Final: Heat 130, Celtics 124- Celtics follow same 'get down big, come back, lose' formula

TIP OFF: 1:00 p.m. @ TD Garden
RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub
TV: ESPN

Starting Lineups

• Here we go again. 7-2 Celtics run to start the 4th


• A spurt fueled by Carsen Edwards of all people helped get it down to 11


• Miami, and Jimmy Butler, answered to get it back up to 15


• An Evan Fournier 3 has it down to 10


• Fournier forced a steal and Jayson Tatum finished in transition. It's now an 8 point game with 5:16 left. This is the C's season in a nutshell


• Kemba Walker cut it to six but Jimmy Butler hit a 3, his first since April 13, to make it 116-107


• Stevens won a huge challenge and it resulted in a Tatum basket on the other end to make it a 7 point game again


• The Celtics are making 3-pointers but Miami s makin plays down the stretch to hold Boston off. Butler and Bam Adebayo are keeping Boston at arm's length

• Celtics came out of the half on a 7-0 run, drawing two early fouls on Miami and cutting it to 19


• It's 15-4 as Evan Fournier comes alive. He has scored 10 points in the first 4:20 of the 3rd.


• Miami is in the penalty very early in the quarter. Boston has a chance to capitalize at the line if they can draw some fouls


• Fournier is up to 14 points in the quarter and Miami is struggling with the big lead. A Fournier 3 and Bam Adebayo offensive foul has the lead down to 12


• Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic have hit big 3-pointers. The Celtics continue to attack, thought. It's a 15 point game.


• Aaron Nesmith continues to show good thing. He's been attacking and generally a positive force here.


• Miami held off the Celtics run. The Luke Kornet minutes have not been great, and it's back to 21 going into the 4th

• We are in the "Celtics can't make anything" and "Miami is making everything" portion of the game. Boston is down to 42% shooting and is 1-10 from 3. Miami is 7-15 from deep and shooting 57% overall


• Tyler Herro just doesn't miss anymore


• Grant Williams is having another tough stretch, and he also can't hit a shot


• Marcus Smart has made 3 straight layups attacking the basket aggressively


• The Celtics defense is just awful. They're missing assignments in transition and not communicating well at all


• Smart fired up a heat check and Kemba Walker came down with a quick 3 the next possession. They're going for home runs and it's not working


• Brutal half for Boston. They're booing in the Garden and it's well deserved

• The Celtics immediately struggle with Miami's zone. Marcus Smart took a pass at the rim but was challenged and turned it over trying to kick it out for 3. Then the Celtics got into a scramble that ended up with a good Even Fournier look, but that was pure luck


• Miami pushed out to a 9-4 lead but the Celtics answered. Miami pushed back to make it 14-8


• The Celtics offense started to move earlier but they seem afraid of Bam Adebayo. When he's parked at the rim, they're settling for jumpers


• The Celtics passing is terrible right now. They have four early turnovers and a couple more deflections


• Aaron Nesmith came in and is trying to change the energy. He had a big offensive rebound and he drew a foul for two free throws


• Kendrick Nunn has 10 points in the quarter is 6-13 from deep. Boston is 1-8

• Point Spread: Heat -1


• Over-Under: 222 points


• Money line: Celtics -103, Heat -117

Prediction