Boston Celtics Outclass Miami Heat: Fan Reaction

The Miami Heat's road problems continued on April 1, losing 91-72 to the Boston Celtics. To make things worse, the Heat looked like a defeated team in the second half of the game, putting up only 28 points.

The Celtics didn't waste any time against the Heat, immediately taking control in the first quarter. The Heat played better in the second quarter, but they just couldn't keep up with the Celtics as the game progressed, getting shut down in the final two quarters.

Offensively, the Heat couldn't get anything going against the Celtics' defense, shooting 35 percent from the field. Their defense didn't fare any better either, allowing the Celtics to convert on 47 percent of their field goals.

Miami's "big three" struggled against the Celtics, with only LeBron James shooting over 50 percent from the field. LeBron finished with 23 points and 4 rebounds.

Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade had a hard time shooting the ball against the Celtics, but both were effective on the boards, finishing with 11 and 8 rebounds respectively.

The Heat's bench actually showed up against the Celtics, with Shane Battier, Udonis Haslem, and Norris Cole finishing with 11, 8, and 7 points respectively. Unfortunately, the "big three" had one of their rare off nights, resulting in the embarrassing performance against the Celtics.

The Heat have struggled ever since the All-Star break, and it seems like it's finally starting to affect their morale. Against the Celtics, Miami's players looked sluggish. And they certainly didn't look like a championship team.

With a month left in the NBA regular season, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra needs to find a way to motivate his team. It's pretty obvious that the Heat have all the pieces needed to compete at the highest level in the NBA, and it's about time they get back to playing solid basketball on the road.

Spoelstra might have signed a contract extension with the Heat during the offseason, but he's certainly not indispensable. Luckily for Spoelstra, the Heat's next five games will be at the American Airlines Arena (starting with the Philadelphia 76ers on April 3). And that'll give him more than enough time to get his players on the same page.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

Sources:

Player and game information from ESPN.com

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