Derrick White showcased his prowess with a career-best 38 points, complemented by Jayson Tatum’s solid performance of 20 points and 10 rebounds, propelling the Boston Celtics to a commanding 102-88 victory over the Miami Heat on Monday night, securing a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Jaylen Brown contributed 17 points, with Jrue Holiday adding 11 for the top-seeded Celtics, who faced adversity as Kristaps Porzingis exited in the first half due to a right calf injury. Despite this setback, Boston continued its dominance at Miami, securing their sixth consecutive win at the Heat’s home court and boasting an impressive 14-3 record in their last 17 matchups.
Miami, missing key starters Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier due to injury, relied heavily on Bam Adebayo’s remarkable performance, registering 25 points, 17 rebounds, and five assists. However, the Heat struggled to find offensive rhythm, managing only 88 points in Game 4. Tyler Herro contributed 19 points, while Caleb Martin added 18 for the eighth-seeded Heat.
With Game 5 slated for Wednesday in Boston, the Celtics have the opportunity to clinch the series and advance to the second round. The winner of the Boston-Miami showdown will face the victor of the Cleveland-Orlando series in the Eastern Conference semifinals, extending the suspense until at least Friday.
Despite their commanding lead, the Celtics faced a setback as Porzingis suffered an injury in the first half, adding to their injury concerns. Furthermore, tensions escalated late in the game when Jayson Tatum sustained a left ankle injury following a foul called on Bam Adebayo. Referees intervened, penalizing Adebayo with a flagrant-1 and Al Horford with a technical foul.
Boston’s dominance in the series history remains evident, having secured a 3-1 lead for the 29th time in a best-of-seven series. Remarkably, the Celtics have emerged victorious in all 28 previous instances, underscoring their resilience and playoff prowess.
In this matchup, the Celtics set the tone early, amassing 34 points in the first quarter, while the Heat struggled to keep pace, reaching the 34-point mark almost midway through the second quarter. Miami’s offensive struggles persisted, with their point tally through three quarters matching a season low set in Game 1 of the series.
