Heat-Celtics Takeaways: Miami Collapses In Fourth Quarter Against Defending Champs

Alex Toledo | Mar 15, 2025

Mar 14, 2025; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) dribbles the basketball as Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) defends during the fourth quarter. / (Photo: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images/REUTERS)

The Miami Heat, fielding their 20th starting lineup of the season, with Duncan Robinson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. in for Davion Mitchell and Kel'el Ware, lost to the Boston Celtics at home 103-91.

The Heat, now on a six-game losing streak, move to a 29-37 record for the season, still the ninth seed in the East. They are just one game ahead of the streaking Chicago Bulls, who have won four straight.

With the Heat having lost 13 of 17 games, here are some takeaways from last night's game:

The Clock Struck Fourth Quarter Again

After a mostly competitive contest, the fourth quarter decided the game for the Heat. They scored just 14 points, converting on five of their 20 looks in the fourth quarter. They finished the quarter with a 67 offensive rating to the Celtics' 125. The Heat were also out-rebounded by seven in the quarter.

Andrew Wiggins converted on just two of his eight shots in the quarter, Tyler Herro made one of three and Jaime Jaquez Jr. hit one of four. Bam Adebayo missed his only shot in the final quarter of the game.

The Heat's offensive struggles have been well-documented. We know that isn't their bread-and-butter. The problem is, their defense was supposed to be much better. All 20 of the Heat's shots in the fourth quarter were in the halfcourt. The Celtics sport the third best offensive rating in the league, so not a great night for the Heat to be relegated to the half-court for so much of the game while also turning the ball over.

Bam, Oh Bam

It seemed like Adebayo had recently found a balance between his scoring, defending and facilitating. Adebayo averaged 23 points (shooting 55 percent on16 field goal attempts per game), 10 rebounds and four assists in the 17 games between Feb. 1 and March 11. Adebayo also averaged about five free throw attempts in this span.

In the last two games, he took just seven field goal attempts, hitting two against the Clippers and three against the Celtics while taking two and three free throws. The Heat mostly went away from running the cross screens to get Adebayo his mid-post touches, where he typically finds ways to create a mid-range jumper, attack the basket or make the necessary pass.

When the Heat stick to just using Adebayo as a screen-and-roller or handoff hub, his scoring game pays the price. Their offense is not one that is good enough to bypass getting him into his spots every now and then.

Giving The Ball Away/Possession Battle

The Heat finished with 18 turnovers. The league-worst Utah Jazz average 17.5 turnovers. Despite the Celtics remaining one of the best defensive teams in the league, (sixth in adjusted defensive rating), they don't do it by turning teams over. The Celtics force the 6th lowest turnover percentage and the 4th fewest steals per game in the league.

The Celtics took eight more shots than the Heat, (one more in the half-court, two more in fastbreak situations, five more on second-chance attempts). The Heat also missed seven free throws.

Giving the Celtics more possessions to work with, when the Heat already have to play mistake-free basketball just to keep up with good teams, is (and was) a recipe for eventual disaster.