Celtics just put NBA on notice in way that nobody can ignore

Miami -- The Heat pushed the Celtics to the brink on Thursday night at the Kaseya Center. At the heart of that was a simple yet disruptive adjustment. The hosts were far more physical on defense in this matchup than when these two teams met in Boston.

It prevented the visitors from finding their rhythm on offense by throwing off their timing. That led to the Celtics shooting just 42.2 percent from the field in the first half. It also played a significant role in their falling behind by as much as 19 points.

"Their on-ball switching was much more physical than the first time that we played them," noted Joe Mazzulla post-game.

Avoiding a third-straight loss and getting back in the win column required meeting that physicality.

The Celtics answer the bell in a win that speaks volumes

Miami's physicality on defense was disruptive, but there was no sign of it rattling its opponent. Boston weathered the storm, thanks in large part to finding success on the offensive glass. The visitors parlayed 11 offensive rebounds into a 22-7 advantage in second-chance scoring in the first half. They ended the evening with a 31-7 lopsided edge in that category. Jordan Walsh was responsible for extending four of those possessions. Luka Garza did so three times.

The Celtics also got 13 points from Anfernee Simons. The assertiveness he operated with offensively set the tone for one of the most prolific scoring nights of his career.

The eighth-year guard erupted for 26 points after the intermission. He shot 9/17 [52.9 percent] from the field, including 4/8 from beyond the arc. It started with an open look in transition. Then came a step-back triple over the six-foot-10 Nikola Jovic. After that, he took a hard dribble downhill before uncorking a step-back three over the outstretched arm of Kasparas Jakucionis.

Boston also did an excellent job of pulling Miami's center away from the rim, allowing Simons to attack downhill and finish at the basket. He produced a team-high 10 points in the paint in the final two frames.

"That was great. That was big time. That was an amazing performance," said Jaylen Brown of Simons's generating 39 points, the fifth-most of his career. "That was one of his best performances of the year, and we needed every basket. So, he was great tonight."

The Celtics are now 6-1 when Simons scores at least 20 points. They're 4-0 when he puts at least 25 on the board.

On a night where Brown, by his own admission, didn't have it, saying he "felt a little sluggish," Boston needed someone to step up. The team's new sixth man delivered.

"He's probably more talented than the role that he's place in. I think that's kind of obvious. But I have [a] hell of respect for him to come out, play winning basketball, and do what the team needs to do," voiced Brown after his team pulled out a 119-114 victory. "He then added that what the Portland Trail Blazers' former primary option showcased on Thursday was a reminder that he "can really fill it up."

The Celtics also figured out how they could combat the Heat's physicality.

"I thought we, towards the end of the first half, there, we kind of just went to some off-ball stuff to kind of loosen them up," shared Mazzulla after the win. "But we just changed the attack a little bit. They went to some different lineups. I thought we were more physical in our screening. We created more separation in our screening in the second half.

"And when you play a team like that, that's what it just comes down to, is the ability to — who could be physical, as far as creating the most separation to get to the screen first and create some indecision. So I thought we were much better at that in the second half."

Once Boston could pair its success on the offensive glass with the ability to own its space, and Simons turning supernova in the second half, Miami, once the aggressors, wilted. The Celtics outscored them 36-21 in the final frame.

"Miami is a physical team. They do a good job of being physical and things like that. So, just embracing that, embracing that challenge on the boards. We got some great, big-time rebounds down the stretch, and then, offensively, just owning your space; getting to your spots; not allowing them to kind of dictate or push us out," said Brown. "And I think we did a decent job in the second half. In the first half, we struggled a little bit. But you know, it's gonna be games like that. We adjust, and we come out, and we find a way to win."

It's a victory that, coupled with the New York Knicks losing to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, propels Boston back into second place in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Celtics accomplished that by fighting through the Heat's physicality. They maintained their composure even while Erik Spoelstra's adjustment kept them out of rhythm. They overcame Brown's struggles, with Simons shouldering the scoring slack. Walsh and Garza led the charge on the offensive glass, and Boston found its way into the win column. How it did so speaks to this team's ability to figure out how to hit the curveballs that come its way. That's what's needed to find success in the playoffs.