On Monday night, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious against the Miami Heat in an away game. However, their victory came at a cost as center Kristaps Porzingis suffered a leg injury.
With the series now standing at 3-1 in favour of the Massachusetts team, they have the opportunity to secure a spot in the East semifinals when they host their opponents next Wednesday.
Derrick White showcased his exceptional skills on both offense and defense for Boston, while Bam Adebayo stood out as a standout player for Miami.
Similar to the previous game in the series, the Miami Heat struggled to find their scoring rhythm against the Boston Celtics, with Porzingis providing valuable contributions from the free throw line.
However, the tides began to turn when Derrick White caught fire, giving the Celtics a commanding lead of 29 to 14.
Undeterred, Miami fought back, narrowing the gap to a mere ten points through the aggressive attacks of Bam Adebayo.
In the opening moments of the second quarter, Porzingis sank a remarkable three-pointer, igniting the crowd and propelling the Celtics to a commanding 37-24 victory over the Heat.
Jrue Holiday further widened the gap, extending the lead to an impressive 15 points. However, Miami quickly rebounded with an impressive play from Haywood Highsmith, cashing in on their opportunity.
Unfortunately, with just two minutes remaining in the first half, Porzingis suffered a devastating leg injury, forcing him to exit the court and leaving a void in the Celtics’ lineup.
Despite this setback, Boston remained resilient, answering every attempt from the hosts to slow down with their own resounding response.
The Celtics displayed their unwavering determination throughout the game, never allowing a moment of weakness to hinder their performance.
But nothing was going right for the Heat, who had worse shooting from the court and from three, more attacking errors and lower defensive efficiency than the Celtics. So, Boston went into halftime leading 53-36.
In the second half, the Celtics made a substitution, replacing Porzingis with Al Horford. Meanwhile, the Heat tried to score but struggled to do so.
Jaylen Brown stepped up for the Celtics, scoring five consecutive points and giving the visitors a 58-36 lead. Although Miami tried to make a comeback, their efforts were in vain.
Derrick White then took over in the third quarter, putting on a show for his team. He started with an impressive dunk, extending their lead to 62-41.
Afterwards, White showcased his skills both inside and outside the perimeter, alternating accurate shots with attacks on the opponent’s basket.
With a skillful display of ball control, he increased the lead to 75-47. However, the home team refused to back down and continued to fight. At the end of the third quarter, the Celtics were up 81-59.
In the final 12 minutes, Caleb Martin made three, but Al Horford responded in kind, leaving it 86 to 64. However, Miami continued to press and managed to reduce the difference even further.
After a basket and free throw, Tyler Herro cut it to 15, with just over seven minutes remaining. But Boston quickly scored five consecutive points and won by 20 again.
However, Miami did not give up. The team responded with seven points in a row and the difference narrowed to 13.
But Adebayo stepped on Tatum’s foot, got a flagrant foul and Boston opened up again. Al Horford left it at 99 to 81. Afterwards, the Celtics just controlled the clock to confirm the triumph.
