Celtics cool off Heat to stay alive
The Boston Celtics roared back in the second half to beat the Miami Heat, 121108, and stay alive in the NBA playoffs.
Jayson Tatum scored 31 points and pulled down 10 rebounds and Jaylen Brown added 28 points as six Celtics players scored in double figures and Boston cut the deficit in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals to 3-2.
With their season hanging in the balance, the Celtics exploded for 41 points in the third quarter to turn the tide in a game dominated early by Miami. Tatum scored 17 in the third and the Celtics outrebounded the Heat 16-5 in the quarter.
Boston trailed by as many as 12 in the opening period, which ended with the Heat leading 26-18. Miami again built the lead to 12 in the second period and finished the first half still on top, 58-51.
But Boston were beginning to see some shots fall, and as they turned up the intensity on both ends of the floor after the interval Miami had no answer.
The Celtics opened the second half with a 20-5 scoring run.
Marcus Smart’s three-pointer tied it up at 60-60 and Boston took the lead for the first time in the contest, 62-60, on Brown’s layup off a feed from Kemba Walker. They wouldn’t trail again. Walker’s three-pointer with 4:26 left in the third gave Boston a 10-point lead and the Celtics took a nine- point edge into the final frame, when they continued to pour it on.
Boston’s German center Daniel Theis contributed a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds, Smart finished with 12 points and Gordon Hayward chipped in 10.
Goran Dragic led the Heat with 23
points and Duncan Robinson added 20 for Miami, who are trying to reach the NBA finals for the first time since 2014. They will again try to close out the Celtics in Game 6 on Monday morning (Phl time). (AFP)