Tatum’s 33-point double-double helps Celtics avoid elimination against the Heat

Down nine early in the third quarter, down 3-0 in the series, the Boston Celtics knew their season was completely on the brink.

Three minutes later, everything looked different.

“We were trying to salvage our season,” Tatum said.

They definitely found a way to do that. The two big differences: a 30-point Celtics lead on 3-pointers and an 18-0 run on that three-minute third-quarter stretch that changed the game and, they hope, could end up changing the series.

“We can’t relax,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “We have to keep the same level of intensity, the same mentality, the same focus in the next game.”

Derrick White scored 16 points, Grant Williams had 14, Al Horford added 12 and Marcus Smart scored 11 for the Celtics, who still trailed the series 3-1 but sent it back to Boston for Game 5 on Thursday.

Jimmy Butler scored 29 for Miami, which was outscored 48-22 in a 14-minute stretch that changed the game, and perhaps the series, entirely. Boston would also have Game 7 on their court if they can keep extending this series.

“Tonight we played with rhythm and purpose,” Tatum said. “We were getting saves. We were coming out in transition. You see layups and free throws, jump shots start to feel a lot easier.”

Gabe Vincent scored 17 for Miami, Caleb Martin had 16 and Bam Adebayo added 10. The Heat were 8-for-32 from 3-point range while Boston was 18-for-45.

‘It’s life or death’

No team in NBA history has successfully come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series; 150 have tried, 150 have failed.

But the Celtics gave themselves hope.

“We really don’t have a choice,” Mazzulla said. “It’s life or death. We have to stick together.”

That was the moment where Boston’s season was on the line.

And the Celtics responded, with more emphasis.

The 18-0 run took Boston from under nine to up nine, a big turnaround that took 3 minutes, 3 seconds. The Celtics were 6-of-7 from the field during the streak, 4-of-4 from 3-point range, Tatum had nine of 18 points and so did the defending East champions, who won three playoff games on the Miami court on last year. playoffs, they were rolling again.

Miami got within four late in the third, only to see another breakneck run by the Celtics, this time seven unanswered points in 40 seconds. Boston’s lead was 88-79 entering the quarter, after winning the third quarter 38-23, with 21 of those points coming from 3-pointers.

The Celtics held the lead the rest of the way.

“They got us tonight,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You’ve got to give them credit for that. No question about it. No question about it. We didn’t wonder about it. They deserved to win tonight. We have to regroup and prepare for a big opportunity in Boston.”