The Boston Celtics (16-11) rained down threes in the final period and pulled away with a decisive 129-116 victory over the shorthanded Miami Heat (15-13) on December 20.
Here are the key stats and the top performers of the game:
BEST PLAYER OF THE GAME:
Jaylen Brown BOS SF 30 PTS | 9 REB | 7 AST | 49.3 FPS
Brown shook off a slow first half and exploded for 24 points after the break. He went 10-for-11 from the line and notched his fifth straight and 16th 30-point game of the year, ranking second in the league—ahead of Mitchell and Doncic, who both have 15.
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE:
Derrick White BOS SG 33 PTS | 9-14 3PT | 4 BLK | 59.0 FPS
D-White was a force on the court, erupting for season highs in both blocks and three-pointers while recording his third 30-point performance of the season. He also added five rebounds and six assists, becoming just the second player in NBA history to post such numbers in a game.
SCORING MACHINES:
Kel’el Ware MIA C 24 PTS | 14 REB | 1 BLK | 46.8 FPS
Ware caught fire from deep, knocking down a season-best 6-of-7 to record his sixth 20-point game of the season. He’s been incredible in his last two games, averaging 23 points, 13 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.
Norman Powell MIA SG 18 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST | 29.3 FPS
Powell had a problematic performance, finishing 1-for-11 from three and tying his lowest scoring game this month. Still, he remains the team’s best shooter, leading the team in scoring with 24.1 points per game and averaging nearly 3 triples per game on 41.1% shooting.
STAT SPECIALIST:
Bam Adebayo MIA C 16 PTS | 10 REB | 4 AST | 34.0 FPS
Bam has slowed down on offense, averaging just 12 points over his last two games after scoring 19 or more in five of a recent six-game stretch. Still, he stayed consistent on the boards, notching his third straight double-digit rebounding game.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT:
Hugo Gonzalez BOS SG 8 REB | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 26.6 FPS
Gonzalez made a strong impact on defense, posting season-high performances in both rebounding and stocks.
THE SHARPSHOOTER:
Sam Hauser BOS PF 15 PTS | 5-6 3PT | 4 REB | 22.3 FPS
Hauser had minimal impact in the first three quarters but he turned it around in the final period, knocking down 4-of-5 from long range. This was his sixth game of the season with 4 or more three-pointers.
THE X-FACTOR:
Neemias Queta BOS C 10 PTS | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 23.1 FPS
Queta had a subpar defensive performance but he stayed productive with positive contributions in six major categories. He ranks 22nd in the league in total rebounds this season and is tied for 15th in total blocks with OKC’s Holmgren.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Jaime Jaquez Jr. MIA SG 14 PTS | 8 REB | 4 AST | 25.6 FPS
Jaquez continues his solid play this year, averaging 15.4 points on 51% shooting from the field with 5.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Payton Pritchard 9 PTS | 4 REB | 4 AST
Pritchard had a rough night offensively and finished with his lowest scoring output in his last eight games.
