Boston has been tested all series long against the Heat, and in Game 4 the Celtics failed miserably to not only get anything going consistently on offense but to slow down the Heat, more specifically Tyler Herro. The rookie guard got off for 37 points, six rebounds and three assists, and was the catalyst behind Miami's win to push them to a 3-1 series lead over Boston. Much of what the Heat are doing in the postseason has been a huge surprise to those watching from the outside. But when you watch this team against the Celtics, they have everything needed to play for an NBA championship. If they can close out Game 5 against the Celtics, that's exactly where they're headed.
Here's everything you need to know for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Celtics and Heat.
Viewing Information
Date: Friday, Sept. 25 | Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Disney Wide World of Sports -- Orlando, Florida
TV: ESPN I Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Odds: Celtics -3.5 | Over/Under: 213 (William Hill Sportsbook)
Storylines
Celtics: Boston is facing elimination in Game 5, and will need to play with some desperation for the remainder of the series in order to advance to the NBA Finals. While Game 3 went their way to get a win against Miami, Game 4 looked like more of the same that we saw from their previous two losses in the conference finals. It also didn't help that Jayson Tatum went scoreless in the first half of Game 4, making it even harder for Boston to get out to a strong start. Tatum has already said that his first-half performance is unacceptable, we'll just have to see if he and the C's can respond in a strong enough way to extend this series further.
Heat: Take a bow, Herro. The rookie from Kentucky lit up the scoreboard in Game 4, proving that Miami has Boston beat when it comes to depth. Duncan Robinson had a cold shooting night? It's not a problem, here's Herro coming in off the bench to torch the Celtics' defense left and right. Every single strength Miami has at its disposal has been on full display against Boston, and it doesn't appear as though the Celtics have figured out how to slow them down.
Game Prediction, Picks
Tatum had a poor performance in the first half of Game 4 but ended the night with a team-high 28 points. Boston will be playing with its back against the wall, and I expect Tatum to come out in full force to get an early lead against Miami. Pick Celtics -3.5
