The Boston Celtics snagged a pivotal Game 5 victory against the Miami Heat Wednesday night. The series now swings back to the Hub, where Boston has a chance to punch a ticket to the clubs first trip to the NBA finals since 2010. The first half was a bit of a slog for both teams. The Celtics scored just 37 points in the first two quarters combined. Still, we did see a few huge blocks from Robert Williams, among other key plays for the Celts. But turnovers and poor shooting made it hard for either team to pull ahead.
The second half was an entirely different story. Boston attacked the rim consistently, jumping out ahead of a rather listless Heat team. By the time the horn sounded, the C’s had won the third period 32-16. There was no looking back from there.
The fourth quarter saw the same dominance. Boston flexed big time grit and athleticism down the stretch, punctuated by a massive Jaylen Brown dunk down the lane. Miami’s lack of playmaking and injury struggles, meanwhile, showed up in a big way.
Jayson Tatum finished the game with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists. His partner in crime Jaylen Brown contributed 25 points and four rebounds. Derrick White and Al Horford also made big contributions, while the entire team excelled, per usual, on defense. Miami shot just 31.9% from the field.
The Celtics outscored the Heat 56-38 for the second half and now have a chance to close out the series on their home court. Boston is one win away from the NBA Finals.
This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
