Miami has pretty much done everything right this postseason, from beating the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, 4-1, and sending the New York Knicks packing after winning that series, 4-2. Now, the Heat are one win away from defeating the Boston Celtics to advance to the NBA Finals and a date with the Denver Nuggets.
The Heat have outplayed the Celtics by every metric, even though it appears Boston has beaten themselves by the shot selection alone. The C's have made 31-of-106 three-point attempts for a measly 29.2 % percentage. Miami, on the other hand, is shooting 47.8 % from downtown making 44 of its 92 attempts.
Heading into Game 4, the players know the journey has not been easy, but they are confident they can prevail if they continue to play Miami Heat basketball. Duncan Robinson, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love spoke with the media following the morning shootaround, according to the team-provided video.
"We have a great opportunity ahead of us," Adebayo told reporters. "So, best thing for us is just keep doing what we're doing. Staying detailed. Staying together and stay consistent."
Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference finals were close, but Miami took both in Boston before the series shifted to South Beach. The Heat then embarrassed the Celtics with a blowout in Game 3. With the chance to sweep, Lowry said the team is focused on the task at hand.
"I think we're just locked into what we're doing," Lowry told reporters. "I think we're staying in every moment. We're not getting ahead of ourselves. We know these types of situations don't come often and we're just staying here; in the moment."
Robinson and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra aren't ready to count Boston out just yet given how hard it is to win in the league and the history the Celtics have in the postseason.
"Nothing in this league is easy, let alone winning at this stage of the season," Robinson told reporters. "... Playoff basketball, in general, is always challenging, and the further you move on, the more difficult it becomes. We don't think anything about this has been easy. It requires doing difficult things, and it's going to continue to require that."
Like in many playoff series, the final one is usually the toughest to win and a mistake teams can make is looking ahead to the next game or round instead of the task at hand.
"Boston has great pride. They'll bring it and you want to embrace it," Spoelstra told reporters. "You don't want to get ahead of yourself and think about anything else other than embracing the competition. This is what you want. You want to be in the Eastern Conference finals in a really competitive game with a chance to finish and close out."
While Boston is dealing with reports that there is a divide in its locker room, Love has expressed the camaraderie in Miami's.
"Within our locker room guys have confidence, guys are being free," Love told reporters. "Guys are just you know loving the group and giving it all out for the group right now."
Boston will have to play at its best to avoid losing four straight games for the first time this season and have adopted the mentality of the 2004 Boston Red Sox, but will that be enough to defeat Miami? Either way, it's do-or-die for the C's.
Tipoff for Game 4 from Kaseya Center is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.
