After jumping out to a commanding 3-0 series lead, the Heat have dropped back-to-back blowout losses and now head back to Miami for a pivotal game 6
The Boston Celtics displayed dominance as they secured a resounding 110-97 victory over the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. This win followed their convincing 116-99 triumph in Game 4. The Celtics now find themselves in rare company, becoming only the 15th team in NBA history to force a Game 6 after trailing a series 3-0. With two more wins, they have the opportunity to achieve an unprecedented feat by overcoming the three-game deficit.
Jimmy Still Has No Doubt
Despite the mounting odds against them, Miami’s Jimmy Butler remains unfazed and undeterred by the potential historical significance of the series. In the aftermath of the Heat’s lackluster performance at TD Garden, Butler confidently declared that his team would finish off the Celtics in Game 6, scheduled for Saturday night. Although Butler had an underwhelming outing in Game 5, contributing only 14 points on 5 of 10 shooting and seeing limited playing time in the fourth quarter, he maintained a playful grin on his face during the game’s closing stages, showing his unwavering confidence. This level of self-assurance is not surprising for Butler, as he famously proclaimed after Miami’s loss to the Celtics in Game 7 of the 2022 East Finals that they would find themselves in a similar situation in 2023 and emerge victorious.
“We can and we will win this series.”
Jimmy Butler has confidence in the Heat closing the series out at home 👀 pic.twitter.com/1YcO2prcgh
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 26, 2023
Game 6 is Going to be Epic
Butler substantiated his bold assertion by leading the No. 8 seed Heat on a historic postseason run in 2023, defeating the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and the fifth-seeded New York Knicks along the way. Given his past achievements, Butler has certainly earned the right to make playoff guarantees.
However, the Celtics now have the opportunity to use Butler’s statement as motivation as they head to Miami for Game 6. The team may choose to put his words on a bulletin board, using them as fuel to further ignite their determination to close out the series and advance to the NBA Finals.
Game 6 is set to take place at the Kaseya Center in Miami, with NBC Sports Boston’s coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET and tip-off scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. The stage is set for a thrilling and decisive encounter as both teams vie for a spot in the coveted NBA Finals.
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