The "we won three quarters" narrative might be getting annoying, but Game 4 is why there's validity to the argument. The Eastern Conference Finals remains Boston's series to lose. Doesn't matter that the series is tied 2-2 and Miami has home-court advantage.
One team has two lost two games by a total of 17 points. The other, 45. (If it's not obvious who's who, Boston won Monday's game by 20 points.) Numbers may not tell the whole story, but that sure paints a pretty good picture.
"I think with everybody, the focus was great tonight," Ime Udoka said. "We understood we have to be more aggressive and physical on the defensive end. Bam (Adebayo) got it going last game, and guys take that personal. … We're a prideful team as one of the best defensive teams in the league, as well as individuals. They heard some of the things that were said and took pride in those matchups.
"Came out with the right mindset but have to duplicate in the Game 5 coming off a win, as opposed to only when we lose."
If this was truly an even matchup, Miami would have had at least one seismic win in this series. Instead, they've ridden a pair of seismic quarters to their two wins. Quite frankly, they barely did that in Game 3. Had the Celtics not forgotten how to pass on Saturday, this would be a 3-1 series.
"We shouldn't have to get punched in the mouth to respond," Robert Williams said. "That's just my opinion, but (I'm) just proud of my guys (with) how we did respond.
This series needs to end in six games — especially with Golden State on the verge of a sweep in the Western Conference Finals. No more back and forth. No more extra motivation. The Celtics have blown Miami's doors off twice.
It's all right if Game 5 is a hard-fought battle, but Miami should come back to Boston fighting to keep the series alive in Game 6.
"I think human nature plays a part in (that) when you win a game, you can relax a little bit," Jayson Tatum said. "But obviously, when we lose a game, we feel like the next game is do or die. Then we come out and play how we did.
"I think we have to have that mindset going into Game 5. It is a must-win game. Tonight was essentially something like that. Everybody knew it. We could all feel it, and I think that showed in the way we came out."
