Boston Celtics avoid elimination with a 116-99 win over the Miami Heat behind Jayson Tatum’s 33 points, including 25 in the second half, forcing Game 5 at TD Garden
Jayson Tatum starred for the desperate Celtics and scored 34 points in the win
The Heat were hit hard from deep and were 33 points over the game – on a 25% shot rate.
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The Boston Celtics came and came again. At the scene of his criminal performance just two days earlier, the away team put on a performance unprecedented in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning 116-99.
Still alive in the East Finals, Boston faces another elimination game, this time at the less hostile TD Garden in Massachusetts.
Jayson Tatum put on a superstar performance that lived up to his reputation, scoring 25 points in the second half and ending the evening with 33 points. Tatum also had 11 rebounds and seven assists.
After falling behind at halftime, Boston – behind Tatum’s brilliance – rallied to destroy the homecourt heat in the last quarter, topping Erik Spoelstra’s team 66-43. Crucially, Boston scored 38025 points in the third run to give them a solid lead.
What’s certainly great news for the NBA and neutral observers is that there will be at least one more duel for the Larry O’Brien Trophy ahead of the best-of-seven series against Denver.
Jayson Tatum gave the Boston Celtics a season-saving win in Game 4 with 34 points
It’s going to be overstatement to say the show’s appearance has changed drastically, but Tuesday’s redeeming performance in Miami could set off a season-changing chain of events.
The C’s owed more than Tatum to their credit, though he acted as the catalyst for their season-saving performance.
Derrick White and Jaylen Brown both had 16 points while the Boston bench stood up; Grant Williams scored 4 of 6 from deep for 14 points and Robert Williams III added seven.
For the downtrodden Heat, Jimmy Butler scored 29 points on a bad night of shooting and left the field at 9:21. He had nine rebounds and five assists.
Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin were useful, scoring 17 and 16 points, respectively.
A 12-0 run by the Celtics in the fourth quarter all but secured the win before a treble by Kyle Lowry with less than six minutes to go broke the streak – incredibly Miami’s first of the quarter. The Heat only scored 20 points in the last quarter.
Despite his sheer will to defeat Miami, Boston’s superiority behind the archway proved crucial.
Joe Mazzulla’s team held a +33 lead from deep in a game they won by 17. The Heat’s 25% of 3-pointers was almost half the 48% from the first three games of the series.
While the streak is still clearly in favor of the Florida franchise, Boston has an opportunity to force a Game 6 in Miami with a 2-3 deficit.
The Celtics superstar edged out Miami’s Jimmy Butler, who had 29 points on 9-of-21 FG
