Derrick White scores 38, Celtics top Heat 102-88 to take a 3-1 East playoff series lead

MIAMI (AP) — The excellent news for the Miami Warmth is that the Boston Celtics may not be again in South Florida for a number of months.

And that’s additionally the dangerous information for the Warmth.

Boston now has full management of this Jap Convention sequence, with Derrick White scoring a career-high 38 factors on Monday evening and main the top-seeded Celtics previous the eighth-seeded Warmth 102-88 to take a 3-1 lead of their opening-round NBA playoff sequence.

“I made a pair photographs early,” mentioned White, who was 15 of 26 from the sphere and eight of 15 from 3-point vary. “That at all times helps. When you make a pair, the basket seems to be enormous.”

The Celtics gained at Miami for the sixth straight time and improved to 14-3 of their final 17 video games on the Warmth’s house flooring. However it was a pricey win, with Kristaps Porzingis happening within the first half with what the crew mentioned was a proper calf damage. He left the sector in a strolling boot, typically used as a precaution.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned he had not gotten a postgame replace on Porzingis’ situation.

“I didn’t see what occurred,” Mazzulla mentioned.

Jayson Tatum added 20 factors and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who bought 17 factors from Jaylen Brown and 11 from Jrue Vacation.

“We needed to preserve preventing,” Tatum mentioned, “and play determined in a means.”

Bam Adebayo completed with 25 factors, 17 rebounds and 5 assists for Miami, which had a sellout crowd — together with Lionel Messi — however performed once more with out injured starters Jimmy Butler (knee) and Terry Rozier (neck). The Warmth managed solely 84 factors in Sport 3 and struggled once more on offense in Sport 4.

Tyler Herro scored 19 factors and Caleb Martin had 18 for the eighth-seeded Warmth. Miami misplaced rookie starter Jaime Jaquez Jr. within the second half with leg tightness; he will probably be evaluated Tuesday.

“Offensively, we struggled once more,” Warmth coach Erik Spoelstra mentioned. “We had some respectable seems to be early on, weren’t in a position to knock these down, and Derrick White was superb tonight — clearly. … He was simply very environment friendly, superb.”

The Celtics can advance to the second spherical on Wednesday once they host Sport 5. The Boston-Miami winner will meet the Cleveland-Orlando winner within the East semifinals; that Cavaliers-Magic sequence gained’t finish till no less than Friday.

“We’re going into the lion’s den,” Adebayo mentioned. “Everyone is aware of what’s at stake. It’s 3-1.”

However the Celtics now have an damage concern, with Porzingis lifting his jersey over his face in exasperation after getting damage late within the first half.

“Apprehensive,” mentioned Celtics heart Al Horford, who began after halftime in Porzingis’ place. “Simply involved. … Undoubtedly regarding for me. He’s in good spirits, however we don’t know what it’s going to be. I’m simply hoping that it’s nothing critical and he can get again to us fast.”

With 5:04 left, there was some extra drama after Tatum tried to shoot a 3-pointer moments after a foul was known as. Adebayo defended the dead-ball play, and Tatum rolled his left ankle after Adebayo stepped into his touchdown space. Referees known as a flagrant-1 on Adebayo, and a technical on Horford for reacting.

Tatum remained within the recreation.

“I’m certain he’s superb,” Mazzulla mentioned.

Adebayo didn’t wish to focus on the reason he bought as to why what he did merited a flagrant-foul designation. “We’re simply going to maneuver on from that,” he mentioned.

The excellent news for Boston: Historical past says this sequence is nearly over.

That is the twenty ninth time a Boston crew has taken a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven sequence. The Celtics gained all 28 of the earlier sequence, together with seven instances within the NBA Finals and a first-round sequence towards Miami in 2010 — the final video games the Warmth performed earlier than luring LeBron James and Chris Bosh to South Florida and forming a superteam round Dwyane Wade.

Miami simply couldn’t sustain on this one. White had 16 factors within the first quarter, when the Celtics constructed a 34-24 lead. And it doesn’t matter what the Warmth did on protection, the offense couldn’t make up any gaps.

Contemplate: The Celtics had 34 factors after 12 minutes, and it took the Warmth virtually 23 minutes — practically the complete first half — to hit the 34-point mark. Miami had solely 59 factors by three quarters, matching a season low set in Sport 1 of this sequence at Boston.

“I do know in my coronary heart we’ve got a recreation that’s there,” Spoelstra mentioned. “It’s only a matter of the ball stepping into a number of extra instances, and swiftly it ignites.”

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