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Boston Celtics turn up the heat defensively in Game 5 dominance vs Miami

By Zachary McMahon

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 25: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts against the Miami Heat during the first quarter in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 25, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 25: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts against the Miami Heat during the first quarter in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 25, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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After falling 3-0 to the no. 8 Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals, the Boston Celtics have now taken the last two games to attempt a comeback.

On Thursday, the Celtics won Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals 110-97 at TD Garden. The Celtics are now 4-0 when facing elimination, which is the most all-time.

Boston Celtics beat the Heat where it hurts most

In Games 1 through 3, the Miami Heat thrived on second chance points and points off turnovers. However, in Game five the C’s dominated the Heat in both categories.

The Celtics racked up 17 second chance points to the Heat 7 on 12 offensive rebounds. Also, the Celtics scored 27 points on the Heat’s 16 turnovers including a season-high of 13 steals.

The Boston Celtics also scored the same amount of points and the amount of turnovers in Game 4. Also the C’s made 16 three-pointers. They became the first team to have 12+ steals and 12+ three pointers in a postseason game.

The Celtics will need to keep this same energy if they want to do their big comeback. Teams that have started 3-0 in the postseason are 150-0 all-time, and only three of those series had been turned into Game 7’s.

The Boston Celtics are also the 15th team all-time to force a Game 6 after falling to 3-0. The most recent team to do this was last season when they Toronto Raptors made the 1st Round series against the Philadelphia 76ers forced into Game 6 after trailing 3-0. This also happened with the Celtics in their 2010 NBA Finals won after the Magic forced a Game 6 after trailing 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The three teams to force a Game 7 after trailing 3-0 are the Mavericks v. Trail Blazers in the Opening round of the 2003 NBA Playoffs. Nuggets did this against the Jazz in 1994 where they forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0 in the series. They were also the first no. 8 seed to  make it past the first round. In 1951, the Rochester Royals (now Sacramento Kings) almost choked the series to the New York Knicks, after the Knicks tried to come back to a Game 7 after trailing 3-0.

Celtics player of the game: Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum almost had a triple-double performance after scoring 21 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds. He’s had a double-double in the last four games as he’s scored at least 14 points and had 10+ rebounds in the last three games.

That’s not all, Jayson Tatum also became a NBA Record holder for the most points in the playoffs through his first six seasons in the league passing Elgin Baylor and Larry Bird in the process. Tatum has scored 2,182 points in the postseason in his career so far.

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Tatum also currently has the most points per game in elimination games in Boston Celtics history with 27.1 ppg in 15 games.

The C’s will look to force a Game 7 when they tip off for Game 6 on Saturday at 8:30 pm on TNT.

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