The Boston Celtics have won both road games in Miami to prevail to a 3-1 lead over the Miami Heat in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs.
Derrick White was in control from the beginning with 22 points in the first half, finishing with 38 in the game. He and the Celtics have been on a heater in Miami, as he had three blocks and shot 8-15 from three. Boston was once again in control from the start.
The Celtics mediocrely shot the three again, going just 14-37 from distance, as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown only combined for 12-32 shooting and 37 points.
Kristaps Porzingis left in the first half as his calf flared up on him, exiting in frustration with calf tightness. The center was able to walk, and reportedly left in a walking boot. The Celtics await the status of his MRI later today.
Boston had a significant lead going into the break and in the second half, hanging around 20 or more or less in the final period.
Bam Adebayo was assessed a Flagrant 1 Foul on Tatum, when the five-time All-Star landed on his foot and tweaked his ankle. The pain wore off, as Tatum and Adebayo had an exchange and Adebayo later thought Tatum flopped and baited him into the act.
Joe Mazzulla described the incident and Tatum’s status postgame after he finished the contest and looked fine.
“As far as I know [he’s okay],” Mazzulla said. “It looked like he was moving—I didn’t ask him after the game—it looked like he was moving okay. But I’m sure he’s fine.”
Tatum also spoke about the play and how his ankle feels.
“I mean, y’all saw it. I shot the ball afterwards, landed on his foot,” Tatum said. “The same ankle that I hurt in Game 7 last year, that I hurt against the Warriors, that I tweaked against the Clippers. So it didn’t feel good at first, but yeah, it was just that. And I don’t want to make it a bigger deal than what it is. Little play, I wasn’t tripping, moved on, kept playing, worried about the rest of the game.”
Tatum talked about what he was thinking when he was on the ground grabbing his ankle:
"I was mad just because it was the same ankle,” added Tatum. “I’ve tweaked my ankle a thousand times playing this game. It was throbbing but the adrenaline made it wear off, I guess, and I just kept playing. There was like five or six minutes left in the game.”
Tatum loved Al Horford’s response to the flagrant, getting a tech for bumping Bam as he walked by him to help up his teammate. He has always described Horford to be likely his favorite teammate ever.
“That’s the OG,” Tatum said. “We’re all on the team together. We’re all brothers. So, right or wrong, you’ve gotta rock with your brother. And that’s what we do. If we see something we don’t like, whatever it is, we stand up for each other. And it’s contagious.”
The Celtics will look to end their home playoff struggles and close out the Heat in Game 5 at TD Garden, in what could be a short-handed effort.
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