Boston took the court and it seemed to be over from the tip. The energy in TD Garden was electric and the Celtics looked dynamic, fresh, energetic, and focused.
Miami came out and tried to keep up but simply couldn’t. They haven’t had the same spark they had in the first three games of this series. From the first whistle, the Heat were fighting an uphill battle that did not end in victory.
Out of the Gate
The first quarter had started and the TD Garden was practically shaking. The moral of this entire game but especially to start was, Boston could not miss from deep. Everything that came out of the Celtic’s hands seems to be going through the nylon. Marcus Smart hit two crucial corner threes that led to an even greater momentum shift for the Celtics. The Heat quickly found themselves 20-5 with half of the first quarter to go. The second half of the first quarter sped up a bit, but the Heart found themselves in a 15-point deficit to end the first quarter, and it was only getting started.
A Glimpse
The second quarter started with a glimmer of sharpshooting hope. Duncan Robinson came out of the quarter and hit a big three to gain some traction. Following this, key reserve player Haywood Highsmith, who played key minutes in this game due to the absence of starting point guard Gabe Vincent hit a big three that looked like it could be the start of an offensive run for Miami. Boston quickly halted this as Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum were hitting a plethora of tough shots that kept the Heat without close striking distance and kept the momentum with the Celtics.
Tried to Adjust
The third quarter ensued and with it, Boston kept hitting threes and tough shots. Boston was quick to force the ball inside the paint and try to enforce a dominant paint presence. Tatum and Brown were driving all night long, and if they were not finishing at the rim, they were dishing it out for a three. Miami tried to capitalize on turnovers but they looked a step off in this one. Jimmy Butler didn’t have the grit in him tonight. This led the Heat to play even basketball with the Celtics which lead to the lead not getting any larger, but not shrinking either.
Down The Stretch
The fourth quarter had started and the energy was gone within the Heat players. It was as if they had their eyes on Game Six. Miami had five players in double digits against Boston. However, they could not contain the electric and dynamic scoring performance that the Celtics showcased. Boston finished with four scorers above 20 points in a game that was hopefully used to fuel the Heat’s flame and get them ready for a dogfight in game six. The Heat are now up 3-2 in the series as they will look to close it out once and for all on Saturday back on their home court.