Game 2 was a wake up call

Game 2 sent shockwaves across the basketball world after the Heat stunned the Celtics to tie the series 1-1. C’s loyal expressed sheer panic on social media platforms, but I assure you, it’s not time to panic.

When you think about it, Boston narrowed the gap to a handful of possessions, all while the Heat made history from the three-point line. You have to give credit where credit is due. Miami made 23 three-pointers, a franchise postseason record for the Heat. Many fans wondered how it was possible to concede to a team that’s been without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier.

Joe Mazzulla called it perfectly. After a massacre in Game 1, a different Heat team awaited Boston. Under the mastermind of head coach Erik Spoelstra, they rallied back. We’ve seen this time and time again with depleted Heat rosters. It’s not who they have on the court; it’s how they plan to attack their opponent.

I don’t think Mazzulla expected the Heat to shoot over 53 percent from deep on Wednesday. The Heat stuck with their outside attack plan after shooting less than 33 percent from beyond the arc in Game 1.

As for the C’s head coach, the focus is on improving the team’s offensive response. Limited to just 12 deep shots in Game 2, Boston must find a way to navigate around their switches.

“When things like that are happening, it puts more pressure on your offense,” Mazzulla told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “Your offense has to be more efficient. Your offense has to be more effective. The first adjustment was to try to become more efficient on the offensive end, and we were able to do that in some stretches.”

Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

How do you expect to claim victory with poor contests on outside shots and negligent screen switches — not to mention the high turnovers and Kristaps Porzingis’s disastrous night? Spoelstra sent bodies everywhere, which explains why Porzingis was physically dominated in the middle all night. The Unicorn finished 1-9 from the field, including 0-4 when guarded by 6’5 guard Tyler Herro.

I’m not making excuses for the Celtics; an extremely well-coached team disrupted their rhythm. It forced Boston into late actions, and the defense couldn’t match their standards. The more physical team, the Heat, gave the C’s a reality check, which was needed. As I mentioned during the In-Season Tournament, the Celtics were tested, and now it’s time to learn from it.

It’s all about the Celtics’ reaction tonight. Early challenges in playoffs are positive, especially in a seven-game series. This setup allows Mazzulla to manage the game and adapt. If the Celtics quickly swept 4-0, would there be any lessons to take away? There’s something to be said about learning from adversity in high-pressure situations.

“It’s unfortunate, losing a game is adversity,” Mazzulla told CLNS. “I would say the nature of the playoffs is adverse itself. To think that you’re not going to have ups and downs through that run, you are not being realistic. You just have to go back and look at what we did well and where we didn’t, and figure out the areas that we can improve upon.”

Having won its first five games of the season, Boston finished with a 64-18 record and a league-best 37-4 at the TD Garden. Sure, they’ve endured 18 losses, but how many times has this team truly been challenged?

For starters, Jayson Tatum must get the ball more. Although he finished with 28 points on 10-20 shooting, a one-on-one matchup would open up many opportunities. Instead of forcing the C’s into uncomfortable shots, utilize Tatum to create kickouts, open threes, and make the defense uncomfortable.

Also, it may be time to test Xavier Tillman on Bam Adebayo. Adebayo sealed the game with several mid-jumpers when the Celtics cut the deficit. He fired on all cylinders, shooting 5-8 against Al Horford and Porzingis.

For Mazzulla, it’s about controlling their pace and not playing into Spoelstra’s scheme. Protect the three-point line, attack downhill, and trust the process. I know that’s cliche; however, the Celtics have proven time and time again why their incredible spacing makes them one of the most lethal teams in the NBA. Although attacking on offense is important, I do believe in defensive adjustments.

Finally, we all know Miami has burned the Celtics in the past, which initially caused overreactions and panic. Although the regular season matchups don’t matter much, this Celtics team swept the Heat 3-0. As they head to Miami for Game 2 tonight, we can’t forget they are 5-2 on the road against Miami since May of 2022.

Overall, the Celtics are an elite team, and they won’t allow the Heat to shoot 23 three-pointers in Game 3. Although winning on the road is tough, now is the wrong time to hit the panic button. Let’s trust Mazulla and the championship-caliber roster built in the offseason. After all, this team ranked second in defensive efficiency, limiting opponents to 35.2 percent from deep. For those criticizing Mazzulla, he led the Celtics to the 1st seed in the East and the best overall record in the league.

We all witnessed how Boston took care of business in Game 1. Let’s have a little trust in Mazzullaball.