The Boston Celtics took care of business on Wednesday night. They hosted the Miami Heat in Game 5 of their first-round matchup with an opportunity to close out the series. That’s exactly what they did by destroying Miami, 118-84, thereby booking their spot in the East Semis.
Boston Celtics News: Jayson Tatum Wanted Heat From the Get-Go
Jayson Tatum finished Wednesday’s series-ending win with a modest 16-point, 12-rebound double-double. The Celtics were so good in Game 5 that they didn’t even need a heroic performance from their superstar forward to close out the series.
After the game, Tatum admitted that he had already had his mind set on facing the Heat in the postseason:
“I wanted to play Miami in the sense that maybe last year, playing against Atlanta, we might have relaxed a little bit,” he said. “Knowing the history with Miami and how hard they play, how well-coached they are. For a first-round matchup, regardless of the seed, we were gonna have to be ready to play – ready to fight.”
Tatum and the Celtics proved that they were indeed ready for whatever the Heat were going to bring to the table. On Wednesday night, they left no doubt as to who was the superior team between them.
Boston now awaits the winner of the series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic.
