Google News Bam Adebayo: Celtics hit us in the mouth and we didn't know how to respond
by | VIEW 615
Miami Heat star center Bam Adebayo said the Boston Celtics "hit us in the mouth" and added the Heat didn't know how to respond. On Tuesday night in Miami, the Heat claimed a 118-107 victory in Game 1 versus the Celtics. Two nights later, the Heat had a chance to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.
However, the Celtics had other plans as they came out determined to get the win and they ousted the Heat 127-102 to tie the series to a win apiece. The Celtics found themselves trailing 18-8 early on but absolutely dominated the rest of the game and in the end won by a 25-point deficit.
Adebayo didn't have a great night as he finished with just six points and also had nine rebounds. "They came out and hit us in the mouth, and we didn't know how to respond," Adebayo said, per ESPN.
Jimmy Butler agrees with Adebayo
Butler was extremely frustrated after a Game 2 loss, stating that they just got embarassed by the Celtics.
The Heat lost but Butler didn't play bad as he scored a game-high 29 points. In Game 1, Butler dropped 41 points. "They tried to embarrass us," Butler said. "They did embarrass us. So I think we got to realize that -- use it as fuel, whatever you want to say -- but realize that the game can get out of hand whenever you're playing against a really good team like them, that can score the ball and get stops.
"We got a tough job to do to go over there and win. But if they did it, we can do it as well." Butler exploded for 41 points in Game 1 but this year's NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart was determined not to let Butler have a similar performance in Game 2.
"Jimmy is a warrior, man," Smart said. "Jimmy has been doing this for a long time. He understands the game. He understands his strengths. He understands his team's strengths. So when you have a guy who has an IQ like Jimmy, it's always going to be a tough matchup.
"For me my assignment was just to make everything tough for him. We knew he was going to hit some shots. If he did, he had to work for them. That's just where I came in." The Celtics now host the Heat in Games 3 and 4.