three-point range (5-12 3PT), showcasing his ability to contribute in a variety of ways. No doubt, the point guard is in heavy contention for Sixth Man of the Year, much to the Celtics' benefit.
Jaylen Brown: A-
Stats: 29 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls, 8-21 FG, 4-11 3PT FG, 9-10 FT, 31 mins
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics in scoring with 29 points, though his shooting efficiency (8-21 FG) was below his usual standard. Despite the shooting struggles, he added solid rebounding (7) and playmaking (4 assists), helping his team maintain control throughout the game. Brown gets a strong score for his scoring tonight and he played an excellent all-around game despite his lofty standards.
Derrick White: A-
Stats: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, 7-14 FG, 5-12 3PT FG, 0-0 FT, 31 mins
Derrick White was a strong all-around contributor with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. He was effective from beyond the arc (5-12 3PT) and played an important role in facilitating the offense. His defense also helped limit Miami’s options throughout the game, and he deserves a very high score for his elite play tonight.
Luke Kornet: B+
Stats: 6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 steals, 6 blocks, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 3-4 FG, 0-0 3PT FG, 0-0 FT, 27 mins
Big man Luke Kornet provided a valuable presence in the paint, contributing 6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and an impressive 6 blocks. His defense and shot-blocking ability were a big factor in slowing down Miami's offense, making him a key contributor in this game. The Celtics did not need Kristaps Porzingis tonight and Kornet's presence is the main reason why.
Jayson Tatum: B-
Stats: 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 6 turnovers, 2 fouls, 7-21 FG, 3-12 3PT FG, 1-1 FT, 36 mins
Jayson Tatum struggled with his shooting efficiency (7-21 FG, 3-12 3PT) but still managed to record a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Despite the turnovers (6), he played solid defense and rebounded well, which helped the Celtics maintain a comfortable lead. Not Tatum's best game but his consistent all-around play means we can't give him a lower score than a B-.
Drew Peterson: C+
Stats: 7 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers, 1 foul, 2-5 FG, 2-5 3PT FG, 1-2 FT, 26 mins
Drew Peterson played a solid 26 minutes, contributing 7 points, 7 rebounds, and a couple of three-pointers. His efficiency was decent, though he didn’t stand out in any particular area. He provided useful depth, especially in a game where the Celtics were missing key players.
Neemias Queta: C+
Stats: 4 points, 7 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 2 blocks, 0 turnovers, 4 fouls, 2-3 FG, 0-0 3PT FG, 0-0 FT, 15 mins
Neemias Queta made a positive impact on the glass with 7 rebounds and added 4 points. His defense was also solid, recording 2 blocks. However, his offensive contribution was limited, and he still has room to grow in his overall impact.
Jordan Walsh: C
Stats: 0 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT FG, 0-0 FT, 13 mins
Jordan Walsh played 13 minutes but didn’t score, missing his only field goal attempt. He contributed 3 rebounds and displayed his usual hustle, but he couldn’t make much of an impact on the offensive end.
Xavier Tillman: C
Stats: 0 points, 2 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT FG, 0-0 FT, 11 mins
Tillman logged limited minutes (11), failing to score but contributing with 2 rebounds. Like Walsh, he couldn’t make a significant impact in this game but he always plays hard despite not getting a touch for a field-goal attempt.
Baylor Scheierman: C
Stats: 0 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers, 1 foul, 0-3 FG, 0-2 3PT FG, 0-0 FT, 11 mins
Baylor Scheierman struggled with his shooting (0-3 FG, 0-2 3PT) and didn’t register a major contribution in other areas. His one rebound, assist, and steal were not enough to affect the outcome of the game.
JD Davison: N/A
Stats: 0 points, 1 rebound, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers, 0 fouls, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT FG, 0-0 FT, 3 mins
Davison played just 3 minutes and didn’t record any statistics of note. We cannot grade Davison considering his limited playing time.
Jaden Springer: N/A
Stats: 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers, 0 fouls, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT FG, 0-0 FT, 3 mins
Jaden Springer also played only 3 minutes and didn’t contribute in any statistical category, meaning we cannot give the player a grade for tonight's performance.
