How the Boston Celtics can defy statistics with a Game 5 win against Miami

Down 3-0 towards the Miami Warmth, the Boston Celtics saved themselves from elimination on Tuesday’s Sport 4. In a 116-99 victory, yet one more record-breaking efficiency from Jayson Tatum was the catalyst for the Celtics’ season residing to see one other recreation. Nevertheless, no group within the NBA has crawled again to win a collection after being down 3-0.

Tatum got here to life with 33 factors, 11 rebounds, seven assists, a steal and two blocks. His 4 (4/9) made photographs from past the arc helped him surpass Paul Pierce in Boston’s all-time playoff three-pointer checklist. Whereas Tatum’s exercise was not the one factor that bought the machine working, it was the much-needed spark for a group on the point of getting extinguished.

The group mixed for 19 makes from three. And a late 16-9 run sealed the deal for Boston.

However–outcomes apart– it was not a horrible night for Jimmy Butler, who has steered the ship for Miami on the courtroom all through these playoffs. Butler’s 29 factors, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists have been hard-earned. Position gamers stepping up have been a continuing narrative for the Warmth this season, and it continued on Tuesday as Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin trailed Butler on the board with 17 and 16, respectively. Sadly, the Celtics’ protection got here up huge, eliminating Butler’s Robin in Bam Adebayo, holding him to a subpar 10-point and five-board efficiency. Mixed with their effectivity from the sphere, they broke Miami’s hopes of sweeping their option to the NBA Finals.

Over the previous two seasons, the Celtics are 4-0 in elimination video games on the street. With that convincing efficiency, they’ve momentum because the collection heads again to Boston. Nevertheless, the Celtics are 4-5 at house this postseason in comparison with their 5-3 away document.

Questions proceed to stack up as the end result of this collection continues to bake. Can the Warmth put the nail within the coffin? Will this be the top of the Tatum-Brown tandem in Boston in the event that they lose? Can the Celtics do what their crosstown neighbors within the Pink Sox did in 2004 once they got here again from being down 3-0 towards the Yankees?

Don’t be stunned if the Celtics win Sport 5 on the TD Backyard tonight. In any case, they’re the reigning Jap Convention champions for a motive. If that occurs, the Warmth completely have to shut the collection out in Sport 6. The final time the Celtics performed a Sport 7 at house, Tatum broke the scoring document in Sport 7’s, sending league MVP Joel Embiid and the 76ers house with a 51-point performance.

It’s laborious to argue towards statistic that has stood the take a look at of time. An Eighth-seeded group advancing to the Finals has already occurred earlier than (1999 New York Knicks). Though, Butler’s Warmth squad can be the primary to do it within the Play-In period. As for Tatum and the Celtics, they’re ready to be the primary in historical past to come back again from a 3-0 deficit. Solely 14 teams in NBA historical past have compelled a Sport 6 whereas trailing three-zip, and none of them made it out of these collection.

Ought to the Celtics preserve the collection going, it could be one other historic feat for this group and one of many NBA’s greatest younger stars.