Celtics

Boston took control with a dominant third quarter to beat Miami 93-80 and move within one more win of the NBA Finals.

Brown and Tatum were a combined 3-for-16 from the field in the first half. Butler and Lowry are among the Heat players who are not 100%. The Celtics have injuries to Marcus Smart (sprained right ankle) and Robert Williams (left knee soreness), but they were able to play in Game 5. I know how badly he wants to be out there, and that's why we'll listen to him, but these decisions have to be made by the training staff and our doctors. The Celtics gave up just one offensive rebound in the quarter after giving up nine in the first half. Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 18 points and 10 rebounds. And the Boston Celtics were that team.

Our betting experts give their best plays for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.

Patterns aside, Tatum knows he'll have to carry a big load in a swing Game 5, on the road, against a Heat team he has proven he can produce against. Playing at home, in the pivot game, I expect the Heat starters to score more than 18 points and for these two teams to regress to the norm and put some points on the board. Some massive positive regression is due for a Heat starting unit that combined for 18 points and 7-of-36 shooting (19.4%) from the field. The Heat put together a single massive quarter in each of Games 1 and 3 and won both games, but I think the Celtics are locked in enough not to allow a nightmare quarter on Wednesday. If they can do that, they should be able to win Game 5 comfortably. Tatum had a nightmare Game 3, but bounced back in a big way in Game 4. Brown has been a key player for the Celtics during this series, along with Jayson Tatum. He has averaged 18.5 FGA and 25 PPG while shooting 47.3% from the field. and the third of those "wins" was the garbage time fourth quarter of Game 4. Best bet: Celtics -1.5. The Celtics have been the better team for the vast majority of this series, with the Heat only winning three of the 16 quarters so far... For Boston, Jayson Tatum has averaged a dozen rebounding chances over the last two games and is projected to have nearly seven boards today. Playoff P: Payton Pritchard has made 10 of his 24 3-point attempts in this series, and while a 54.9% conversion rate is tough to sustain, his role is real ... and it's spectacular: 36.6% of his points scored against the Heat have come from beyond the arc (third highest in the league), an indicator that the Heat are willing to pack it in. The edge is minor, but over tickets have cashed more often than not for both teams in such situations this season. Outside of Game 3, in which Butler missed the second half, he has averaged 33.0 PPG on 60.7% shooting during this series.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 points, Jayson Tatum added 22 and the Boston Celtics moved to the brink of a berth in the NBA Finals, running away after halftime to ...

And the series. Of the game. "In the first half it was tough because we weren't hitting shots and we were turning the ball over," Horford said. Miami led 19-17 after one and 42-37 at the break. The Celtics haven't reached the NBA Finals since 2010. The turnaround was 59-58 Boston to 83-60 Boston. Tatum was 1 for 9 at intermission, Butler 2 for 8, and the teams combined to shoot 37.8% from the field and 21.6% from 3-point range. Game 6 is in Boston on Friday night, where a pair of trophies bearing the names of Celtics legends will be waiting. The Heat were 7 for 45 from 3-point range. "We've got an opportunity to do something with this group that's special," Brown said. "We are not going to make any kind of deflection or any kind of excuse," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. They believe their defence, as has been the case time and again in these playoffs, will eventually wear down teams.

Before both teams emptied their benches, the Celtics outscored the Heat 56-34, seizing control of the game and the series.

As a result, the Heat went from producing 12 points off turnovers to getting only five in the second half. With Boston on an 18-2 run dating back to the third frame, the visitors now had a 77-60 lead. Grant Williams, who was starting the frame in place of Robert Williams, followed that up with a push shot off the dribble. But Miami matched it as Butler found Tucker for a three to push the hosts lead to 34-30. Then, Duncan Robinson attacked off the dribble for a bank shot from just outside the restricted area to make it 36-30. He was aggressive, decisive, and was one of Boston's most impactful players in the first half. He also got fouled and capitalized on the free throw to make it 29-25 Heat. But Miami matched it as Butler found Tucker for a three to push the hosts lead to 34-30. Then, Duncan Robinson attacked off the dribble for a bank shot from just outside the restricted area to make it 36-30. He was aggressive, decisive, and was one of Boston's most impactful players in the first half. Vincent then drilled a pull-up jumper above the left elbow to make it 19-17 in favor of the hosts. He also got fouled and capitalized on the free throw to make it 29-25 Heat.

