The Boston Celtics unleashed a barrage of 16 three-pointers, propelling them to a commanding 110-97 overcome the Miami Warmth on Thursday, holding their NBA championship aspirations shiny.
For the second straight sport, the Celtics fended off elimination, reducing the deficit within the best-of-seven Jap Convention finals to 3-2 with the wire-to-wire triumph.
Miami will get one other likelihood to shut it out once they host sport six on Saturday. The Celtics will attempt to take yet another step towards turning into the primary NBA staff to rally from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff collection.
“The one factor that may cease us is us,” Celtics ahead Jaylen Brown mentioned in an on-court interview.
Earlier than a rapturous, raucous crowd at TD Backyard in Boston, the Celtics appeared each inch the favorites they have been earlier than the collection began – earlier than the upstart eighth-seeded Warmth grabbed the primary two video games in Boston, then embarrassed the second seeds in sport three.
4 Celtics starters scored greater than 20 factors, with Derrick White main the way in which with 24 on an evening when he made six of eight makes an attempt from three-point vary.
“Acquired some beauty and was capable of knock them down, and simply type of rolled with it,” mentioned White, who mentioned the Warmth’s defensive concentrate on Brown and fellow star wing Jayson Tatum gave him extra room to function.
Marcus Good added 23 and had 5 steals, whereas Brown and Tatum scored 21 apiece.
Extra importantly, the energetic Celtics harried the Warmth into 16 turnovers, resulting in 27 Boston factors.
That they had 17 second-chance factors in comparison with Miami’s seven.
“Tonight, we have been the more durable taking part in staff,” Brown mentioned. “We set the tone from begin to end.”
Boston have been locked in on each ends of the ground from the opening tip-off, roaring to a 23-7 lead in a matter of minutes.
After Tatum was whistled for a technical foul with 8:43 within the first quarter, the Celtics responded with three consecutive three-pointers.
Tatum scored 12 factors within the first quarter and Brown took over with 12 within the second.
In the meantime, Warmth talisman Jimmy Butler struggled to get going, scoring eight factors within the first half and ending with 14 – his lowest-scoring sport of the playoffs. He sat out many of the fourth quarter.
Duncan Robinson led the Warmth with 18 factors off the bench. Bam Adebayo scored 16 factors however coughed up six turnovers.
Kyle Lowry beginning at level guard after Gabe Vincent was dominated out with a sprained ankle, scored 5 factors with 4 turnovers.
“We have simply bought to play higher,” Butler mentioned. “Begin the sport off higher on the starters; make it harder for them.
“They’re in a rhythm because the starting of the sport,” Butler added. “However we’ll all the time keep constructive, realizing we will and can win this collection. We’ll have to shut it out at residence.”
Battling, scratching, clawing
Butler mentioned the Warmth allowed their taking pictures struggles to have an effect on their defensive depth.
“However that is simply correctable,” he mentioned. “You simply have to return out and play tougher from the soar.”
The Warmth, who gained the NBA title in 2006, 2012 and 2013, nonetheless solely want yet another win to succeed in a seventh NBA Finals.
Boston, whose 17 NBA titles are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for probably the most in historical past, final gained all of it in 2008 and got here up quick in final season’s championship collection towards the Golden State Warriors.
The collection winners will play the Western Convention champion Denver Nuggets, who swept the Lakers in 4 video games to succeed in the NBA Finals for the primary time.
White mentioned the Celtics count on a formidable problem in Miami on Saturday.
“The gang goes to be in it. It is not going to be straightforward,” he mentioned. “It should take 48 minutes of battling, scratching, clawing, and we have got to discover a strategy to win.”
Warmth coach Erik Spoelstra was unconcerned that two huge defeats had demoralized his staff.
“Who cares about temper?” Spoelstra mentioned. “We’ve a gnarly group. It is a aggressive collection. You all the time count on issues to be difficult within the convention finals.”