3 Things We Learned From Heat-Celtics Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 On Wednesday
Blowout victories have defined this year’s Eastern Conference Finals, as the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat have been deadlocked in a battle of who can take a 20-point lead first!
Game 1’s largest lead was 20 for Miami, Game 2’s was 34 for Boston, Game 3’s was 26 for Miami and Game 4’s was 32 for Boston.
Will any game in this series not be a complete blowout?
With this series all knotted up at 2-2 in Miami on Wednesday night, both teams felt the pressure to pick up a massive win, inching them closer to the NBA Finals.
Leading by five at halftime, the Miami Heat looked like they had the upper hand after holding Boston to just 37 first-half points, but then the Celtics came out hot in the third quarter, outscoring Miami 32-16 to take an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter.
The second-half of Game 5 was all Boston, as the Celtics outscored Miami 56-38 to win the game 93-80 and take a 3-2 series lead heading back to Boston for Game 6 on Friday.
This performance by the Celtics was very impressive not only because they came from behind to win with their offense struggling, but because this is now the second straight game that they have held the Heat to 82 points or less.
Now one win away from the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics could very much close out the 1-seed in the Eastern Conference on their home floor.
Game 5 featured a lot to talk about, so let’s take a look at three key takeaways from this game.
Boston’s Defense Has The Blueprint To Miami’s Offense
Going back to Game 4 in Boston, it is very clear to see that the Celtics have the edge in this series right now because of what they have done defensively. Even going back to Game 1, you can see the improvements head coach Ime Udoka and his staff have made.
Miami found a ton of success in Game 1 of this series in pick-and-roll sets offensively and Jimmy Butler was having his way in terms of getting to any spot on the floor. The Heat won this first game 118-107.
Since then, they have scored more than 102 points just once and they have been held to 82 and 80 points the last two games, respectively.
Boston has five players in their starting rotation that received All-Defense consideration this season and this is not a coincidence. The Celtics are an elite-level defensive team and the adjustments they have made on this end of the floor has allowed them to win three of the last four games in this Eastern Conference Finals series.
Perhaps the biggest adjustment Boston has made on defense is not allowing Max Strus and other perimeter players to feel comfortable. A lot of credit has to be given to Grant Williams and Jaylen Brown for their perimeter defense, but one of the most impactful on-ball defenders for the Celtics has been Derrick White off-the-bench.
The Heat’s guards have never had any space to operate with out on the perimeter the last few games and in Game 5, Miami was never able to get the shots they wanted because Boston was more physical than them defensively.
Other than Jimmy Butler, nobody on Miami’s roster has been able to get in a groove offensively and this is directly because of the adjustments the Celtics have made on defense over the course of this series.
The Heat Have No Consistent Scoring Threats Outside Of Jimmy Butler
Since Game 1, the Heat really have not found success against Boston on the offensive-end of the floor. Jimmy Butler has been their only real “go-to” scorer and with him not looking right due to a lingering knee issue, the Heat’s offense has been dead at times.
They have been held to 82 points or less each of the last two games against the Celtics and there is a genuine reason to be concerned right now if you are a fan of the Heat because nobody is stepping up.
Bam Adebayo has been held in check, Kyle Lowry is bothered by a hamstring injury, Tyler Herro has missed the last two games due to a groin injury and Jimmy Butler cannot do everything for this team.
With Adebayo and Lowry not impacting the game scoring, the Heat are left with just Victor Oladipo, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent to turn to.
These three guys are not able to contend with the likes of Jayson Tayum and Jaylen Brown, hence why the Heat find themselves in a 3-2 hole in this series right now.
Perhaps the greatest thing we can take away from this series right now is that while Miami is a great defensive team and definitely a championship-contender, they are still one piece short of actually winning a title. This piece is another elite-level scoring option next to Butler and while Bam Adebayo could be this type of player, he has proven in these playoffs that his production on offense can be very streaky.
In the offseason, Adebayo will really have to work on his offensive game and become more aggressive in the paint, otherwise, Miami may have to look elsewhere and on the trade block for another All-Star to pair with Butler in hopes of winning a title.
Robert Williams III Is The Key To Celtics’ Success
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are elite-level scoring options for the Celtics, Al Horford has been terrific for the C’s and Derrick White has really stepped up off-the-bench in this series.
However, the Celtics’ most important player is Robert Williams III and his tenacity on the defensive-end of the floor is what makes Boston a true championship contender.
While he has been hobbled at times in the series due to knee soreness, Williams has continued to show why he is one of the best rim-protectors in the league over the course of this series and he had a massive impact in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
Finishing with 6 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal and 3 blocks, Robert Williams recorded his fourth game in this series with at least 2 blocks.
All night long, Miami looked to attack the paint against Boston, but they were either denied by Williams or sent back the other way due to his ability to contest a shot.
He may not make much of an impact on offense, but Robert Williams III is the anchor underneath for the Celtics defensively and his ability to contest any shot around the rim really alters his opponent's approach on offense.
In this series, the Heat have had a hard time getting into the paint, specifically center Bam Adebayo, and a lot of credit needs to go to Williams for this. At just 24-year-old, Williams has quickly turned himself into a high-impact defensive center in the NBA.
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- Kyle Lowry's BOLD Quote After Game 5: Kyle Lowry met with the media after the Miami Heat lost Game 5 of the Eastern Conference to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics now lead the series 3-2. CLICK HERE.
- Jimmy Butler's Bold Quote About Knee Injury After Game 5: Jimmy Butler met with the media after the Miami Heat lost Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Boston Celtics. The series is now 3-2 in favor of the Celtics. CLICK HERE.
