In Game 3 between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, tensions flared once again, marking the second instance of heated exchanges between the two teams in three games. The altercation occurred in the third quarter when Boston’s Sam Hauser pushed Miami’s Tyler Herro to the floor after Herro maneuvered past him. Herro retaliated by throwing the ball at Hauser’s feet, resulting in a technical foul.
During the confrontation, Celtics guards Payton Pritchard and Jrue Holiday intervened to defend Hauser against Heat players Haywood Highsmith and Caleb Martin. While the incident didn’t escalate to the intensity of Game 1, where Jaylen Brown confronted Martin over a hard foul on Jayson Tatum, former Celtics guard Eddie House appreciated the message conveyed by the Celtics during the exchange.
House highlighted the Celtics’ physicality and aggression, noting that sometimes it’s necessary to stand up to the bully, which he believed the Celtics did effectively. He commended the team for not backing down and for showing resilience in the face of the Heat’s physical play.
Reflecting on the series, House noted that the Celtics have a significant talent advantage but acknowledged their vulnerability to being physically dominated, as seen in their Game 2 loss, where the Heat controlled the game’s physical aspects. However, in Game 3, the Celtics responded emphatically by elevating their defensive intensity, limiting the Heat’s shooting efficiency and forcing turnovers.
House emphasized the importance of the Celtics changing the narrative about their physicality, suggesting that if they can dispel the notion that they can be bullied, they would become an even more formidable opponent in the league.
With the momentum from their Game 3 victory, the Celtics aim to carry it into Game 4 in Miami, scheduled for Monday evening. NBC Sports Boston’s Mike Gorman and Brian Scalabrine will provide coverage, starting with Celtics Pregame Live at 6:30 p.m. ET.
