4 takeaways as Celtics beat Heat in Game 5 to cut East Finals to 3-2

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BOSTON — The Celtics’ season is still one loss away from coming to an end. But just as they’ve done multiple times in elimination games, the Celtics have saved their best ball in their most desperate times. The C’s left little doubt in a blowout 110-97 Game 5 win over the Heat on Thursday at TD Garden.

The victory means the Celtics are now down 3-2 in the East Finals — that’s a familiar comeback formula for this team. Now, the C’s are looking to become the first NBA team ever to rally from a 3-0 series deficit. After Thursday’s win, the Celtics have their fans believing once again. But Game 6 should be a huge challenge as the Heat aren’t going down without throwing some haymakers.

Game 6 is set for 8:30 p.m. Saturday in Miami. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s win over the Heat:

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Shooting stays hot

The Celtics, when they struggled immensely from Games 1-3, saw their shooting vanish at the worst time of year. But the C’s employ strong shooters up and down the roster as the shooting numbers have jolted in a positive way for the Celtics. Boston finished 16-for-39 (41%) on its 3s Thursday, giving them a much-needed boost in an elimination game. But the 3s aren’t always going to fall for the Celtics as they look to replicate their performance going forward.

Backcourt thrives

From the Heat’s first possession, where Marcus Smart dove onto the floor to force a turnover, Boston’s starting backcourt was everywhere. While multiple Celtics poured in production overcome the Heat, Smart and Derrick White were huge pieces Thursday in delivering the victory. Smart put up 23 points and five steals as he contributed on both ends of the court. White scored 24 points on 6-for-8 3-pointers as his shooting has been a vital asset for the Celtics.

Injury check

Malcolm Brogdon, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, has had a brutal East Finals after starting the playoffs strong in earlier rounds. But he’s reportedly been dealing with a forearm injury that has seemingly slowed him down considerably. That continued Thursday as Brogdon played just eight minutes, finishing 0-for-2 from the floor. He was downgraded to doubtful to return with right forearm soreness as his availability going forward is unclear. Payton Pritchard took his spot briefly in the rotation after the injury. Regardless, that’s an injury worth monitoring going forward for the Celtics.

Opportunity awaits

When Smart was asked about winning the next two games in the series, he quickly snapped back to reality. The Celtics need to win their one and only game next, he said, not look ahead to rallying back from a 3-2 series deficit. That’s where Boston’s mind is at as the C’s head into the all-important Game 6 in Miami. While the wins are impressive, it doesn’t change how the Celtics are still one loss away from the offseason. So the chance to make history is still there, but as Smart pointed out, the next game is all that matters to them.



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