ECF Celtics v Heat | Game 5 Recap

Celtics 110 vs Heat 97 | TD Garden | Boston, MA | MIA leads series 3-2

Boston Continues the Fight in Boston: Dominates Miami at Home

Miami Heat fans may be left sulking in their jerseys after the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals against Boston proved to be a devastating loss. Despite their efforts, Miami couldn't stand up to the Celtics' powerhouse performance as they were defeated 110-97. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Heat, who put in their all to win the crucial game five yet never could even muster a single lead. The series has taken an intriguing turn, leaving fans on the edge of their seats, as they wait to find out which team will reign supreme in the 2023 NBA playoffs.

After falling behind 3-0 in the series, Boston has clawed back with two dominant performances in a row to bring it 3-2 Heat advantage. Though I'm sure Miami wanted 18 from Duncan Robinson off the bench, they had to know it would be a disaster if that was their game-high scorer. Couple Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo combining for a measly 30 points while turning over the ball 16 times as a team leads to the Celtics winning by 13, but the final score does not due their domination in game five justice.

As the series heads back to Miami for game 6, both teams will have everything to play for. Miami will be looking to shut down the Celtics' offense, which has been firing on all cylinders in the last two games. In game five alone Boston had four players score at least 20 points (Tatum/Brown/White/Smart). Boston will be hoping to continue their momentum and force a game seven back in Boston. It's set to be another thrilling matchup between two of the NBA's top defensive teams. Fans will be eagerly anticipating the outcome, as the Eastern Conference Finals come down to the wire.

With everything on the line, Miami will need to rely on their stars to step up and lead the way. Butler and Adebayo will need to not only score more points but also limit their turnovers and make better decisions with the ball. The Heat will also need more production from their bench if they hope to come out on top. Many, including me have spoken ad nauseam about the unsung heroes of the Heat and one or more stepping up on a nightly basis. The absence of Tyler Herro and Gabe Vincent were never more prevalent than game five that saw them make only nine threes after making only eight in game four.

Game six will be a must win for Miami. They got some hope with Tyler Herro finally seen warming up on the court before game five, reinforcements may be on the way. But there is no guarantee that Herro will have an immediate impact after an extended layoff. The Heat have to get back to playing the defense that got them their 3-0 lead and Jimmy Butler needs to re-find his groove. Haywood Highsmith showed some promise off the bench with 15 points and two steals. Miami showed some fight in the fourth with their bench closing the margin from 20+ down to the final deficit of 13. They will need to bottle that and take it back home with them for game six.

When asked about what has changed for his team these last two games Boston coach Joe Mazzula said, "One of our assistants put it in a great perspective. The season is like nine months long and sometimes you just have a bad week. Sometimes you have a bad week at work. And, uh, we obviously didn't pick the best time to have a bad week, but we did. We are sticking together and fighting like hell to keep it alive"

On the other hand, Boston will be looking to maintain their offensive dominance from the previous two games and continue to spread the ball around to all their players. Another Jayson Tatum double-double with 21 points and 11 assists will go a long way towards Boston bucking history. Add in continued defensive dominance from Jaylen Brown and Derick White who also had series high point totals in game five is the recipe to Boston comeback. If they can do that, they will have a good chance of forcing a game seven. As the tension builds and the excitement grows, fans of both teams will be holding their breath until the final buzzer sounds.