The Celtics dominate the Heat in a game, ensuring their NBA championship aspirations remain intact

May 26, 2023

The Celtics dominate the Heat in a game, ensuring their NBA championship aspirations remain intact

In a commanding 110-97 triumph, the Boston Celtics sank 16 three-pointers and secured a crucial victory over the Miami Heat. This win kept the Celtics in contention for the NBA championship. It was the second consecutive game in which the Celtics staved off elimination, narrowing the deficit in the Eastern Conference finals to 3-2 with a wire-to-wire victory.

The Miami Heat will have another opportunity to close out the series as they host game six on Saturday. The Celtics, on the other hand, will strive to take another step towards making history by becoming the first NBA team to overcome a 3-0 deficit and win a best-of-seven playoff series.

Celtics forward Jaylen Brown expressed confidence in an on-court interview, stating, "The only thing that can stop us is us."

Playing before an enthusiastic crowd at TD Garden in Boston, the Celtics exhibited the dominance they were expected to possess at the beginning of the series. After the upstart eighth-seeded Heat claimed the first two games in Boston and embarrassed the second-seeded Celtics in game three, the Celtics' four starters scored over 20 points each in a remarkable display. Derrick White led the team with 24 points, including six successful three-pointers out of eight attempts. Marcus Smart contributed 23 points, while Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum each added 21 points.

The Celtics' relentless defensive pressure resulted in 16 turnovers by the Heat, leading to 27 points for Boston. Additionally, the Celtics capitalized on second-chance opportunities, scoring 17 points compared to Miami's seven.

From the opening tip-off, the Celtics demonstrated their focus and intensity on both ends of the court, quickly building a 23-7 lead. Despite a technical foul called against Tatum early in the first quarter, the Celtics responded with three consecutive three-pointers. Tatum delivered 12 points in the first quarter, while Brown took charge in the second quarter, contributing 12 points.

In contrast, Jimmy Butler, the Heat's key player, struggled to find his rhythm, scoring only eight points in the first half and finishing the game with 14 points, his lowest-scoring performance in the playoffs. As a result, Butler spent most of the fourth quarter on the bench.

Duncan Robinson led the Heat with 18 points off the bench, and Bam Adebayo scored 16 points but committed six turnovers. Kyle Lowry, starting at point guard due to Gabe Vincent's sprained ankle, contributed five points but had four turnovers.

Despite their strong performance, the Heat, who won NBA titles in 2006, 2012, and 2013, only need one more victory to secure a spot in the NBA Finals for the seventh time.

The Celtics, tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most NBA titles in history with 17, last claimed the championship in 2008 and fell short in last season's finals against the Golden State Warriors.

The eventual winners of this series will face the Denver Nuggets, the Western Conference champions who swept the Lakers in four games to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time.

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