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Celtics vs. Heat live score, updates, highlights from Game 5 of NBA Playoffs

Once again, the Celtics must get a win tonight to keep their season alive.

Boston managed to stave off elimination and avoid a sweep by defeating the Heat in Game 4 on Tuesday night. It moved them one step closer to their goal of becoming the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. 

Jayson Tatum’s second half outburst helped the Celtics fight back from a nine-point deficit in the third quarter to get the all-important victory. He finished with 33 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds while his teammates Jaylen Brown and Derrick White pitched in with 17 and 16 points, respectively. 

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

Things have now shifted back to Boston, where Miami won Games 1 and 2 early in the series to take control. If the Heat manage to earn another road win tonight, it will punch their ticket to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years. 

The Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights from Game 5 of Celtics vs. Heat. Follow along with all of the action right here.

MORE: Why Celtics’ struggles at home stand in the way of series comeback

Celtics vs. Heat score

Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Celtics 35 26 29 — —
Heat 20 24 28 — —

Celtics vs. Heat live score, updates, highlights from Game 5

(All times Eastern.)

10:20 p.m. — Boston’s lead is hovering right around 20 points as the fourth quarter ticks along. The Heat have been unable to make a real run the entire night, and it looks unlikely that will change soon. It’s 96-78 in favor of the home team with eight and a half minutes remaining.

10:10 p.m. END OF THIRD QUARTER — The Celtics needed a win tonight, and it looks like they’re going to get it. Boston holds a commanding 90-72 lead as we enter the final quarter. Will we see the unprecedented 3-0 comeback in these playoffs?

10:01 p.m. — Bam Adebayo is trying to get something going here after a flat first half. He has looked good in this third quarter so far, with four buckets in the space of about two minutes here. Still, the deficit is 19 points as we enter the final minutes of the quarter. 

9:58 p.m. — No matter what Miami does, Boston always seems to have an answer. Tatum has popped up with two quick buckets, and after Brown drains another shot, the lead has ballooned to 21 points. This quarter is going by quickly, and this game is in danger of slipping out of reach for the Heat.

9:50 p.m. START OF THIRD QUARTER — And we’re off in the second half. Butter has a pair of early buckets, while Brown and Smart have also gotten on the scoresheet early in this quarter. After a triple by Haywood Highsmith, the Celtics lead 67-51. 

9:36 p.m. — Jaylen Brown just had one of his best halves of the postseason. He leads all scorers with 15 points, with White (14), Smart (13) and Tatum (12) close behind. Robinson leads Miami with 10 points.

9:29 p.m. END OF FIRST HALF — The first half fittingly ends with a Heat turnover. They have ten turnovers thus far compared to just five for the Celtics. Boston has also taken more than twice as many three-point shots (25) as Miami has (11). The home team leads it 61-44 heading into halftime. 

9:20 p.m. — Butler gets a nice steal in transition and slams it home through contact for an and-one opportunity. He’s been fairly quiet so far tonight with just seven points. After he converts the free throw, the heat trail the Celtics 53-41 as the first half winds down.

9:17 p.m. — Miami is starting to cut into this lead just a little. Robinson continues to fill it up, and his back-to-back buckets have closed the gap to 11 points. About a minute later, Caleb Martin looks to have suffered an injury to his knee after an awkward landing, but he will stay in the game. That”s good news for Heat fans, as that one looked bad initially. 

9:09 p.m. — Al Horford throws down a putback slam to get the crowd back on its feet, but Duncan Robinson answers at the other end with a three. The Heat aren’t shooting badly right now, they’re just getting hit with a barrage of Celtics offense. Boston leads 47-32 with seven and a half minutes left in the first half. 

9:04 p.m. — The second quarter has begun, and the Celtics are not slowing down. Brown hits a three to stretch their lead to 18 points, and the Celtics are now 8 of 15 (53.3 percent) from beyond the arc. 

8:59 p.m. END OF FIRST QUARTER — White ends the opening period with a bang! He drills a triple at the buzzer to give the Celtics a 35-20 lead after one! Boston has come flying out of the gate here. Can Miami recover?

8:50 p.m. — Jayson Tatum is on fire. His thunderous slam makes it 28-13 in favor of Boston, and it forces Miami coach Erik Spoelstra to take a timeout. This could be a long night for the Heat at this rate. 

8:45 p.m. — The Celtics are NOT messing around tonight. They seemingly can’t miss from deep right now, and another pair of threes from Tatum and Derrick White has stretched the lead to a whopping 16 points here in the opening quarter. Boston is simply blowing Miami away right now. 

8:41 p.m. — What a start for Boston! TD Garden erupts as Jaylen Brown hits a three, then Marcus Smart hits back-to-back triples of his own to cap off an 11-1 Celtics run! They now lead 15-5 about five minutes into this game. 

8:38 p.m. START OF FIRST QUARTER — We are underway, and Tatum is off to a hot start after slamming home a dunk for his second bucket of the game. But he wanted a foul call on the drive, and his protests to the official earn him an early technical foul. A bit unfortunate there, but the Celtics’ intensity is apparent already. They lead 6-4 early. 

8:30 p.m. — For the second game in a row, the Celtics’ task is simple. Win and stay alive, lose and go home. Can they get it done again?

8:18 p.m. — Boston’s Jaylen Brown shares a heartwarming moment with his grandfather before tip-off. Win or lose, he’ll be proud of his grandson.

8:10 p.m. — With Gabe Vincent ruled out for the Heat tonight due to a sprained ankle, veteran guard and six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry will take his place in the starting lineup. Not the worst backup plan.

7:54 p.m. — This series’ two superstars, Butler and Tatum, arrive at TD Garden.

7:45 p.m. — A familiar face returns to the floor for Miami. Tyler Herro, who suffered a broken hand in the Heat’s very first playoff game this season against Milwaukee, is out there putting up shots. He’s still unlikely to return this postseason, but it’s definitely encouraging to see him back on the hardwood. 

What channel is Celtics vs. Heat on?

  • Date: Thursday, May 25
  • TV channel: TNT
  • Live streaming: Sling TV

Celtics vs. Heat will air on TNT. Viewers can also stream the game on Sling TV.

Fans in the U.S. can watch the NBA Playoffs on Sling TV, which is now offering $10 off your first month! Stream the sports you love starting at just $30 in your first month with Sling Orange to catch all the games on TNT, ESPN & ABC.

SIGN UP FOR SLING: English | Spanish

What time is Celtics vs. Heat tonight?

  • Date: Thursday, May 25
  • Time: 8:30 p.m. ET | 5:30 p.m. PT

Celtics vs. Heat will tip off around 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 25. The game will be played at the TD Garden in Boston.

Celtics vs. Heat odds

Boston is a 7.5-point favorite heading into Game 5.

Game Lines Celtics Heat
Spread -7.5 +7.5
Moneyline -300 +240

For the full market, check out BetMGM.

Celtics vs. Heat schedule

Here is the complete schedule for the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals:

Date Game Time (ET) TV channel
May 17 Heat 123, Celtics 116 8:30 p.m. TNT
May 19 Heat 111, Celtics 105 8:30 p.m. TNT
May 21 Heat 128, Celtics 102 8:30 p.m. TNT
May 23 Celtics 116, Heat 99 8:30 p.m. TNT
May 25 Game 5 8:30 p.m. TNT
May 27 Game 6* 8:30 p.m. TNT
May 29 Game 7* 8:30 p.m. TNT

*If necessary

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