On Sunday, the Boston Celtics prevailed against the Miami Heat after a fierce battle.

On Sunday, the Boston Celtics prevailed against the Miami Heat after a fierce battle.

1. Porzingis has a new role in the first quarter.
Jaylen Brown has dominated the first quarter a lot this season. But in the early going of games, the Boston Celtics have shifted their focus to Kristaps Porzingis in recent times. In an attempt to punish Erik Spoelstra for having too little size, Joe Mazzulla returned to the versatile big man against the Miami Heat.

The fact that Porzingis scored his most points during the opening quarter is not by accident. Of his 25 points, 11 came in that first quarter. From that point on, Miami had to honor his presence on the floor, no matter where he was positioned from play to play.

Most importantly, though, Brown has been the primary first-quarter player. That suits Brown. It’s not a coincidence that his overall performances have taken a leap since he’s been given the freedom to get downhill on offense and has been tasked with running up his stat line during the opening 12 minutes.

Yet, with Porzingis occupying that role in recent games, Brown found a new way to make his presence known, and against Miami, that came in the fourth quarter.