{"id":694133,"date":"2026-04-02T15:50:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T15:50:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/694133\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T15:50:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T15:50:17","slug":"heat-coach-credited-celtics-exceptional-level-of-shot-making","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/694133\/","title":{"rendered":"Heat coach credited Celtics’ ‘exceptional level of shot-making’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMorning Sports Update\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t“This is going to sound crazy, but this is different than the other games we\u2019re talking about.”<\/p>\n

\"Erik
\n\tMiami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra during a game in March. AP Photo\/Nell Redmond\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBy Hayden Bird<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tApril 2, 2026 | 10:55 AM\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

3 minutes to read<\/p>\n

Heat coach\u2019s take on the Celtics: Following the Celtics<\/a>\u2018 clobbering of the Heat on Wednesday \u2014 a 147-129<\/a> win that was spurred by a 53-point first quarter deluge \u2014 Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra sounded off about his team\u2019s defensive performance in the postgame press conference.<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, despite the team\u2019s recent struggles on defense (Miami is 2-8 in its last 10 games), Spoelstra didn\u2019t take as much of an issue with his own squad.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is going to sound crazy, but this is different than the other games we\u2019re talking about,\u201d Spoelstra told reporters<\/a>. \u201cOur guys were locked in and competing. There was an exceptional level of shot-making on their part to start the game. There\u2019s probably a handful we could\u2019ve been stronger on-balance to take away some of the 3s.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Boston\u2019s first quarter eruption (a team record for first quarters) was predicated around another standout performance from Jaylen Brown<\/a>, as well as players like Sam Hauser (who went 5-for-5 from 3-point range during the opening quarter).<\/p>\n

Beyond that, Spoelstra noted how the Celtics \u2014 a team that often defines its offense with 3-pointers \u2014 actually excelled in the game from inside the arc. Boston hit just under 60 percent of its shots inside the 3-point line, while Miami mustered a rate of just 41.7 percent.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey shot a remarkable percentage,\u201d Spoelstra said<\/a> of the 2-pointers. \u201cIt just felt like they didn\u2019t miss any pull-up jump shots from the areas that you would like teams shooting from. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey just made a high volume and high efficiency of shooting of right in that area,\u201d he added. \u201cThe area that everybody talks about. The two-point percentages between the two teams were a big difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trivia: The Celtics scored 53 points in the first quarter on Wednesday, the second-most points scored in any quarter of any NBA game in team history. The most points Boston has scored in a quarter was 54, which came in a 147-124 win over the San Diego Rockets in Feb. 1970. Can you name the player who led the Celtics in points that day?<\/p>\n

(Answer at the bottom).<\/p>\n

Hint: He has the second-most career wins as an NBA head coach in history.<\/p>\n

More from Boston.com: <\/p>\n

Brady sighting: Former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was court-side for the Celtics\u2019 Wednesday night win.<\/p>\n

Not an April Fools joke\u2026 the \ud83d\udc10has been spotted! @TomBrady<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/tGuohmXweu<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

A unusual development: During the middle of a Florida-Stetson softball matchup on Wednesday, players, coaches, and fans all stopped for a moment to watch the Artemis II NASA rocket launch.<\/p>\n

\ud835\udde3\ud835\udde2\ud835\udde9: \ud835\uddec\ud835\uddfc\ud835\ude02 \ud835\ude04\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddf5\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf1 \ud835\uddd4\ud835\uddff\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddfa\ud835\uddf6\ud835\ude00 \ud835\udddc\ud835\udddc \ud835\uddf9\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude02\ud835\uddfb\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddf5 \ud835\uddf3\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfa \ud835\udde3\ud835\uddee\ud835\ude01\ud835\uddff\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf0\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddee \ud835\uddea\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf9\ud835\ude00\ud835\uddfc\ud835\uddfb \ud835\uddd9\ud835\uddf6\ud835\uddf2\ud835\uddf9\ud835\uddf1 \ud83d\ude80<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa: https:\/\/t.co\/tskXiMwJkW<\/a>#GoHatters<\/a> | @espn<\/a> | @stetsonsoftball<\/a> | @stetsonu<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ODwVtVTYCD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Stetson Hatters (@StetsonHatters) April 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

On this day: In 1978, the Bruins defeated the Rangers 8-3<\/a> thanks to Wayne Cashman\u2019s four-goal effort. Elsewhere, the Celtics lost to officially miss out on the playoffs, and Luis Tiant tried to prepare himself for Red Sox season.<\/p>\n

\"Boston<\/p>\n

Daily highlight: One of the defining \u201cDerrick White\u201d plays of the season, in which the versatile Celtic showcased his ability to make winning plays on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n

Derrick White with the lob then runs all the way back to contest \ud83d\udca8 pic.twitter.com\/nqQxfHKG6y<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Trivia answer: Don Nelson<\/a><\/p>\n

Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.<\/p>\n

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