Derrick White Dominates As Celtics Take 3-1 Lead Over Heat

The Boston Celtics are now firmly in control of their Eastern Conference playoff series against the Miami Heat, thanks to an explosive performance from Derrick White, who notched an NBA career-high 38 points in a commanding 102-88 win.

This puts the Celtics up 3-1 in the series, inching closer to advancing to the next round.

White’s exceptional performance, shooting 15 of 26 from the field and 8 of 15 from beyond the arc, was pivotal.

“I made a couple shots early,” White remarked after the game. “That always helps. Once you make a couple, the basket looks huge.”

Boston’s victory marks their sixth consecutive win at Miami, demonstrating a strong hold over their lower-seeded opponents.

However, the triumph was marred by an injury to Kristaps Porzingis, who exited the game with a calf issue and was seen leaving the arena in a walking boot—a precautionary measure.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t have immediate updates but expressed concern, “I didn’t see what happened,” Mazzulla said regarding Porzingis’ injury.

Jayson Tatum contributed significantly with 20 points and 10 rebounds, alongside Jaylen Brown‘s 17 points and Jrue Holiday‘s 11. Tatum underscored the team’s urgency, “We had to keep fighting,” he said, “and play desperate in a way.”

The Heat, faced with a sellout crowd including soccer legend Lionel Messi, struggled without key players Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier. Bam Adebayo stood out with 25 points, 17 rebounds, and five assists, but the offense sputtered, much like in their previous outing.

“Offensively, we struggled again. We had some decent looks early on, weren’t able to knock those down, and Derrick White was very good tonight — obviously,” Spoelstra said. “He was just very efficient, very good.”

Looking ahead, the Celtics can seal the series in Game 5 at home. The Boston-Miami winner will face either Cleveland or Orlando in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Despite the potential clincher on the horizon, Celtics center Al Horford expressed concern for his teammate, “Worried,” he said about Porzingis. “Just concerned. … Definitely concerning for me. He’s in good spirits, but we don’t know what it’s going to be. I’m just hoping that it’s nothing serious and he can get back to us quick.”

With history on their side—Boston has never lost a series after leading 3-1—the Celtics look poised for a deep playoff run, despite the looming injury concerns.

As for Miami, they face a daunting task of overturning the deficit against a seasoned and formidable Boston squad.