Boston is 0-3 when it has 16 or more giveaways.In 2004, nearly a decade after the Oklahoma City bombing, Terry Nichols was found guilty of 161 state murder charges for helping carry out the attack. They improved to 10-2 this postseason when they have 15 or fewer turnovers. Per ESPN Stats & Info, the 18 points scored by Miami’s starters is the lowest total by a starting five in a playoff game since starters were first tracked beginning in 1970-71.Īfter finishing with 23 turnovers in Game 3, the Celtics had nine in Game 4. Several current and former New England Patriots were in the crowd, including Devin and Jason McCourty, Malcolm Butler and Damien Harris. Miami had one point in the first eight minutes, the lowest total by any team in a playoff game in the last quarter-century, according to ESPN Stats & Info.Ĭeltics: Outrebounded Miami 20-8 in the first quarter. The Celtics took a 29-11 lead into the second quarter and led 57-33 at the half. Miami made its first field goal at 3:22, a 3-pointer by Oladipo, and finished the quarter 3 for 20. The Heat didn’t get their first points until Adebayo’s free throw at the 7:56 mark. It quickly grew to 18-1, with Miami misfiring on its first 14 shots. Starting in place of Smart, White scored the game's first seven points as Boston took an 8-0 lead. You’ve just got to find a way to win.”īoston’s Williams returned after missing a game with soreness in his surgically repaired left knee.Įven with their banged-up roster, the Celtics enjoyed their fastest start of the series. “Guys being out, guys playing half, guys playing 20 minutes in the game, just depends. Lowry (strained left hamstring), Strus (strained hamstring) and Tucker (left knee irritation) all tested their injuries pregame before being cleared to go. The Heat were without Tyler Herro, who suffered a groin injury late in Game 3.īutler was in the starting lineup after missing the second half of Game 3 with swelling in his right knee.
We never could get any kind of grip on the game.”Īnd the Celtics stymied the Heat without Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, who sat with a sprained right ankle he suffered in the second half of Game 3.
"They came out and jumped us," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Tucker (no points), Max Strus (no points) and Bam Adebayo (nine points) were a combined 7 of 36 shooting. Miami’s starting five of All-Star Jimmy Butler (six points), Kyle Lowry (three points), P.J. Victor Oladipo led the Heat with 23 points.
Each game in this series has featured a lead of at least 20 points, and none has been close down the stretch. The Celtics led by 27 points in the second quarter and stretched their advantage to 32 in the third. “We just wanted to up the effort all-around,” Williams said. Derrick White added 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Robert Williams finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.
Payton Pritchard had 14 points for the Celtics. Can’t always just flip the mindset when we come off a loss and get a little desperate.” “Just got to muster that same energy when we came off a win as well as a loss,” Udoka said. Coach Ime Udoka said the challenge is finding more consistency. The Heat led 39-18 after the first quarter of Game 3.īoston improved to 5-0 this postseason following a loss. Miami missed 15 of its first 16 shots as this bizarre series produced another game that was all but over after 12 minutes. “Everybody just had to come up with a different sense of urgency.” “Obviously, we knew how important this game was,” Tatum said. Tatum scored 31 points and Boston took its turn pounding Miami early, jumping out to a 26-4 lead and cruising to a 102-82 victory that evened the Eastern Conference finals at two games apiece. The Celtics All-Star did his part to make sure the Heat were hurting after Game 4. BOSTON (AP) - The Miami Heat left Jayson Tatum lying on the court with a pain in his neck in the closing minutes of Game 3.