Celtics vs. Heat score, takeaways: Jimmy Butler shines as Miami forces a Game 7 with pivotal win over Boston

The Miami Warmth aren’t useless simply but. We could have a do-or-die Sport 7 on Sunday night time in South Seashore after Jimmy Butler led the top-seeded staff within the Japanese Convention to an important 111-103 victory in Sport 6 at TD Backyard to increase this sequence and maintain their title hopes alive. 

Butler was improbable for Miami once they wanted him to be probably the most as he completed the win with a game-high 47 factors to associate with 9 rebounds, eight assists and 4 steals. Butler additionally had loads of assist as Kyle Lowry turned in one in all his greatest video games of the postseason ending with 18 factors, 10 assists and 4 boards earlier than in the end fouling out. 

For Boston, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown did all they might to steer the Celtics to their first Finals berth since 2010 however, ultimately, it wasn’t sufficient that the 2 mixed for 50 factors, 15 rebounds and 9 assists whereas capturing a mixed 15/25 from the sector. 

Now, we’ll take pleasure in one of the best factor that sports activities can provide on Sunday night time. A Sport 7. 

Listed below are 4 key takeaways from the sport:

1. Butler has his personal “LeBron Sport 6” second

Ten years in the past, the Celtics received Sport 5 of the Japanese Convention finals in Miami to take a 3-2 lead on the Warmth and went again house with an opportunity to shut issues out. LeBron James didn’t let that occur, as he put collectively his well-known “Sport 6” efficiency, ending with 45 factors, 15 rebounds and 5 assists to crush the Celtics’ desires. 

On Friday night time, Butler reprised the function. 

After being a no-show for the previous few video games, he was flat-out large on this one. Driving to the lane for highly effective finishes and free throws, robust jumpers to beat the shot clock, leaping into passing lanes for steals — he did a bit of little bit of every part to maintain the Warmth’s season alive. 

Ultimately, he completed with 47 factors, which was a playoff career-high and the second-most in a playoff recreation in Warmth franchise historical past, and added 9 rebounds, eight assists and 4 steals. Butler has had some large nights all through his profession, together with within the Finals, so it will not be his perfect efficiency, however it’s proper up there. 

2. Miami lastly made some photographs

In Video games 4 and 5, the Warmth shot a mixed 60-of-184 (32.6 p.c) from the sector total and 21-of-81 (25.9 p.c) from 3-point land. They regarded like they have been out of fuel and out of solutions in opposition to an elite Celtics protection, and there was little purpose to count on issues would flip round in Sport 6. 

However, after all, because the outdated saying goes: that is why we play the video games. Whereas Butler led the best way, one other key issue within the Warmth’s season-saving win is that they lastly made some photographs. They knocked down 15 3-pointers, which was their most in a recreation this sequence and second-most in all the playoffs, and shot 46.2 p.c from the sector.

Much more importantly, they got here up with each single clutch shot that they wanted. Apart from fouling an excessive amount of, the Celtics’ protection was largely spectacular once more. The Warmth’s shot-making was simply higher. Again and again they hit deep 3s and shot-clocking beating jumpers with a hand of their face. 

This one, from Max Strus, was one of the best of the bunch. 

3. Celtics cannot fairly shut it out

Celtics head coach Ime Udoka summed issues up nicely throughout his postgame press convention: “We have received there, however we make it tougher on ourselves than it must be.”

The Celtics got here into Friday night time’s Sport 6 with an opportunity to shut out the sequence and advance to the Finals for the primary time since 2010. As an alternative, they’re going to need to make one other journey to Miami for Sport 7, the place they’re going to have to win for the third time within the sequence with a purpose to maintain their season alive. 

And whereas Jimmy Butler’s effort and the Warmth’s shot-making should not be discounted, it as soon as once more feels just like the Celtics let a win slip by way of their fingers. 

Initially, they turned the ball over far too typically. The very first play of the sport was a foul go from Jayson Tatum, they usually completed with 17 turnovers that led to 23 factors for the Warmth. As soon as once more, the components is fairly easy: if the Celtics maintain the ball, they win. For the playoffs, they’re now 1-4 with greater than 15 turnovers and 10-12 once they keep at or under that quantity. 

One other basic Celtics downside that cropped up in Sport 6 was poor late-game offense. Derrick White hit a 3-pointer with 4:47 remaining to place them in entrance, 97-94. They solely scored six factors the remainder of the best way, and 4 of these have been on the free-throw line. Over the closing stretch, they have been 1-of-7 from the sector with two turnovers. As too typically occurs in these conditions, they slowed issues down, tried to play isolation basketball and did not get attractiveness. 

The excellent news from the Celtics’ perspective is these are fixable issues, they usually’ve proven a capability to bounce again within the playoffs. They’re 5-0 following a loss, and 4 of these wins have come by double figures. The dangerous information is to make it 6-0 they’re going to need to win a Sport 7 on the highway, which isn’t a simple proposition. 

4. White’s large night time goes to waste

When the Celtics traded for Derrick White on the deadline, there have been some who felt the staff gave up an excessive amount of by sending Josh Richardson, their 2022 first-round decide and a 2028 first-round decide swap to the San Antonio Spurs. However Brad Stevens made the transfer as a result of he felt White gave the staff an opportunity to compete for a title. 

To date within the playoffs, Stevens has been confirmed appropriate. White has stepped up in quite a few spots when Marcus Sensible has been out of the lineup as a result of accidents and offers them one other defensive-minded guard who can deal with the ball and get others concerned. On Friday night time, although, it was White’s scoring that stood out. 

With the Celtics in determined want of a spark within the fourth quarter, White delivered. He hit two 3-pointers after which drove inside for an and-one that he celebrated with a roar to the ecstatic crowd. Afterward, with the Celtics nonetheless trying to take the lead, he delivered once more. First, a pointy go to seek out Al Horford for a game-tying 3, then one other 3 of his personal from the nook to place the Celtics in entrance. 

He completed with 22 factors, three rebounds, 5 assists and three steals off the bench in by far his greatest outing of the playoffs. Alas, it went to waste as a result of the Celtics could not maintain on down the stretch.