Jimmy Butler hangs 35 in the Garden, Celtics drop Game 1 of Eastern Conference finals 123-116

The Celtics “let go of the rope” as Miami rode a 46-25 third quarter to a Game 1 road victory in Boston.

The Boston Celtics lost Game 1 of the 2023 Eastern Conference finals 123-116 behind a disappointing defensive effort and an inconsistent night scoring the ball. Boston also dropped Game 1 of the previous round in similar fashion, where rhythm and poise were equally absent.

The Celtics simply never got into gear on defense on Wednesday night. Miami shot lights out from deep from start to finished, aided by slow and inadequate rotations from Boston defenders. In the third quarter things really spiraled out of control for the Celtics, who were outscored 46-25 in the period. As head coach Joe Mazzulla put it several times after the game, the team “just let go of the rope.”

As a team, the Heat shot 16-for-31 from deep for the game, providing an overpowering offensive boost. When paired with a crafty 35-point performance from Jimmy Butler, the Celtics simply didn’t have many answers on the defensive end.

Boston left a lot on the court in the loss, playing with much less mojo than usual. Here’s how things shook out in Boston’s 123-116 Game 1 loss against Miami Wednesday night.