The opening game of the Eastern Conference Finals was the kind of disasterclass that only the 2022-23 Boston Celtics can deliver: clearly outclass their opponent, in this case, the No. 8-seeded Heat, then coast in the second half so much that now the Cs are trailing. Boston never came back from a 46-point third quarter, and they now trail Miami in the series.
So much for that 3% chance ESPN Analytics gave the Heat. Miami is now three games away from knocking off the Celtics in the last four years.
Game 2 is a borderline must-have for Boston as home-court advantage has slipped out of their grasp.