Derrick White’s stellar performance, racking up a career-high 38 points, propelled the Boston Celtics to a commanding 102-88 victory over the Miami Heat, pushing them ahead 3-1 in the Eastern Conference playoff series. White’s remarkable shooting, going 15 of 26 from the field and sinking 8 of 15 from beyond the arc, proved pivotal in securing the win for the Celtics. Despite an early setback with Kristaps Porzingis exiting due to injury, Boston rallied behind Jayson Tatum’s 20 points and 10 rebounds, along with contributions from Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday.
The Celtics’ resilience was evident as they overcame the loss of Porzingis and maintained their dominance at Miami’s home court, securing their sixth consecutive win there and extending their impressive record to 14-3 in their last 17 games against the Heat in Miami. Despite a strong showing from Bam Adebayo, who finished with 25 points and 17 rebounds for the Heat, Miami faltered on the offensive end once again. Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin’s combined efforts couldn’t compensate for the absence of key starters Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier due to injuries.
With Game 5 looming, the Celtics have an opportunity to seal their spot in the second round with another victory on Wednesday. As they aim to capitalize on their momentum and White’s outstanding performance, the Heat find themselves in a precarious position, needing a resurgence to keep their playoff hopes alive.
