The question entering Game 4 of this first-round rivalry clash between the Celtics and Heat was whether Boston would keep its foot on the gas after a dominant 104-84 victory on Saturday.
Perhaps a costly letdown in terms of effort on the defensive end and overall execution in Game 2 after a decisive 114-94 win in the series opener was a forceful enough reminder that it needs to maintain its edge and play with the required level of physical and mental toughness to be successful.
There’s also the reality that, provided the Celtics aren’t dramatically losing the battle from beyond the arc, as they did in Game 2 when Miami made a franchise record 23 threes, and the former went 12/32 from three-point range, overcoming Jimmy Butler’s absence, especially with Terry Rozier also sidelined, seems like a mountain too steep to climb, even for the defending Eastern Conference champions.
Derrick White delivered a playoff career-high 38 points, helping overcome quiet scoring nights from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who registered 20 points and 17, respectively. That’s precisely how much the latter needed to become the 11th Celtic to reach 2,000 career points in the playoffs.
At the other end of the floor, the visitors did a phenomenal job protecting the perimeter for the second straight matchup. After limiting the Heat to 9/28 (32.1%) from beyond the arc on Saturday, the hosts had even more difficulty manufacturing success from three-point range on Monday.
