Miami corrects Boston, earns third win in Eastern Conference Finals

The demonstration turned to correction. The Miami Heat, thanks to a high-flying collective performance, crushed the Boston Celtics (128-102) at home to escape now three wins to zero in the Eastern Conference final, Sunday, May 21, in the NBA playoffs.

The Florida franchise is only one victory away from qualifying for the seventh final in its history in the North American basketball championship, and thus seeking a fourth title after those of 2006, 2012 and 2013. This scenario does not was not necessarily expected, given his status as the number 8 seed, having had to go through two play-off matches six weeks earlier. But the games of spring have the gift of transfiguring the Heat, whose combativeness at all times, its primary virtue, only asks to be unleashed.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks paid the price in the first round, then the Knicks in a remake less poisonous than the fierce brawls of the 1990s. And here, it seems, is the same fate reserved for the Celtics for their third confrontation to this point in four years (one qualification for each franchise).

Both conference finals close to completion

Sunday, the m was said from the first period of this third meeting, completed with a score of 61 to 46, the Heat then counting up to 33 units in advance at the heart of the third quarter, with an insolent address (57% on shots, 19 of 35 from behind the arc).

Jimmy Butler (16 points), hero of the two previous matches, did not have to do much this time, as the second knives around him were sharp, such as Gabe Vincent, the game’s top scorer (29 pts, 11 out of 14), Duncan Robinson (22 pts) and Caleb Martin (18 pts).

Opposite, the failure was as collective as individual, like Jaylen Brown (12 pts) and Jayson Tatum (14 pts) terribly awkward at long distance (1 out of 14) and who quickly gave up.

The fourth confrontation, already decisive, of this series will take place on Tuesday, still in Miami. To hope to reverse a situation decidedly badly embarked, Boston, like the Los Angeles Lakers also led 3 to 0 by the Denver Nuggets in the West, is now forced to win the next four meetings, a feat that never happened. in league history, in 149 opportunities.

Le Monde with AP and AFP