The Boston Celtics took an important step towards victory by soundly defeating the Miami Heat by a score of 110-97, moving closer in the NBA Eastern Conference final series with a 3-2 record. Four Celtics players scored double figures in points, adding to the excitement of a matchup in which the Celtics were considered favorites.
With the win, the Celtics avoid elimination for the second straight game, and the best-of-seven series returns to Miami with a 3-2 Heat advantage. If the Heat win the next game on Saturday, they could seal the series in their favor.
The Celtics, ranked as the second-best team, avoided being swept after the previous game. On the other hand, the Heat entered the playoffs as the eighth-ranked team. The Celtics are close to achieving a historic milestone, as they came from a 3-0 deficit, a situation no team has ever overcome in the playoffs. The TD Garden had not been kind to the Celtics in the postseason, as they have lost five of their last eight games in Boston, while the Heat had won all six of their home playoff games prior to their loss last Tuesday in Miami.
Miami is just one win away from contending for its fourth championship in franchise history, following those achieved in 2006, 2012, and 2013, in the seventh Finals. The last time they reached the Finals, in the 2020 playoffs held at Disney World (Florida) without a crowd due to the pandemic, they suffered a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics took a wide 61-44 lead in the first half, led by forward Jaylen Brown’s 15 points. “The only thing that can stop us is ourselves,” Brown said after the win. “Tonight we were the tougher team. We set the tone from start to finish.”
The Celtics put together a solid comeback, building on their success from the first quarter by winning 35-20 with a streak of three-pointers, and didn’t let the lead slip away until late in the game.
Showing a clear improvement in their performance, all starters except Al Horford scored 21 points or more, highlighted by Derrick White’s 24 points. Jayson Tatum, the Celtics’ offensive leader, contributed 21 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds, while Brown also scored 21 points and Marcus Smart added 23. Although the Celtics still have their backs against the wall, as a loss would mean elimination in Game 6 against the Heat on Saturday, they are at the halfway point in their quest for a historic achievement. In fact, on 150 previous occasions, no team that has been down 3-0 has managed to win a best-of-seven-game series.
“We have to play better,” Butler said. “Start the game better; make it tougher for the starters. They’ve had rhythm from the start of the game.” Butler also added that they will remain positive and believe they can win this series. They just need to close it out at home.
As for the Miami Heat, who felt the absence of Gabe Vincent due to a sprained ankle, star Jimmy Butler was limited to 14 points, and pivot Bam Adebayo scored 16.