Jimmy Butler is human in spite of everything — and he couldn’t have turn out to be mortal at a greater time for the Celtics.
Thanks to a uncommon underwhelming efficiency by Butler, who was on a heater earlier than Games 3 and 4 of this very Eastern Conference Finals sequence, the Celtics pressured a Game 5 with a 116-99 victory on the highway in Miami on Tuesday.
The Heat star nonetheless completed with 29 factors on 9-of-21 taking pictures from the sphere, however Miami was outscored by 20 factors in his 39 minutes on the ground, and he coughed up two expensive turnovers because the Celtics in the end ran up a double-digit lead and by no means let go within the second half.
In Game 3, he scored 16 factors on 5-of-13 taking pictures, however that sport led to a blowout victory.
Game 4 was completely different. Butler didn’t have the identical bark or chew. It was the primary time Boston seemed like a staff that belonged within the hunt for the NBA title this sequence after three embarrassing losses to start out the convention finals — together with a deflating, 25-point walloping that sunk them into an 0-3 sequence gap.
No staff has ever come again from down 0-3 in an NBA playoff sequence, however the Celtics now have one thing going for them: solely a 3rd of the groups ever in that predicament have ever pressured Game 5 within the first place.
It’s rather more troublesome than it sounds: Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers, who had been additionally down 0-3 to the Denver Nuggets and led by 15 within the second quarter of Game 4.
That was earlier than the Joker — Nikola Jokic — proved too dominant a pressure, and LeBron James got here up quick on the sport’s ultimate possession, permitting the Nuggets to comb the Lakers off the Crypto.com Arena flooring.
Unlike the Lakers, the Celtics have life — and go away it to them, a staff tied for the NBA’s second-best regular-season file away from dwelling, to discover a pulse on the highway. It’s now the Heat who face all of the stress on this planet.
The Heat, in spite of everything, had been speculated to deal with enterprise at dwelling and dominate the Celtics the identical means they’d performed the primary three video games.
Instead, Miami performed a reverse Uno card: They forked up 15 turnovers and shot a meager 25% clip from downtown. It’s the Heat who are actually in peril of changing into the primary staff ever to fumble a playoff sequence up 3-0.
And if Jaylen Brown can discover some semblance of confidence on the offensive finish, the Celtics simply might need a shot at turning this sequence round.
Jayson Tatum discovered that confidence in Game 4. He made very robust and decisive scoring assaults that had been absent in Games 1 by 3. Tatum has scored 30 or extra in three of this sequence’ first 4 video games, however in Game 4, his 33 factors felt extra like 40. After taking pictures simply 6-of-18 for 14 factors in Game 3, the Celtics star confirmed why he’s in MVP conversations with a 14-of-22 taking pictures night time.
Meanwhile, Brown is having the worst playoff stretch of his profession — and whereas Tatum’s sensational Game 4 powered the Celtics to victory this time, you may financial institution on the Erik Spoelstra-coached Heat making changes that pressure Boston to get the ball out of the famous person ahead’s fingers.
And if the ball finds Brown — who’s so chilly from three, he may freeze time — the Celtics may as effectively not even present as much as Game 5. Tatum’s co-star is taking pictures simply 12.8% from three in opposition to the Heat. He has missed 21 of his 24 makes an attempt from downtown, is taking pictures worse than 40% from the sphere, and is hitting lower than 50% of his free throws.
Brown’s offensive confidence is shot. With a contract extension within the extra of $200 million on the desk this summer time, and the Celtics in win-or-go-home territory trailing the Heat, 1-3, he should step up for this staff to face an opportunity.
The Heat, nevertheless, have already gained in Boston — twice — together with the series-opener that surprised the Celtics on their very own parquet flooring.
Both groups have had a historical past of taking part in higher on the highway this season, nevertheless it’s clear, not less than for one night time, the Celtics have awoken.
And if Brown can lastly do the identical, we may very well have a sequence on our fingers.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com