“Biggest frauds I’ve ever seen”: NBA fans berate league-best Celtics for botching Game 2 vs Jimmy Butler-less Heat

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters that his team was ready for the Miami Heat’s expected Game 2 adjustments. The Cs handily won the series opener 114-94 behind a barrage of long-range bombs that the South Beach squad had no answer for. Mazzulla knew that even without Jimmy Butler, the reigning Eastern Conference champs weren't just going to cave in.

Unlike in Game 1, the Heat refused to cooperate with the Boston's game plan. Miami was more certain with its plays and showed no hesitation minus “Jimmy Buckets” and Terry Rozier. Erik Spoelstra’s vaunted zone defense caused the hosts troubles all night long.

The shots that willingly went down for hosts in the first game weren’t there in the rematch. Miami’s strategy of aggressively closing out on 3-point shooters paid off, forcing the No. 1 seed to just 12-for-32 from behind the arc. The Heat, like it did last season, pulled off another upset in front of frustrated Cs crowd.

Basketball fans on X, formerly Twitter, promptly reacted to yet again another embarrassing Boston loss:

“Celtics are the biggest frauds I’ve ever seen. First round exit.”

One fan couldn’t resist rubbing it on Celtics fans:

“Lol Heat are toast without Butler…obviously Celtics in 5”

Another saw it coming miles away:

"Boston overrated as usual"

A diehard fan of the Green Machine already has something drastic in mind:

"If we lose this series im begging Boston to blow it up immediately"

The Miami Heat flipped the script on the highly touted No. 1 seed. They did it by whipping the Cs in their own game. In Game 1, Spoelstra's unit hit 12-for-37 from deep while the home team went 22-for-49. In Game 2, there was a role reversal as Miami finished 23-for-43 while Boston limped to a 12-for-32 clip.

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The Celtics could be in trouble against the Heat - yet again

In tonight's loss to the Miami Heat, the Boston Celtics played like the rim had a lid on it. There were multiple wide-open shots that just didn't go in. Maybe the Cs just had a rough-shooting night in the humiliating loss.

But, fans of the "Green Machine" are all too familiar with what the Heat can do. On top of their worries is the resurgence of Caleb Martin, who might have won the Eastern Conference MVP last year. Whatever Spoelstra told Martin, it worked in Game 2.

The unheralded forward had 21 points that were highlighted by 5-for-6 shooting from deep. In last year's ECF, he had a couple of games where he took over from Jimmy Butler. Boston fans could be seeing a harbinger of things to come.

Terry Rozier could also return for Game 3 which will only make the series more challenging. Miami might be without Butler throughout the playoffs but the Boston Celtics can't write off the defending East champs.