BOSTON (AP) – Boston Celtics Elimination has looked him in the face four times this postseason and she still hasn’t blinked.
Derrick White had 24 points, including six 3-pointers, and the Celtics dominated Miami Heat 110-97 Thursday night in Game 5 to extend the Eastern Conference Finals.
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Marcus Smart scored 23 points and five shots. Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown finished with 21 points each as the Celtics won their second in a row and cut Miami’s lead to 3-2. The Celtics are halfway to becoming the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
“We have to do whatever it takes to win,” White said.
Boston also survived two elimination games in the second round against the 76ers. Teams that are down 3-0 are 0-150 all-time in a row.
“It just says our backs are against the wall and we’re holding on to each other and we’re competing at a high level to give ourselves a chance,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzola said.
Game six is on Saturday in Miami.
“We will always stay positive, knowing that we can and we will win the series,” said Jimmy Butler of the Heat. “We just have to lock her up at home.”
A day after the Florida Panthers won the franchise’s first ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals since 1996, for the second straight game, the Heat were denied a spot in the NBA Finals.
“One game doesn’t lead to the next,” Heat coach Eric Spoelstra said. “It just doesn’t matter. It’s about getting together and putting together a great game. We’ll play better on Saturday. That’s all we have to focus on now.”
Duncan Robinson led the Heat with 18 points. Bam Adebayo added 16 points and eight rebounds. Butler scored 14 points, five rebounds and five assists, but was knocked out at 9:47 into the game. Caleb Martin finished with 14 points.
This was the game in which Butler scored the fewest goals in the playoffs. He had 16 points in the third game, a huge win over Miami.
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Miami never drove and had 16 turnovers.
“I don’t want to say we were surprised by that, but they have raised their bar,” said Robinson. “We have to step up now, too.”
Boston just went 4-5 today at TD Garden this postseason. But with a boisterous home crowd behind them, the Celtics thrived on their energy.
They were overlooking loose balls, Miami fought for rebounds and found each other for shooting and dunking in transition as they built as many as 20 points in the first half.
The Heat cut it, but Boston still trailed 3 seconds and grew their lead to 96-72 in the fourth quarter.
Boston fans reignited to “Beat the Heat!” A chant that hasn’t been prevalent since the first game.
Heat starting Kyle Lowry at guard after Gabe Vincent was ruled out with a left ankle injury earlier in the day. It was Lowry’s first start since February 2.
Vincent, the Heat’s third leading scorer this postseason, was injured late in Miami’s Game 4 loss when he fell awkwardly while trying to save a loose ball near the Heat’s bench.
He missed his presence as Miami struggled early on the offensive end, overwhelmed by a Celtics defense that forced the Heat to 10 first-half turnovers that led to Boston’s 17 points. Lowry played 31 minutes, scored five points, and finished with four turnovers.
Tip-ins
Heat: Win 13-0 in the second half in the first 24 minutes.
Celtics: It was the first time this season that Boston had scored four 20-point goals. … Al Horford added six points and 11 rebounds. … the Celtics led 61-44 at halftime. … Boston’s first turnover of the game didn’t come until 8:16 of the second quarter.
Quick start
The Celtics got off to the fast start they were hoping for in front of their home crowd.
Smart stripped Adebayo of Miami’s opening ball, resulting in a fast break and a layup on the other end by Tatum.
Then, with the game tied at 4, Tatum broke free into the fairway for a brutal two-handed dunk. He hung on the edge afterwards and continued his celebration as he landed, resulting in a technical foul.
It didn’t stop the Celtics’ momentum, however, as they grew their lead in the first quarter to 23-7. Boston finished the period with a 35-20 lead, punctuated by a 3-pointer by White at the buzzer.
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Tatum had 12 points in the opening 12 minutes, as the Celtics outscored the Heat 21-6 from outside the arc. Boston hit 7 of their 12 attempts.
VIP watch
Celtics Hall of Famer Paul Pierce, NCAA President Charlie Baker and New England Patriots Matt Slater and Devin McCourty were among the park’s many celebrities.
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