THE Boston Celtics are not ready to start their vacation just yet.
In fact, their convincing performance on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) suggests they are serious in their bid to spark a comeback in the Eastern Conference finals.
Jayson Tatum collected 33 points and 11 rebounds as the visiting Celtics staved off elimination with a 116-99 victory over the Miami Heat in Game 4.
Tatum made 14 of 22 shot attempts from the floor– including 4 of 9 from 3-point range.
He also had seven assists for the second-seeded Celtics, who trail 3-1 in the best-of-seven series heading into Thursday’s (Friday in Manila) Game 5 in Boston.
“Don’t let us win one” was a refrain uttered by Celtics guards Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown. After the contest, Smart already was focused on Game 5.
“Now we just have to go win another one, that’s all that matters,” said Smart, who finished with 11 points. “We’re taking one game at a time. We understand that the odds are stacked against us, but we’re a team that believes in us no matter what, and all that matters is the next game.”
Brown scored 17 points and Derrick White added 16 to help the Celtics prevent Miami from becoming the second eighth-seeded team to advance to the NBA finals. The 1998-99 New York Knicks accomplished the feat during a lockout-shortened season.
Grant Williams scored 14 points off the bench and Al Horford added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Celtics, who turned the tide by outscoring the Heat 38-23 in the third quarter.
“No pressure. No pressure at all,” Horford said with a laugh, per NBC Sports Boston. “It’s on them. We’re playing pretty free right now.”
Boston shot 51.2 percent from the floor (43 of 84) for the game and 40 percent from 3-point range (18 of 45).
“We have to keep that same level of intensity, same mindset, same focus for the next game,” said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, two days after he pointed the finger at himself following his team’s lackluster 128-102 loss in Game 3.
Miami’s Jimmy Butler overcame a slow start to record 29 points and nine rebounds. Butler was quick to disagree when a reporter asked if the momentum is now with Boston. — Field Level Media
