BOSTON — Derrick White had 24 points, including six 3-pointers, and the Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat 110-97 in Game 5 on Thursday night to extend the Eastern Conference finals.
Marcus Smart had 23 points and five steals. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each finished with 21 points as the Celtics won their second straight and cut the series lead to 3-2 in Miami.
It keeps alive Boston’s hopes of becoming the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
The teams that were in that first place are always 0-150.
Game 6 is Saturday in Miami.
A day after the Florida Panthers punched the franchise’s first ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals since 1996, they denied the Heat a second consecutive game in the NBA Finals.
Jayson Tatum scores in Game 5 of the Celtics’ win over the Heat on May 25. USA TODAY Sports
Duncan Robinson led the Heat with 18 points.
Bam Adebayo added 16 points and eight rebounds. Jimmy Butler had 14 points, five rebounds and five assists, but sat out the final 9:47.
Caleb Martin finished with 14 points.
Derrick White celebrates during the Celtics’ Game 5 win over the Heat on May 25. USA TODAY Sports
It was Butler’s lowest score of the playoffs. He scored 16 points in Game 3, Miami’s blowout win.
Miami never led and had 16 turnovers.
Boston went just 4-5 in the postseason at TD Garden.
Jimmy Butler reacts to the Heat’s Game 5 loss to the Celtics on May 25th. Getty Images
But with a raucous home team behind them, the Celtics pushed forward with energy.
They dived for loose balls, battled Miami for rebounds and found each other for layups and dunks in transition as they scored 20 points in the first half.
The Heat cut it short, but Boston continued to hit 3s and went up 96-72 in the fourth quarter.
Jaylen Brown scored a Game 5 win for the Celtics on May 25th against the Heat. Getty Images
Boston fans chanted “Beat the Heat!” they lit one. A chant that hadn’t dominated since Game 1.
The Heat started Kyle Lowry at point guard after Gabe Vincent left with a sprained left ankle earlier in the day.
It was Lowry’s first start since Feb. 2.
Vincent, the Heat’s third-leading scorer in the postseason, was hurt late in the Game 4 loss at Miami, landing awkwardly while trying to save a loose ball near the Heat bench.
His presence was missed as Miami struggled early on the offensive end, as a Celtics defense forced the Heat into 10 first-half turnovers and held Boston to 17 points.
Lowry played 31 minutes, scored five points and committed four turnovers.