Heat vs Celtics

Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry do exactly what veteran stars need to do in a must-win Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Celtics head coach Ime Udoka says Boston must get off to a faster start against the Miami Heat and cannot 'give them life early' in Game 7 on Sunday.

It would be hard to have imagined a scenario four months ago where the Celtics would be playing now -- let alone playing in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. We have confidence in going down there winning, too, but we have to get ourselves off to better starts, get ourselves easy baskets and not give them life early in the game." But at the same time, they are our scorers, they're our leading scorers, and obviously in the fourth quarter, we need them to bring it home. "Obviously, early in the game if they're going after them, we encourage them to get off the ball and the defense will kind of break down and open up for them later in the game," Udoka said. After again committing several careless turnovers in the opening moments of Game 6 and falling into a 12-5 hole, they essentially spent the game attempting to dig themselves out of it. Even in these playoffs, it hasn't been easy ... a lot of that is due to what we're doing, and we can be better, for sure.

Boston Celtics vs. Miami HEAT Sunday, May 29 @ 8:30 PM Series Record: 3-3.

A huge portion of the game was decided by the HEAT winning the turnover battle, 23-8, and taking 22 more shots than their opponent, but this was a battle of the mind more than anything. The HEAT ramped up the physicality on defense, found just enough shotmaking – Max Strus and Adebayo each hit a massive jumper after Boston closed to within one – and responded to one momentum-building one after another. Instead what we’re getting is a series where both defenses have indeed been great, but each game has seen one team lead by at least 20 – Boston’s near-comeback in Game 3 was the only real pushback we’ve seen from a big hole – because as soon as one defense gets rolling then the other team starts to struggle even more having to attack in the halfcourt, and the more that team misses the more the other side can try to push the pace. In other words, precisely because the defense is so good and both teams have some inherent struggles in the halfcourt, we’re more likely than usual to see one run get extended as the other side is pushed more and more onto their heels. And in the end, that opening salvo offered a large enough lead to put Miami up 2-1 in the series. In winning the opening period, 39-18, the HEAT had just about as immaculate a start to a postseason game as you can possibly have. Both teams are going to come out of this one with plenty to like – Boston wound up winning three of the four quarters – and if you came into this game expecting a long series there wasn’t much on hand to dissuade you of that notion. With Kyle Lowry back, his effect on the pace of the offense, both in the open floor and in the halfcourt, was immediately evident as he pushed into a trail three for Max Strus and followed that up a few possessions later with his traditional hit-ahead pass to Jimmy Butler. But apart from Lowry and some hot three-point shooting, the real boost to the offense was Bam Adebayo scoring about as well as he has ever scored. And as usual – after Boston made a run with Butler off the court – he was there to bring it home down the stretch as he hunted the Payton Pritchard matchup relentlessly, holding the Celtics off with free-throws and jumpers. Boston was up by as much as they were up – 34 at the largest lead, but consistently over after their major runs – because they were hitting just about everything. Just as quick as Game 1 turned after the break when the HEAT rediscovered their own identity playing physical and precise defense and letting that effort power their offense, this time Boston was the team finding itself. He wasn’t alone in doing so, but there’s a level of pressure that Butler can apply to your offense that makes every pass carry just a little more inherent risk to it – an effect that played a major role as the HEAT’s defense fed their offense over and over and over again in the third quarter.

Jimmy Butler put on a show for the ages with the Miami Heat facing elimination.

They lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 Finals. "You put yourself in this position, going up 3-2, to have two games to win one," Udoka said. They last reached the NBA Finals in 2010. Limiting Butler will be the Celtics' top priority -- and probably the second and third as well -- in Sunday's affair. I've played with some great players, and he's one of the best players I've played with. "They've got so much belief in me," Butler said.

BOSTON — Kyle Lowry listened politely while Jimmy Butler shared the credit for Miami's Game 6 victory until his fellow All-Star took the humility too far ...

Elgin Baylor had 61 against Boston in Game 5 of the 1962 finals. Jayson Tatum had 30 points and nine rebounds for Boston, and White came off the bench to score 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown scored 20 points for Boston, missing a pair of free throws with the game tied at 99 after Lowry fouled out. “He came out from the jump and kind of put his imprint on the game,” White said. Lowry answered with a 3 and then added two free throws as Miami scored 11 of the next 13 points. I’ve played with some great players, and he’s one of the best.”

MIAMI -- — Erik Spoelstra didn't even have to finish the sentence. The Miami Heat coach was speaking in the locker room after a season-extending win in ...

Miami has two players who have scored at least 30 points in a Game 7. “We’ve just got to come out and play, come out and respond,” Brown said. “There’s nothing like a Game 7,” Spoelstra said. We’ve got to come out and find a way to win.” This is their fifth trip to the East finals since, and Friday’s loss made them 0-5 in potential East clinchers over that span. It’s living in the moment, trying to just do what you can.” “For us, it’s just another opportunity,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said Saturday. “You put yourself in this position, going up 3-2, to have two games to win one. For Boston, Marcus Smart’s ankle has been balky, Robert Williams III’s knee is an ongoing question and Jaylen Brown banged a knee on a drive in Game 5 though finished the game with no obvious ill effects. Butler has been dealing with knee issues and twisted an ankle late in Game 6 though still came through with arguably the best game of his career. Miami has the home-court advantage for the finale, though home court has meant nothing in this series. “I’m sure they got a bunch of guys, too, just trying to figure it out and give what they can. MIAMI -- — Erik Spoelstra didn’t even have to finish the sentence.

"Yeah, I would say so," Udoka said on a video conference call with reporters Saturday morning. "It's not only the series for us, it's been all season long. Even ...

We have confidence in going down there winning, too, but we have to get ourselves off to better starts, get ourselves easy baskets and not give them life early in the game." It has been that sort of season in Boston. And, Udoka said, the resiliency his team has built over the topsy-turvy nature of this campaign is something that can help the Celtics do what they did each of the past two games at FTX Arena: come out with a win. "But, like I said, Derrick had it going a little bit, but we always want to stay aggressive and make the right play. "We'd like to get off to better starts, put some pressure on the opponent when they're in that situation, similar to what we did against Milwaukee in Game 7. After again committing several careless turnovers in the opening moments of Game 6 and falling into a 12-5 hole, they essentially spent the game attempting to dig themselves out of it. Even in these playoffs, it hasn't been easy ... a lot of that is due to what we're doing, and we can be better, for sure.