Down 3-1 to Heat, Celtics cling to hope as series shifts back to Boston

BOSTON (AP)— The Boston Celtics’ season didn’t end in Game 4 of their EasternConference finals matchup with the Miami Heat, and now there is aflicker of hope.

WhetherBoston’s 116-99 victory on Tuesday night was the start of amiraculous revival or simply a momentary reprieve from what NBAhistory suggests is still inevitable remains to be determined.

At the veryleast, the Celtics’ win made their chances of becoming the firstNBA team in 151 tries to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-sevenseries move from insurmountable to iffy heading into Game 5 at TDGarden on Thursday.

That’s goodfor a team that had spent most of this series looking nothing likethe one that earned the conference’s second seed.

“We’ve justgot to go win another one. That’s all that matters,” Celtics guardMarcus Smart said. “We take it one game at a time. We understandthe odds are stacked against us, but we’re a team that believes inus no matter what, and we’ve just got to keep going, and all thatmatters is the next game.”

So much ofwhat made the Celtics one of the league’s top scoring and defensiveteams during the regular season was eviscerated in three straightlosses to Miami to open the series.

The Heatbefuddled Boston in those games. It took away top scoring threatsJayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, while outshooting a Celtics teamthat usually has demolished opponents at the 3-point line.

Bostonshowed acumen on both ends in Game 4, rallying during agame-changing 18-0 run in the third quarter. Led by Tatum’s 33points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, the Celtics outscored theHeat by 30 points from beyond the arc and turned Miami’s 16turnovers into 27 points.

It alsogave the Celtics a blueprint going forward.

“We’vestill got a long uphill battle to go,” Tatum said.

While thewin gave the Celtics a little life, the Heat can blame themselvesfor not finishing. The game was close for three quarters and Miamistill just needs to win one of the final three games to make itback to the NBA Finals for the first time since its run in 2020 inthe Florida bubble. Denver is waiting to play the winner aftersweeping the Lakers.

Boston wonthree times on the Heat’s home floor last year in the East finals.With a win on Thursday, Miami would accomplish the same feat onBoston’s floor this year.

The Celticsare 4-5 at home this postseason.

Heat starJimmy Butler said he isn’t worried about Boston’s first win givingit momentum heading home.

“No. Ifanything, it will build momentum for us knowing that we have toplay with a lot more energy,” Butler said. “We’ve got to play likeour backs are against the wall. But I think all year long, we’vebeen better when we’ve had to do things the hard way.”

INJURYWATCH

The Heatare preparing for Game 5 with two key players on the mend.

GabeVincent, who has been a sparkplug through the series and had 17points in Game 4, left the game in the fourth quarter after turninghis left ankle.

Kyle Lowryalso took an awkward fall, leaving the condition of Miami’s pointguards up in the air.

“Wheneveryou ask these guys, they are like, ‘Yeah, I’m fine.’ So we’ll see,”Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after Game 4.