The Boston Celtics were already behind by nine points in the third quarter and 3-0 in the series when they realized their season was in jeopardy.
After just three minutes, the scene had changed dramatically.
Boston trounced Miami 116-99 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night behind the 33-point performance of Jayson Tatum and 11 boards from Derrick White and 16 points from Jaylen Brown.
“We were just trying to save our season,” Tatum explained.
They succeeded in finding a means to accomplish it, without a doubt. The two most notable deviations were the Celtics’ 33-point advantage in three-pointers and the 18-0 surge in the third quarter that turned the tide of the game and, the team hopes, the series.
“We can’t relax,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla stated. When preparing for the upcoming game, “we have to keep the same level of intensity, the same mindset, and the same focus as we did in the last game.”
Boston Stage Remarkable Comeback, Force Game 5 with Impressive Performances
Celtics’ Grant Williams scored 14, Al Horford added 12, and Marcus Smart scored 11 as they forced a Game 5 in Boston on Thursday despite trailing the series 3-1.
For Miami, led by Jimmy Butler’s 29 points, a 14-minute span saw them outscored 48-22 and perhaps lose the game and series. If Boston can keep forcing a Game 7, it will host the decisive game at home.
“We played with pace and purpose tonight,” Tatum said. We kept hitting roadblocks. We’ve left during a period of change. When you start making layups and foul shots, you gain confidence, and your jump shot becomes much simpler.
Miami had 17 points from Gabe Vincent, 16 from Caleb Martin, and 10 from Bam Adebayo. The Celtics made 19 of 45 three-point attempts, while the Heat made just 8 of 32.
There have been 150 attempts by different NBA teams to come back from being down 3-0 in a best-of-seven series, but they have yet to be successful.
However, they gave themselves reason to believe.
“We don’t have a choice,” added Mazzulla. To Succeed or Perish. We need to stay united.
Boston Celtics Mount Impressive Rally in Game 4, Extend Series against Miami Heat
After taking an early nine-point lead in the first quarter, the Heat maintained their advantage for the rest of the first half and went up by the same margin after a three-pointer from Max Strus early in the third quarter.
Boston’s season was on the line at that point.
And the Celtics answered back, loud and clear.
In only three minutes and three seconds, Boston was able to transform a nine-point deficit into a nine-point lead thanks to an 18-0 run. During that run, the Celtics shot 6 for 7 from the field and 4 for 4 from beyond the arc. With nine of the team’s 18 points coming from Tatum, the East champs quickly got back on track. They went on to sweep their playoff series against the Heat in Miami.
As Adebayo put it, getting the last one is usually the most difficult. “I anticipated that they would be desperate.”
Late in the third quarter, Miami cut the deficit to four, but the Celtics responded with seven straight baskets in under a minute. After a 38-23 third-quarter victory, in which 21 of Boston’s baskets came from beyond the arc, the Celtics’ lead stood at 88-79 heading into the final period.
The Celtics maintained their advantage throughout the game.
He remarked, “They got us tonight,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra stated. You have to hand it to them. There is no room for doubt. There’s simply no way around it. That isn’t something we’re curious about. It is a game they should have won. There’s a fantastic opportunity in Boston, and we need to refocus on it.
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