Updated Saturday, May 28, 2022 –
13:22
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The Miami Heat prevailed at the TD Garden in Boston (111-103) in a vibrant game. The Warriors wait in the NBA Finals.
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Jimmy Butler showed his competitive soul and, with 47 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, led the Miami Heat at the TD Garden in Boston towards victory (111-103). Thus the Eastern Conference finals will be resolved in the seventh game, with the Golden State Warriors waiting in the NBA Final.
The team of Erik Spoelstra he came out the winner of a vibrant game, in which he led by 13 points in the third period and trailed by three points in the fourth, before Butler silenced TD Garden with some pure leadership plays.
He was supported by a double-double of 18 points and 10 assists from Kyle Lowryin his best game in recent months, and for three three-pointers Max Strus (13 points) and two of PJ Tucker (11 points).
The Celtics did not lack their usual defensive effort and leadership from their stars. Jayson Tatum scored 30 points, with nine rebounds and four assists, and Jaylen Brown contributed 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. In addition, Derrick White He achieved the best performance of his ‘playoffs’ with 22 points and four triples, but his team had to give up before Butler’s epic night.
No margin of error
With no room for error in the Garden, Butler started strongly, with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in the first period, which allowed the Heat to gain a seven-point lead (29-22). He hit two 3-pointers and Miami went five of eight, after Spoelstra’s modest seven of 45 in Game 5.
But Butler (21 points, 9 rebounds) and, partially, Lowry (10 points) were the only ones to have offensive effectiveness in the first half. They accumulated 31 of their team’s 46 points at halftime and Boston, little by little, pushed by Tatum and Brown, managed to reduce the margin.
The push of Tatum and Brown
Tatum led the reaction by scoring 13 consecutive points for the Celtics and finished the first half with 18, as did his teammate Brown, whose great push allowed Boston to achieve its first lead of the night (41-40), with a basket and free kick. added.
It was in the third period that Butler was not left alone, but had the valuable help of Victor Oladipo and of a Max Strus who, with 11 points and three triples, launched the Heat to the maximum advantage at 79-66.
Boston trembled, but did not lose its lucidity. Ime Udoka I asked for time out and, to the rhythm of Robert Williams in the paint, he managed to stay close to his rivals and cut the deficit to 79-72, almost a victory considering that for a moment the Heat seemed to be in physical and mental control.
With a run of 7-0 in the opening of the fourth period, the first three points of Horford and a triple from a magnificent White, the Celtics took the lead at 97-94, to unleash the madness of the Garden.
unsuccessful comeback
But on Butler’s big night, Lowry also slipped in with a pivotal 3-pointer to dampen the home’s enthusiasm and open an 11-2 Heat run that propelled Spoelstra’s men up to a six-point lead in the 105-game. 99.
Tatum pulled the Celtics closer to 101-105, but another amazing buzzer-beater by Butler gave the Heat back six points, whose victory was confirmed by Brown’s offensive foul on Oladipo.
It will be the second time that the Celtics face a seventh game in these ‘playoffs’, after eliminating the Milwaukee Bucks in the previous round.
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