If you're asking what's the score of the Boston Celtics game, you probably missed a heart-stopper. Boston just pulled off a massive heist in South Beach. Honestly, for the first three quarters, it looked like they were headed for a blowout loss. But they ended up beating the Miami Heat 119-114 on Thursday night.
It was ugly early. Like, really ugly.
Miami jumped out to a 28-9 lead within the first seven minutes. If you turned the TV off then, nobody would blame you. But the Celtics somehow clawed back from a 19-point deficit to snatch a win at the Kaseya Center. This wasn't your typical Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown masterclass, though. It was the Anfernee Simons show.
How the Celtics Stunned Miami (119-114)
The final score of 119-114 doesn't quite capture how much of a struggle this was for Joe Mazzulla's squad. Boston trailed for almost the entire game—literally from the opening minute until midway through the fourth.
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The turning point? A massive 36-21 fourth-quarter run.
Anfernee Simons was the hero nobody expected to drop nearly 40. Coming off the bench, Simons went nuclear, scoring 39 points. He had 18 of those in the fourth quarter alone. At one point, he scored 11 straight points for Boston. It’s the kind of performance that makes you realize how deep this roster actually is, especially with Tatum sidelined.
The Key Stats from the Heat Game
- Final Score: Boston Celtics 119, Miami Heat 114
- Top Scorer: Anfernee Simons (39 pts, 13-28 FG)
- Jaylen Brown: 27 points, 7 rebounds (returned from back spasms)
- Sam Hauser: 17 points, including a clutch 3-pointer to take the lead
- Miami's Best: Norman Powell (26 pts), Bam Adebayo (22 pts)
Miami was playing short-handed without Davion Mitchell and Jaime Jaquez Jr., but they still controlled the paint for most of the night. Boston’s win was essentially built on high-volume shooting and a refusal to quit when the lead swelled to 19.
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Why This Score Matters for the Standings
This win was huge. Before this, the Celtics were sitting on a two-game losing streak after dropping games to the Pacers and Spurs.
Right now, the Celtics are 25-15, which keeps them firmly in second place in the Eastern Conference. Miami falls to 21-20. In a conference where the seeding is this tight, a head-to-head win on the road is worth its weight in gold.
It also proves they can win without Jayson Tatum. Tatum has been dealing with Achilles issues, and while Jaylen Brown is back, the team needed someone else to step up. Simons becoming just the fourth Celtic in 50 years to score 39+ off the bench (joining guys like Larry Bird and Payton Pritchard) is a massive statement.
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What's Next for the Boston Celtics?
If you're looking for the next score, you won't have to wait long. The Celtics are heading to Atlanta to take on the Hawks.
Upcoming Schedule:
- At Atlanta Hawks: Saturday, January 17, 7:30 PM EST
- At Detroit Pistons: Monday, January 19, 8:00 PM EST
- Vs Indiana Pacers: Wednesday, January 21, 7:30 PM EST
The Hawks are currently 20-23 and fighting for a play-in spot. Boston should, on paper, take that one, but as we saw in the Miami game, they have a habit of starting slow.
If you're betting or just tracking the team, keep an eye on the injury report. The status of Tatum’s Achilles and Brown’s back will dictate how much heavy lifting Simons and Sam Hauser have to do.
To stay on top of the action, make sure your alerts are set for Saturday's tip-off in Atlanta. You can catch the game on local networks or follow the live play-by-play on the NBA app. If you're heading to the Garden for the Pacers game next Wednesday, tickets are currently starting around $59 on secondary markets.