#stages #Celtics #defeat #Heat #floor
While this series between the Heat and Celtics, thus far, has proven to be particularly lopsided with each meeting, with near-systematic “slam dunks,” the first half of this Game 5 is refreshing from this standpoint. The two teams collide, the intensity is very high. The address certainly isn’t there (13/34 for Boston, 18/48 for Miami) but that doesn’t spoil the pleasure.
A first trend emerges: the leaders are in search of sensations throughout this first period. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are at 1/9 and 2/7 respectively, while Jimmy Butler is at 2/8. The discreet exteriors are the interiors that steal the limelight: Al Horford is in the oven and in the mill (10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 interception), while Bam Adebayo, with 10 points and 5 rebounds , played Bam Adebayo.
At halftime, at the end of this choppy first half (17 turnovers for 20 passes, accumulated) but disputed and very enjoyable, it is the Heat who maintain a short lead, led by their defense (42-37). The Celtics struggle on offense, including 10 turnovers (12 points allowed), but they’re in the game regardless.
Returning from the dressing room, the achievements of the first half are to be forgotten. The Heat players lose ground in attack (4/23 in shots), and no longer manage to impose their defensive intensity on the Celtics, who wake up and plant 32 points only in the third quarter (at 11/18), when they had scored only 37 points during the first 24 minutes of the game. Under the impetus of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who finally find their way into the circle, the impulse sweeps completely at the end of this third quarter (69-58).
The start of the last act is fatal for the locals, who take a terrible 14-2, which raises the difference to +23 (83-60) eight minutes from the end of the game. (Already) mass is said, the Heat sounds, the FTX Arena is air-conditioned.
Seemingly in control during the first half, Erik Spoelstra’s men sank after the break. Unable to put out the fire in their defense as the Celtics found a semblance of rhythm offensively, they were pushed out of the circle, never finding a rhythm on 3-pointers. Now down 3-2 after two straight losses, the Miami players are back against the wall. Now they must focus on Game 6 without delay: On the Boston court, it will be “Win Or Go Home.”
For Boston, it’s a big win, perhaps the best of their playoff campaign. But the hardest part remains to be done: Now we must finish the job at the TD Garden on Thursday. The result is the franchise’s first final since 2010.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– The Celtics 24-2. There was still only one point difference (59-58) with 2 min 44 left in the 3rd quarter. And then Jaylen Brown streamlined his game, Boston’s shots began to come in collectively and the Heat no longer seemed to have the energy to contain this new momentum, and especially to respond to it. A few minutes later, the score was 83-60, and this Game 5 was retired.
– The Heat in the kneecaps and clumsy. Miami managed to snatch two of the first three games from him, but the physical glitches were crippling in the final two games. Clearly, this band plays through gritted teeth, and it shows with cataclysmic skill percentages. 4/18 for Jimmy Butler, 0/15 for the starting tandem in the backcourt, Kyle Lowry and Max Strus, 7/45 on 3s overall for the Florida shooters…
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ boston interiors. Big night for Al Horford and Robert Williams III, who dominated the racket, against a Heat team too often in a “small ball” setup. The former compiled 16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks, while the latter, more discreet in attack but terrifying on defense, finished with 6 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks.
✅ The “Jays”. Clumsy and low-key in the first half, the two Celtics stars started their club’s revolt after the break, especially in the third quarter. Very clumsy (7/20), Jayson Tatum still manages to touch the triple-double: 22 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists. Jaylen Brown’s is less complete, but more consistent in attack: 25 points on 19/10, and 4 rebounds.
✅ Bam Adebayo. His double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds was not enough. Too alone in attack, without Tyler Herro and with a clumsy Jimmy Butler, the Heat’s center is doing with honors. On defense he shone, as always, but he was pushed out of the circle by the Celtics’ size, and with his outsides failing to finish, he couldn’t do much more to help his team.
⛔️ jimmy butler. Struggling since his injury in Game 3 of this conference final, Jimmy Butler missed his game, despite 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. The lack of a capricious shot, which translates to a small total of 13 points at 4/18. Very complex for the Heat to win when their best player is in trouble at this point. Knowing the animal, and even if he seems pretty physically diminished, we can expect a big reaction to Game 6, Miami’s potential last game of the season.
⛔️ Heat shooters. With access to the racket blocked, the Heat found themselves shooting from distance a lot. Result: 7/45, a very low success rate of 15.6%, in particular Max Strus 0/7, Kyle Lowry 0/5, Gabe Vincent 1/7 or even Jimmy Butler 1/5 and PJ Tucker. Erik Spoelstra almost had a jolt of disgust when he saw the stat line at a postgame press conference…
THE CONTINUATION
Game 6: in Boston, on the night of Friday to Saturday, at 02:30.
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