Boston dismantled Miami 82: 102 and tied the Eastern Conference Finals 2-2

The Miami top five put up an unusually weak game (18 points in total!), Taitum starred with 31, and the Celtics, who led 1:18 in the opening minutes, put up a strong defense to equalize the volatile series.

Butler finished with just 6, after a tough first quarter of the hit

Walla!

sport

24/05/2022

Tuesday, 24 May 2022, 06:43 Updated: 06:50

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Stephen Kerry celebrates Golden State's victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals (from the official NBA Twitter account)

While the Western Finals series is one-sided, the Eastern Finals series continues to be fickle and unpredictable: Tonight (Monday through Tuesday) Boston was the one that provided an impressive dominance display, dismantling Miami 82: 102 thanks to a crushing opening, tying the series at 2-2.

Jason Taitum was once again above all in the Celtics with 31 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, in a game that was actually decided already in the opening minutes with an early knockout, and presented exceptional statistics.

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To the full article

18:73 to the Boston Quintet.

Taitum (Photo: GettyImages, Elsa)

what happened there?

Miami Disbanded (Photo: GettyImages, Elsa)

Miami's top five players showed uncharacteristic low numbers, and all five players who started in the hit ranks scored together (!) 18 (!) Points (against 73 of Boston's top five players).

Victor Oladipo scored 23 points, and this is the first time ever that a bench player has scored more than all the top five players combined.

Jimmy Butler finished with just 6 points in 27 minutes (3 of 14 from the field), if Edbaio scored 9, Kyle Laurie scored only 3 (1 of 6 from the field), Max Strauss finished with 0 points in 0 from 7 from the field (balance plus / minus 33-) and also PJ Tucker finished without points.

All of Miami’s top five finished along with 7 of 36 from the field, and they all sat on the bench all last quarter.

If in the previous game Miami displayed a strong and determined defense, this time Boston's defense gave an impressive purposeful display: The game opened with a 0: 8 run by the Celtics, with Miami scoring its first point (from the penalty line) after over 4 minutes.

Taitum scored four straight baskets, and the Celtics ran away to 1:18 and later to 4:26.

Miami missed 15 of its first 16 shots, and the first quarter ended with a 11:29 advantage, but even in the second quarter the Celtics managed to keep it and even increase it to 27 points at the peak - en route to a 33:57 advantage at the break.

In the second half Miami failed to come back and showed early signs of surrender, and the difference grew to 27, in a game that included a long line of fouls that the visitors finished with 33.3 percent from the field (30 of 90 overall).

Boston won 39:60 on the rebound and even finished with 11 blocks (against only 2 by Miami).

Al Horford scored just 5 assists added 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 rebounds, Jaylen Brown scored 12, Derek White 13, Peyton Pritchard 14, and Boston won despite scoring just 8 of 34 of the three (23.5 percent), but That was enough in the face of her opponent's miserable evening.

Strong protection.

Horford with his fourth block (Photo: GettyImages, Elsa)

Boston managed without Marcus Smart, who injured his ankle in Game 3, while Miami played without Tyler Hiro, who also injured in the previous game.

Butler (who did not play in the second half of the previous game), Tucker, Laurie and Strauss were all injured, but were given permission to play.

Remember, in Game No. 3 it was Miami who opened with an 18:39 lead, en route to a narrow victory in Boston.

Tonight the Celtics were the ones to impress, and it's hard to know who will be the one to rise in Game Five in Miami, on the night between Wednesday and Thursday.

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Tags

• Boston Celtics

• Jason Taitum

• Miami Heat