Celtics vs. Heat: Game 1 Highlights, Twitter Reaction and Analysis

The Miami Heat may not have played their best game, but it was enough to breeze past the Boston Celtics 93-79 at American Airlines Arena to land the 1-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

If Game 1 was a preview of things to come, this is going to be one incredibly physical series. There were a combined 40 fouls and five technicals called on the Celtics.

The Celtics seemed tired after playing only 48 hours earlier, and the Heat looked like a team that knew as much. LeBron James didn’t play exceptionally well in the fourth quarter, and he won’t have to if he continues to play at such a high level for the first three. His final stat line: 32 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks while shooting 13-of-22 from the floor.   

The main difference? Miami shot 65 percent from the floor on two-pointers and the Celtics shot a horrific 38 percent. 

Tweets of the Night

The refs were extremely quick to blow the whistle on foul calls on Monday, and Twitter was outraged. CNBC’s Darren Rovell points out just how angry the social media site became at the referees:

"

Report on David Stern's desk tomorrow: "Ed Malloy," "Danny Crawford," "These Refs" & "Techs" trended on Twitter last night.

— darren rovell (@darrenrovell) May 28, 2012"

In the first half, it seemed as if Boston was getting whistled for a foul on every other play. Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD believed it really killed its rhythm:

"

This officiating is ridiculous. Bad calls keep killing Boston's momentum.

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) May 28, 2012"

There had to be some sort of excuse for the embarrassing offensive output for the Celtics in the first quarter. Greg Doyel of CBS Sports tells us just how one-sided the opening period was:

"

One quarter down, and LeBron's winning. He has 13. Celtics have 11.

— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelCBS) May 28, 2012"

There is clearly something mentally wrong with Ray Allen right now. One of the best free-throw shooters of all time went a mere 3-of-7 from the line, and he now has a lower percentage than Rajon Rondo according to ESPN’s Tom Haberstroh:

"

So, you wanna hear something? Rajon Rondo is shooting better from the line than Ray Allen in the playoffs.

— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) May 28, 2012"

My, oh my, have times changed.

While the Miami bench didn’t have a standout performer, it was a strong effort all the way around according to Ethan J. Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post:

"

All of the Heat's role players have given something tonight.

— Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) May 28, 2012"

Must-See Highlights

Does Wade have a better arm than Tim Tebow? Check out this outstanding fullcourt pass to LeBron, setting up the easiest two points he had all night.

A great offense starts with good defense, and that’s exactly what Miami did towards the end of the third quarter. A terrific trap led to a Shane Battier steal and an easy fast-break layup for Mario Chalmers. 

Grades for Key Celtics Players

Kevin Garnett: A-

How much longer can he do this?

Garnett once again brought incredible energy to the table while being rather efficient from the floor. He finished with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting while grabbing 10 boards.

Ray Allen: F

What can he bring to this team if his jumper isn’t falling?

He went 1-of-7 from the floor and shot 25 percent from three-point land. He finished with just six points in 30 minutes.

Where has his shot gone?

Allen is no longer the deadly three-point threat of years past and tonight was just the latest example.

Rajon Rondo: D

Why in the world is Rondo shooting the ball 20 times?

While he had his typical stats-stuffing performance (16 points, nine rebounds, seven assists), his poor shooting (8-of-20) and four turnovers were one of the big reasons Boston’s offense was so inept at times.

Grades for Key Heat Players

LeBron James: A

Just another day at the office for James.

He shot an efficient 59 percent from the floor while being in complete control of the offense. There is no question who the most important player on the Heat is right now.

Dwyane Wade: C

Wade only had 12 until going on a tear late to finish with 22 points and seven assists, but he was a non-factor for the majority of the game.

Difference in the Game: Third Quarter

With the Heat’s big lead extinguished entering the second half, the defense really stepped up, forcing Boston to shoot 6-of-22 from the floor en route to only scoring 15 points.

Miami entered the fourth feeling confident and were able to go on cruise control from there.

Game MVP: LeBron James

He led the team in points and rebounds, while playing razor-sharp defense for the vast majority of the night. He directed the offense when the unit needed direction and never seemed to panic.

The Heat needed a performance like this from LeBron to ensure the favorites won.

What’s Next  

While the series is far from over, the Celtics could go a long way in salvaging this series if they can steal Game 2, slated for an 8:30 ET tip on Wednesday night. 

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