Boston Celtics Stay Alive With Comeback Win Over Miami Heat in Game 4

• The Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat in Game 4 to avoid elimination
• Jayson Tatum starred for the Celtics in the must-win contest
• The Celtics turned things around with a massive run in the third quarter

Things were looking bleak for the Boston Celtics in the third quarter of Game 4 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals.

The Celtics, who were facing elimination, trailed the Heat by nine points in front of a loud Miami crowd.

Some teams would have folded at that stage but not these Celtics.

They unleashed a stunning fightback in the second half, beating the Miami Heat 116-99 to keep their championship dreams alive.

Boston went on an incredible 18-0 run in a three-minute span in the third quarter, turning a 61-52 deficit into a 70-61 advantage, per ESPN.

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That run was part of a 48-22 blast by the Celtics, who now have a shot at recording the greatest comeback in NBA history.

Celtics looking to make history

No team has ever successfully rallied from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series in the NBA Playoffs before.

Teams that trailed 0-3 are 0-150 in those series. That includes the Los Angeles Lakers, who got swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals on Monday night.

The Celtics will look back at that magical run in the third quarter if they turn this series around against the Heat.

They shot 6 of 7 from the field during that stretch, including 4 of 4 from beyond the arc.

Jayson Tatum ignited that run, scoring nine of Boston’s 18 points, per Yahoo! Sports.

The Celtics entered the final frame with an 88-79 lead after outscoring the Heat 38-23 in the third quarter.

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Tatum thrives in elimination games

Tatum and the rest of the Celtics continued their hot shooting in the fourth quarter as they remained unbeaten in elimination games in this year’s playoffs.

They are now 3-0 in such games. They won two elimination games in the previous series against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Tatum registered a double-double in Game 4, finishing with 34 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White also contributed, each dropping 16 points.

It was a disappointing loss for the Heat, who struggled with their outside shooting in this contest. They shot just 8 of 32 from the 3-point area. The Celtics, on the other hand, knocked down 19 of their 45 3-point attempts.

Nuggets reach Finals after sweep

Sports Brief recently reported on the Nuggets advancing to the NBA Finals.

Nikola Jokic starred in the Game 4 win against the Lakers.

He recorded a triple-double in the series clincher, finishing with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists.