Celtics Beat the Heat to Tie the Series, Thanks to ‘Urgency’

BOSTON — When the Boston Celtics have struggled in the Eastern Conference finals, it’s been because they’ve lost focus and allowed Miami to speed them up and turn them over, resulting in fast-break points, which have been the Heat’s only consistent manner of scoring in this series.

Miami’s triumphs in Games 1 and 3 were built on this strategy. As a result, Boston understood going into Game 4 that if it wanted to tie the series at two games apiece, it needed to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Mission accomplished.

From tip to finish on Monday night, the Celtics were unstoppable on both ends. Boston scored the first eight points of the game and never looked back in front of a sellout crowd at TD Garden, sending the series back to the shores of Biscayne Bay for Game 5 on Wednesday, with both teams two wins away from a trip to the NBA Finals.

When asked to define Boston’s mindset heading into Game 4, Jayson Tatum, who led the team with 31 points, responded, “Urgency.” “Having a sense of urgency on both ends of the floor, from start to finish, was a focal point for us coming into this game.” Obviously, we’re off to a better start this time than last time. We talked about it and did it tonight.”

It took approximately 10 seconds to predict Game 4 would follow the same trend in a series that has seen each game swing violently from one direction to the next. Before the Heat could score a single point, Boston surged out to an 8-0 lead, and the Celtics went up 18-1 before Victor Oladipo hit a 3-pointer with 3:22 left in the first quarter.

Miami had already missed 14 shots in a row to start the game, setting the tone for the rest of the game. The Heat was never able to get out of first gear, as Boston blanketed Miami’s starters into a combined 7-for-36 shooting effort, including 1-for-10 from 3-point range, despite the absence of the NBA’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart.

Following a loss, Tatum, who is now averaging 32.6 points per game in the playoffs, outscored Miami’s starters by 13 points on his own, demonstrating Boston’s supremacy.

Ime Udoka, Celtics coach, remarked, “For everybody, the attention was outstanding tonight.” “On the defensive end, we realized we needed to be more aggressive and forceful.”

“With their starters, no one reached double figures.” We clearly established the tone there, I believe. But we have a proud club, one of the top defensive teams in the league as well as individuals, who heard some of the comments and took satisfaction in those matchups.”

Jimmy Butler, who was having another bad night, was a huge part of those problems. Butler looked off after sitting out the second half of Game 3, going 3-for-14 in 27 minutes and failing to try a free throw, even without Smart hounding him.

Bam Adebayo, who went from scoring 16 points in Games 1 and 2 to 31 in Game 3, vanished in Game 4, making just five field-goal attempts and scoring nine points.

“Covering for each other, being in our spots, being where we were supposed to be,” said Celtics center Robert Williams, who had missed Game 3 due to knee pain. “Even though I didn’t play last game, I noted our defensive blunders, and that’s where we put our money.”

“In terms of energy, the loss contributed significantly to the energy level in this game.”

Meanwhile, the Celtics began the game as if they were desperate, and as a result, they improved to 5-0 after two losses in the playoffs. On Boston’s first two possessions, Derrick White scored five points and nailed the team’s first three shots, while Al Horford stripped Adebayo on the game’s first defensive possession.

After struggling through the first 12 minutes of Game 3 and falling behind 39-18, the Celtics took a 29-11 lead after the first quarter.

And, unlike Game 3, Miami was unable to make the game even remotely close, as the Celtics remained in complete command until the final buzzer.

“It was incredibly great — especially because we were winning,” Tatum recalled as he sat on the bench for the majority of the fourth quarter, watching Boston’s reserves finish out the game.

 

The Celtics’ focus now is on bringing the same “feeling of urgency” to Game 5 that propelled them to victory in Game 4 — and after each of their setbacks in these playoffs, which have all been followed by victories. Against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals and the Heat in this round, Boston has struggled to deal with success.

 

The Celtics know that they’ll need to win another game in Miami to advance to the NBA Finals, and they know that maintaining the same level of attention that they did in Game 4 will be the deciding factor.

 

Tatum described it as “kind of like a new series, best of three.” “I think having a discourse about how human nature plays a factor in winning a game allows you to relax a little bit.” But, obviously, when we lose a game, we feel like the next game is a do-or-die situation, so we come out and play like we did, and so on.

 

“I believe we should approach Game 5 with the idea that it is a must-win game because tonight was practically that.” It was well-known. It was palpable in the room. That, I believe, was reflected in the manner we performed.”

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