Boston Celtics: Top 10 games from the first half of 2019-20

8. 1/28 @ Miami Heat

Result: Win (109-101)

Playing against the Miami Heat, in Miami,  has proven to be quite a tough task for teams this season. They sit 22-3 at home with one of the best records on their own floor in the NBA. Therefore, you would think any team would struggle in that specific arena.

However,  the Celtics were able to go in there and be one of the three teams that has gotten a win in the Heat’s building. The Celtics joined the two Los Angeles teams as the only clubs to get a win there. Come playoff time, that’ll be something to put on their resume.

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To make it even more special, Boston was missing Jayson Tatum. Enes Kanter and Javonte Green were also out for injury, limiting the team’s depth even more.

The hero of this one was an unlikely source: Gordon Hayward. He had his way with the Miami Heat, scoring 29 points on 71 percent shooting. Hayward had the team’s second-highest +/-, only behind Jaylen Brown, who chipped in with 25 points of his own.

Defense was the name of the game, though, as the Heat were held to a freezing cold 37 percent from the floor, and only 24 percent from three. With that kind of defense, it would be difficult to lose to an opponent, and the Boston Celtics avoided that outcome.

Boston, since that strong win in Miami, has played fantastic. They used the win as fuel to their fire and they turned up the intensity on their opponents. It always feels nice to get a win in Miami, and this game was no different.