Miami Warmth ahead Caleb Martin, behind middle, fouls Boston Celtics ahead Jayson Tatum, entrance middle, in entrance of Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) within the second half of Sport 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff sequence, Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Boston. (AP Picture/Steven Senne)
BOSTON — The Celtics have been winding down an NBA playoff-opening victory, however one in all their largest stars had simply hit the ground.
All-Star Jayson Tatum, who’d solely minutes earlier than notched his first profession playoff triple-double, was going up for a rebound beneath a minute to play when he was undercut by Miami’s Caleb Martin, sending him crashing to the TD Backyard floor.
Tatum landed onerous on his hip however and bounced proper up. But it surely didn’t cease fellow Celtics star Jaylen Brown from getting nose-to-nose with Martin, resulting in a short scrum and double technical fouls on Brown and Martin.
Tatum then coolly knocked down two free throws to assist put the ending touches on a 114-94 victory within the opener of Sunday’s first-round playoff sequence.
READ: Jayson Tatum leads Celtics previous Warmth in sequence opener
Tatum mentioned he was tremendous after the play bodily, and that the rationale he rose to his toes so quick was linked to this workforce’s aim to keep up its poise this postseason, one thing it didn’t all the time show in final season’s matchup with Miami.
“Simply understanding it’s playoff basketball. It’s a bodily sport taking part in towards a bodily workforce. (Stuff is) going to occur,” he mentioned. “It’s in all probability not the final time I’m gong to get hit like that, or fouled on this sequence. I wasn’t damage to get hit like that. Simply rise up. And I knew we have been within the bonus. Simply go down there and knock the free throws down.”
Martin instructed reporters afterward that there was no unwell intent on the play.
“I attempted to go assist him up,” Martin mentioned. “I simply heard him hit the ground. Clearly, I do know I hit him fairly onerous, however momentum was carrying me and I believe I obtained pushed in that course. However onerous foul, tried to select him up. That’s simply what it’s. If Jimmy (Butler) was on the ground I’m positive I might have completed the identical factor. It’s simply what it’s.”
From his vantage level Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned he wasn’t involved in any respect when Tatum hit the ground.
“I used to be ready to see what he was going to do, I used to be form of enthusiastic about the entire state of affairs,” Mazzulla mentioned of the play. “I loved watching it.”
He additionally loved what he witnessed for many of the different 47 minutes.
Tatum completed with 23 factors, 10 rebounds and 10 assists to steer six Celtics in double-figures. Derrick White added 20 factors and 4 assists. Brown added 17 factors. The Celtics additionally dominated within the paint, holding the Warmth to only 5 offensive rebounds.
Middle Kristaps Porzingis mentioned he thought they responded effectively to the second with Tatum.
“I believe we matched it. We did a reasonably good job I might say,” he mentioned. “I don’t know if it was an accident or not. These form of performs occur. Somewhat little bit of motion, I believe it’s good for in the course of the playoffs. That was enjoyable.”