Boston's dominance in a gritty victory all but ensured the Eastern Conference Finals will end in its return to TD Garden.

Miami had 26 points in the paint. In the second half, the Celtics blew it open. He had a team-high 13 points in the fourth. It had nine offensive rebounds, giving the Heat a 26–21 edge overall. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year, Tyler Herro, is out with a groin injury. The Heat’s offense is a wreck. He had six points in the third quarter. It sliced the turnovers in half. It outscored Miami 32–16 in the third quarter. It was 42–37 Heat at the half. It was 19–17 Miami after the first quarter. If it was a movie, it would have won a Razzie. ESPN would have been forgiven for cutting into the game for special coverage of Tom Brady’s (alleged) golf shot.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 points and Jayson Tatum added 22 points as the Boston Celtics moved one win away from the NBA Finals on Wednesday.

Tatum was just 1-for-9 from the field before halftime, making his lone basket with 8:07 remaining in the second quarter. Four of the five games in the series have ended in double-digit victories. It was the first time a game in the series was within five points at the break.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 points, Jayson Tatum added 22 and the Boston Celtics moved to the brink of a berth in the NBA Finals, running away after halftime to ...

Heat: Max Strus was 0 for 9, Kyle Lowry was 0 for 6, and the Heat starting guards are a combined 1 for 28 in their last two games. ... White and Robert Williams III were a combined 7 for 8 in the first half, while the rest of their teammates were a combined 6 for 26. ... It was the third-lowest point total of the season for the Heat (78 vs. And the series. Boston outscored Miami 32-16 in the third quarter, holding the Heat to 17% shooting. Miami led 19-17 after one and 42-37 at the break. Of the game. The Celtics haven't reached the NBA Finals since 2010. ``In the first half it was tough because we weren't hitting shots and we were turning the ball over,'' Horford said. The turnaround was 59-58 Boston to 83-60 Boston. Game 6 is in Boston on Friday night, where a pair of trophies bearing the names of Celtics legends will be waiting. The Heat were 7 for 45 from 3-point range.

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams will test his left knee in warmups, but there's optimism he'll be available for Game 5 vs. Miami tonight, sources tell ...

The 24-year-old has been regularly slotted in and out of the lineup for the Celtics this postseason due to a left knee injury. The Boston Celtics are optimistic that centre Robert Williams will draw into the lineup tonight following warmups in a critical Game 5 against the Miami Heat, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. The Boston Celtics are optimistic that centre Robert Williams will draw into the lineup tonight after warmups in a critical Game 5 against the Miami Heat, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski Tweets.

The Eastern Conference finals return to Miami on Wednesday with the Celtics and Heat tied at two games apiece. Boston dominated Miami in Game 4, 102-82, ...

P.J. Tucker's crashes form the corner (three ORBs) and Jaylen Brown's wayward dribbling (four turnovers) have been particularly large contributors to the trend. Can the Celtics go super small, too, without getting bludgeoned even worse on the offensive glass than they were in the first? He's waving over at the Celtics bench trying to stay in the game. It’s about who is less worse. Four fouls on Kyle Lowry, and you wonder if Boston wishes it could decline the penalty. •3h ago •3h ago The Heat are currently 5/35 (14.3%) entering the 4th quarter. •3h ago As the Heat stars faded over the course of the night, with only Adebayo giving them a last gasp chance early in the fourth, the Celtics’ best players took over late and put this one to bed. We're all guilty of overreacting to the last game, but the Heat to me looked like a team that might have run out of gas in the tank and cards left to play against this Celtics defense. It feels like the Celtics core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford has been together forever.