The Boston Celtics staged a remarkable comeback on Thursday night (January 15) in the United States, overcoming a 19-point deficit to secure a thrilling 119-114 victory over the Miami Heat. Boston found themselves trailing by as many as 19 points just seven minutes into the game—a deficit that tied their largest first-quarter comeback in over 300 games. The last time the Celtics faced a similar early-game challenge was against the Indiana Pacers on December 21, 2022, when they fell behind by 20 points at the start. More recently, they also trailed by 19 points to Milwaukee Bucks in the first quarter on April 9, 2024.
Anfernee Simons Leads the Comeback
The Celtics’ fourth-quarter heroics were powered by Anfernee Simons, who scored 18 of his season-high 39 points in the final period. Jaylen Brown added 27 points, while Sam Hauser contributed 17, as Boston outscored Miami 36-21 in the decisive fourth quarter. This victory marked Boston’s second-largest comeback of the season, following their 20-point rally against Indiana on December 22, 2025.
Simons’ 39-point effort also ranks as the second-highest scoring performance by a reserve player this season, following Brice Sensabaugh of Utah, who scored 43 points the previous night against Chicago in a losing effort. Remarkably, Simons became just the fourth Celtics player in the last 50 years to score at least 39 points off the bench, joining the ranks of legends Larry Bird, Todd Day, and Payton Pritchard.
Miami Heat’s Strong Start
For Miami, Norman Powell led the way with 26 points, while Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro added 22 points each. Andrew Wiggins chipped in 16 points, but the Heat struggled to maintain their early advantage. Miami started explosively, racing out to a 28-9 lead in the opening minutes, putting the Celtics in an unusually early deficit. Notably, the Heat were missing key contributors: starting guard Davion Mitchell (left shoulder contusion) and sixth man Jaime Jaquez Jr. (left knee soreness).
Key Moments in Boston’s Rally
The Celtics began chipping away at the lead in the fourth quarter thanks to Simons, who scored 11 straight points to narrow Miami’s advantage. With 5:21 remaining, Hauser hit a wide-open three-pointer to give Boston the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.
The lead swapped hands twice more, but a clutch three-pointer from Jaylen Brown with 4:05 left cemented Boston’s advantage. From that point, the Celtics maintained control and sealed the comeback victory.
Looking Ahead
Following this dramatic win, Boston will travel to Atlanta on Saturday night (U.S. time), aiming to continue their strong recent form. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat will host Oklahoma City on the same day, hoping to bounce back from a tough loss.
The Celtics’ ability to overcome a nearly 20-point deficit underscores their resilience and depth, while the Heat will need to find ways to maintain focus and manage early-game lapses if they hope to compete for the postseason.
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