National Basketball Association
Boston 119, Miami 111
When: 7:30 PM ET, Friday, October 27, 2023
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Officials: #24 Kevin Scott, #37 Eric Dalen, #44 Brett Nansel
Attendance: 19156

All five starters scored at least 17 points as the Boston Celtics earned a 119-111, home-opening win over the Miami Heat in Friday night's rematch of the 2023 Eastern Conference finals.

Derrick White scored 14 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and went 5-of-7 from 3-point range to lead Boston to a second straight win.

Jaylen Brown (27 points), Jayson Tatum (22), Kristaps Porzingis (17) and Jrue Holiday (17 points, 10 rebounds) rounded out the Boston starting lineup.

Tyler Herro scored a team-high 28 points with six assists and six rebounds for Miami. Bam Adebayo (27), Jimmy Butler (14) and Kyle Lowry (13) also scored in double figures.

White's two treys during the opening run of the fourth quarter turned a two-point deficit into a 96-90 lead with 9:27 left.

Miami made it a two-point game two minutes later, but Brown's five straight points brought Boston over the century mark with 6:53 left.

A Tatum driving dunk and a White 3-pointer highlighted a 7-3 run, bringing Boston's lead to 109-101 at 4:19. Herro and Love hit triples to make it a one-possession game in the final minute.

After a coach's challenge on a Butler foul was unsuccessful, Boston scored the final five points -- including a Brown three -- to seal the win.

Five straight points by Porzingis extended the Celtics' lead to seven 3:04 into the third, but Herro's back-to-back 3-pointers started a three-minute stretch over which Miami took back a 79-76 lead.

After an Adebayo three-point play and Herro technical free throw, Lowry's running pull-up triple flipped the score toward the visitors. A Tatum 3-pointer brought Boston back within a basket in the waning seconds.

Boston's strong finishing kick in both the first and second quarters allowed it to take a 60-55 halftime lead.

In the first, two triples by Herro -- who had 12 points compared to Boston's 16 halfway through -- highlighted a 10-0 run that helped bring Miami's lead into double digits.

A Brown three-point play helped Boston respond with its own 10-point spurt, closing within 28-25 to end the opening frame.

Miami started the second quarter on a 4-of-7 3-point run, including back-to-back Duncan Robinson shots after Tatum's baseline drive tied the score at 33.

The Celtics, however, responded and took the lead after a Holiday layup and Brown steal-and-dunk back-to-back with 2:51 left. They held Miami to only six points in the final 5:04 before halftime.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Miami   Boston
Tyler Herro 28 Scoring Derrick White 28
Tyler Herro 6 Assists Jrue Holiday 7
Kevin Love 9 Rebounds Jrue Holiday 10
Jimmy Butler 8 Free Throws Made Derrick White 5
Dru Smith 3 Steals Kristaps Porzingis 3
Bam Adebayo 2 Blocks Derrick White 3
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Miami 111 42.7 16-33 19-23 24 45 6 8 12
Boston 119 47.4 16-39 13-19 20 55 6 7 15
Upcoming Games
  • Boston will play their next game on the road against Washington. The Celtics have a W/L % of 1.000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • Miami will play their next game on the road against Minnesota. The Heat have a W/L % of .000 after a win and 1.000 after a loss.