On Saturday night, the Miami Heat will face the Boston Celtics in a pivotal game six of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The latest Injury Report for Boston Cesltics vs. Miami Heat
The Boston Celtics did not appear to be a club poised to show dominance after dropping the first three games of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Celtics, on the other hand, are very much alive after winning their last two games by an average of 15 points.
When the clubs play Game 6 in Miami on Saturday, they will look to tie the best-of-seven series at three wins apiece.
No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series, but Boston is on its way after avoiding elimination for the third and fourth times this postseason.
The Celtics also had two similar victories in the conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers.
In Thursday’s game, the Celtics never trailed and led by as many as 24 points. They led by as much as 18 points two nights before in a 116-99 away victory.
The outstanding performance came after Boston appeared to be ready to begin the offseason after being thrashed 128-102 in Game 3.
“Game 3, that was as low as you can be,” Celtics star Jayson Tatum said. “The advantage of being that low is that you can only become better. It’s just going to get better from here.
“It gave us the impression that everyone was counting us out.” We’re expected to triumph. We’re meant to be done, and I believe we began to play a little more freely and relaxedly.”
All eyes are on Jayson Tatum, who has established himself as one of the league’s greatest players, but Jaylen Brown remains the X-factor.
After struggling in the first three games, he has stepped up significantly in recent games, producing critical mismatches.
In the end, the three-point line is bound to be their cause for success or failure, so fans will want to keep an eye on whether they can capitalize on that important advantage, as witnessed before the series began.
The Celttics are also dealing with a couple of ailments.
- Danilo Gallinari
Gallinari (knee) has been declared out of Saturday’s Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Miami.
Gallinari is yet to play this season due to offseason knee surgery. The Celtics have provided no hint that the veteran forward is close to returning to the lineup.
- Malcolm Brogdon
Due to a right forearm strain, Brogdon is questionable for Saturday’s Game 6 against the Heat.
Brogdon has been playing with a partially torn tendon in his elbow in previous games, and he left Thursday’s Game 5 victory early because of the ailment.
He’s been diagnosed with a right forearm strain, and it’s unknown whether he’ll be available for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday.
Brogdon has averaged just 0.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 14.3 minutes a game over the last three meetings, and it wouldn’t be unexpected if he’s unable to play Saturday.
Miami was on top of the world, leading the series 3-0 and ready to face Denver in the NBA Finals.
Concern is rising for this squad in only a few days, and there are huge concerns that they must continue to answer.
The good news is that they return home, where they have a 34-16 record and are much more comfortable.
There’s little doubt that the stakes are rising in this series, and a loss at home may spell doom for a game seven, especially given the travel back to Boston.
The Heat have a lot of skill, but with Boston’s recent success, fans will be watching to see how Miami responds.
The Heat dominated the three-point line on both sides to start the series, but as that has faded, so have the wins. Miami will need to keep Boston off the three-point line early and frequently in this game, while also relying on their depth.
Jimmy Butler is sure to have a big night, especially now that he’s back at home, but there are some worries in the backcourt, particularly with Vincent’s condition.
The Heat are also dealing with a couple of ailments.
Tyler Herro (hand) and Victor Oladipo (knee) are both out for the season, but Gabe Vincent (ankle) will be the focus.
Vincent (ankle) is questionable for Saturday’s Game 6 against the Celtics.
Vincent suffered a left ankle sprain in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday and will miss Game 5 on Thursday. It’s unknown whether he’ll be able to play Saturday as the Heat try to advance to the NBA Finals, but if Vincent sits again, Kyle Lowry will almost certainly start.
