Tatum scores 34, Celtics stave off elimination by topping Heat 116-99

MIAMI (AP)— Down nine early in the third quarter, down 3-0 in the series, theBoston Celtics knew their season was completely on the brink.

Threeminutes later, everything looked different.

JaysonTatum had 34 points and 11 rebounds, Derrick White and Jaylen Browneach added 16 points and the Celtics staved off elimination in theEastern Conference finals by running away in the second half tobeat the Miami Heat 116-99 in Game 4 on Tuesday night.

“We werejust trying to save our season,” Tatum said.

They mostdefinitely found a way to do that. The two big differences: a33-point edge for the Celtics on 3-pointers, and an 18-0 run inthat three-minute, third-quarter spurt that changed the game and —they hope — might end up changing the series.

“We can’trelax,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “We have to keep the samelevel of intensity, the same mindset, the same focus in the nextgame.”

Jayson Tatum shines as the @celtics winGame 4 on the road!34 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST, 2 BLK, 5 3PMECF Game 5: Thursday, 8:30pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/prAkjK9aoM

GrantWilliams scored 14, Al Horford added 12 and Marcus Smart scored 11for the Celtics, who still trail the series 3-1 — but sent it backto Boston for a Game 5 on Thursday.

JimmyButler scored 29 for Miami, which was outscored 48-22 in a14-minute stretch that turned the game — and perhaps the series —completely around. Boston would also have Game 7 on its floor aswell if it can keep extending this series.

“Tonight weplayed with pace, purpose,” Tatum said. “We were getting stops. Wewere getting out in transition. You see layups and free throws goin, the jump shots start to feel a lot easier.”

GabeVincent scored 17 for Miami, Caleb Martin had 16 and Bam Adebayoadded 10. The Heat shot 8 for 32 on 3-pointers, while Boston was 19for 45.

No team inNBA history has ever successfully rallied from a 3-0 deficit in abest-of-seven series; 150 have tried, 150 have failed.

But theCeltics gave themselves hope.

“We don’treally have a choice,” Mazzulla said. “It’s do-or-die. Got to sticktogether.”

The Heatled by as many as nine points in the opening quarter, kept the leadfor the majority of the first half and were up by nine again whenMax Strus connected on a 3-pointer early in the third quarter.

That wasthe moment where Boston’s season was at stake.

And theCeltics responded — most emphatically.

The 18-0run took Boston from down nine to up nine, a huge turnaround thattook 3 minutes, 3 seconds. The Celtics were 6 of 7 from the floorduring the run, 4 of 4 from 3-point range, Tatum had nine of the 18points and just like that the defending East champions — who wonthree playoff games on Miami’s home floor in last year’s playoffs —were rolling again.

“We alwayssay the last one to get is the hardest one to get,” Adebayo said.“I knew they would be desperate.”

Miami gotwithin four late in the third, only to see another lightning-fastspurt by the Celtics — this time, seven unanswered points in 40seconds. Boston’s edge was 88-79 going into the fourth, afterwinning the third quarter 38-23, with 21 of those points coming on3-pointers.

The Celticskept the lead the rest of the way.

“They gotus tonight,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You have to give themcredit for that. There’s no doubt about it. There’s no questioningit. We’re not wondering about that. They deserved to win tonight.We have to regroup and get ready for a great opportunity inBoston.”

TIP-INS

Celtics:Tatum’s second 3-pointer of the night was the 220th of hispostseason career, passing Paul Pierce for the most in Celticsplayoff history. … Boston’s last four-game losing streak was in May2021, late in the 2020-21 regular season. … Tatum’s jumper with9:22 left put Boston up seven, stopped a Heat spurt — and was hisfirst fourth-quarter field goal of the series.

Heat:Vincent left early in the fourth quarter after turning his leftankle. … Miami was bidding for its first five-game winning streakof the season — not the postseason, the whole season. Its longestwin streak of the regular season was four games, back inDecember.

HERROUPDATE

Heat guardTyler Herro, who broke his right hand in Game 1 of Round 1 atMilwaukee, has his brace off and is resuming workouts. “He isstarting the process,” Spoelstra said. “There’s no timetable. Buthe does have the brace off and he’s able to do ballhandling andsome shooting.”

CELEBWATCH

Among thecelebrities in the crowd: PGA champion Brooks Koepka (who also wasat the Florida Panthers’ win in Game 3 of their Eastern Conferencefinals series against Carolina on Tuesday night), NBA superfanJimmy Goldstein, former New York Yankees teammates Derek Jeter andAlex Rodriguez, and actor Jeremy Piven.