Miami Heat Slow Starts Becoming a Disturbing Trend

Miami Heat have struggled in the first half throughout the Eastern Conference finals

The Miami Heat have had no problem performing well in the fourth quarter during the playoffs.

The first three quarters have been a different story. The Heat struggled early again but could not overcome it in Saturday's loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat lead the series 2-1. 

"We've got to start the game how we start fourth (quarter)," center Bam Adebayo said. "I feel like we're not the type of team where we can go through the motions and try to figure out everything in the first half and then the third and fourth we just try to turn it on. It's not like that."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was concerned but still credited the opposition. 

"This is the playoffs," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "You deal with whatever is in front of you. Boston came out with great force ... They sustained it for the better majority of the game. We were on our heels for most of the game."

The positive is the Heat have three days off between games. Game 4 is Wednesday in Orlando.

"I think it gets old playing from behind consistently, especially against a great team like Boston and what they bring to the table," Heat forward Butler said. "Yea, we don't quit but we should stop putting ourselves in that position and start playing our type of basketball from the jump."

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