NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

September 19, 2020

Erik Spoelstra

Miami Heat

Game 3: Postgame

Boston Celtics 117, Miami Heat 106

ERIK SPOELSTRA:

Q. Is there a common theme in the deficit, obviously this time you couldn't overcome it, and how concerning it is it that it's an uphill climb every game?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Look, this is the playoffs. So you deal with whatever is in front of you. They came out, Boston did, with great force in this game and you do have to credit them for that. They sustained it for the better majority of the game.

We were on our heels most of the game, flattening us out with our execution, getting us into the end of the clock on too many possessions. And then I think everybody can see that the dribble attack penetration in the paint, we weren't able to contain the ball all night, and you have to credit them. They were playing with great force.

Q. Jimmy was out at the end. Andre [Iguodala] didn't play the second half. Is there an injury issue or other factors?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: No. Just trying to get something quick right there at the end.

Q. You said that we all saw what was going on in the paint but 12-for-44 from the three is also uncharacteristic.

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Yeah, that's fine. But you just got the feel that we were trying to make shots to be able to stay in the game and skip steps. This is the Conference Finals playing against a really good team. You cannot lack in the areas of toughness, physicality, detail, force. They won all of those battles plus the easy transition ones. Maybe if we had shot a better percentage, it would have been closer, but they did enough things to put themselves in a great position to win this game.

Q. How will you utilize these next couple days before your next game to improve?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: I don't know. I'll figure that out. Got some time. Be good. I want our guys thinking about this.