Basketball is a game of runs.
Runs are inevitable across a 48-minute game. It’s about how you manage and respond to those runs, an area of the game that has been a critical point of emphasis for Joe Mazzulla this season.
After the Celtics opened the game on a 17-2 run, the offense hit a bit of a drought, resulting in a 21-9 Miami run to cut the lead to three less than 30 seconds into the second.
Miami’s zone forced some rushed shots from Boston, as the Celtics finished the final eight minutes of the opening frame shooting 3-of-17 from the field and 3-of-14 deep.
Then, Sam Hauser happened.
On Boston’s first possession of the second quarter, excellent ball movement from the Celtics led to a wide-open corner three for Hauser.
Swish.
On the ensuing Boston possession, Jrue Holiday found Hauser wide-open on the corner again, only this time he was on the other side of the court.
Swish again.
The possession after that, Jayson Tatum made a cross-court pass to Payton Pritchard, who … you guessed it, found Hauser open in the corner again.
Another swish.
Erik Spoelstra had seen enough and immediately called for a timeout as Donnie Wahlberg and the TD Garden raised to their feet. What was a three-point game was back up to 10.
Moments later, in the wake of a three-pointer from Duncan Robinson that brought the lead back to single digits, Hauser found himself once more unguarded in the corner. And sure enough, he punished Miami’s zone by drilling the three.
That was the last time Boston’s lead would drop below double digits.
“He kind of extended the game in the second quarter. They cut it to three or four, and Sam made three of four threes,” Tatum said on Hauser postgame. “You’re going to need things like that to be successful in the playoffs. It’s not always going to be the guys who started the game. Any given night, we’re going to count on somebody off the bench to change the pace of the game, kind of mess things up in a good way. To change the dynamic of what we’re doing.”
On Sunday afternoon, Boston relied on Hauser and Pritchard, and they did not disappoint.
As expected, the Celtics significantly shortened their rotation. Hauser and Pritchard were the only players outside Boston’s top six to check in, with Pritchard playing 24 minutes and Hauser playing 13.
The duo combined for 20 points on 7-of-13 (53.8%) shooting from the field and 6-of-11 (54.5%) from deep, five boards, six assists, and a steal. Alongside Al Horford (10 points), they built a 25-12 advantage in bench scoring in the first 36 minutes.
“I would say the bench, in general, that’s been an identity of our team all year,” Mazzulla said after the game. “You can’t get into a playoff and shut those guys out. You got to give them their run because they just bring a different dynamic to the game. And even some of the guys that didn’t play have to be ready. It’s only one game, and a series takes on a life of its own. But we need our bench [and] we need our depth in order to maximize this opportunity that we have. They did a great job.”
Boston’s reserves simply did what was expected of them, whether it was creating space, making the extra pass, or, of course, making their shots. Their reliable contributions off the bench played a significant part in the victory.
“We need those guys to be effective,” Mazzulla said. “I think the shooting is easy to pay attention to. But both of those guys defensively were really, really solid. And that’s been a difference, I think, in both of those guys throughout the year. Their ability to impact the game defensively is just as important as their shooting. That’s a huge strength of ours.”
At the start of the season, Boston’s bench raised significant concerns for the team, but Pritchard and Hauser have effectively addressed those worries, and Game 1 was no different.
Hauser and Pritchard aren’t one-dimensional players. Throughout the season, they’ve proven their ability to contribute effectively in various situations, both offensively and defensively. Mazzulla and the Celtics have consistently relied on their bench, and they have been an integral part of the team’s success.
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