Celtics pour in 53 first-quarter points, roll past Heat 147-129
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The Boston Celtics erupted for 53 points in the opening 12 minutes Wednesday night, setting a franchise first-quarter record and powering a 147-129 road victory over the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center.
The outburst marked the second-highest scoring first quarter in NBA regular-season history, trailing only the Golden State Warriors’ 55-point start at Portland on April 9, 2023. Boston went 20-for-28 from the field and 11-for-15 from three-point range to grab a 53-33 lead after one period.
Jaylen Brown fueled the early surge with 20 first-quarter points and finished with 43, while Sam Hauser added 17 in the opening frame on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc. The Celtics’ 147 points tied the second-highest road total in franchise history and represented the most Miami has ever surrendered at home.
“Getting to the paint, getting to the basket and finishing—I think that was the catalyst,” Brown said.
Jayson Tatum recorded his first triple-double of the season, compiling 28 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists. The forward, who spent much of the campaign recovering from last postseason’s Achilles tear, has totaled 83 points, 35 rebounds and 24 assists over his past three games, matching a statistical stretch last achieved by Larry Bird for Boston in April 1990.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla praised his team’s shot selection. “Usually when you start to feel it, you take poor shots,” Mazzulla noted. “We kept fighting for a good look, the next-best look, and that kept the momentum going.”
The 53 points also stand as the Celtics’ second-largest total in any quarter; only a 54-point fourth quarter against the San Diego Clippers on Feb. 25, 1970 exceeds it. For the Heat, the 53 points allowed surpassed the franchise’s previous worst quarter—50 points to Seattle on Jan. 5, 1990.
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra credited Boston’s precision. “There was an exceptional level of shot-making on their part to start the game,” he said. “Our guys were locked in and competing.”
Boston improved to 147 points on 59.7% shooting overall, while Miami narrowed the gap only briefly after halftime before the Celtics reasserted control to seal the win.
Source: ESPN
