The Celtics had pushed their lead up to 16 points before things went haywire in the final minute of the first half. A couple of ill advised Tatum shots and poor defensive choices by Tatum opened the door for a 7-0 Heat run to close the period.

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, left, defends as Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, drives toward the basket in the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) AP Photo/Steven Senne

Boston has been the best road team in the league this season with a 21-6 record away from home. The Celtics were dominant at Madison Square Garden over the weekend, in part thanks to strong performances from secondary players like Luke Kornet (14 points, 12 rebounds), Payton Pritchard (25 points), and Neemias Queta (11 points, eight rebounds).