The Celtics won their second-straight game to start the season, claiming a 119-111 victory over the Heat on Friday.
Jaylen Brown added 27 points and six rebounds. Jayson Tatum finished with 22 points in the latest matchup of the East rivals, who’ve met in the conference finals three of the past four seasons.
On a team that has ridden the exploits of Tatum and Brown during their most recent playoff runs, this time it was White who shined down the stretch, scoring 14 fourth-quarter points.
“I’ve been here a couple of years and I know where guys are supposed to be at,” White said. “I’m just trying to get people in the right spots and lead from that way.”
All five Celtics starters reached double figures in a game that featured six tie scores and six lead changes. Derrick White (a game-high 28 points), Jaylen Brown (27) and Jayson Tatum (22) each eclipsed the 20-point mark, while Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday chipped in 17 apiece. Miami's Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo combined for 55 points (28 and 27, respectively), but the Celtics limited the Heat role players enough to improve to 2-0 on the young season.
The Celtics will be back in action Monday night in Washington against the Wizards. First, let's get to our takeaways from Friday's victory at the Garden
White poured in 28 points – including 14 in the final period – and added three blocks, and Brown had 27 points, including some big shots down the stretch, to lead a victory that personified some of the traits – toughness, defense, effort – they were missing back in the spring, and everything they could become this season. On a roster rich with high-end talent, the Celtics can win in so many ways. It was behind Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis in their season-opening victory. On Friday, it was White and Brown.
“The balanced attack that we had the entire game is kind of the epitome of what our team can be when we play together,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “When each guy plays the best version of them and then one guy doesn’t have it, the next guy steps up.
“I thought we were really intentional about who was playing well, what the matchup was, and what the spacing was. It’s kind of what we have to try to become.”
Brissett’s effort was part of a big one on the offensive glass, where the Celtics corralled 10 boards that led to 14 second-chance points in the first half. They finished with 16 offensive rebounds for 23 second-chance points. When their offense wasn’t running crisply for most of the first half, those hustle plays kept them in the game.
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