Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics forward/guard Jaylen Brown scored 25 points in the team's Game 5 victory over the Miami Heat. Brown had his third game of the series with at least 20 points to help the Celtics advance to the next round. Boston had a relatively easy night on the job by taking control early and never letting up. The 27-year-old contributed to this dominant outing by shooting 11-for-19 from the field to lead the way. He also added five rebounds and two assists. Boston will see Brown having a higher ceiling in the second round, with starter Kristaps Porzingis (calf) expected to miss several more games.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Boston Celtics centerKristaps Porzingis(calf) is expected to miss several games due to a right soleus strain. With likely an extended absence for Porzingis, 37-year-old veteran center Al Horford should move into the Celtics starting lineup. Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman will also see more minutes coming off the bench in Game 5 against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White led the charge in Monday's Game 4 against Miami, scoring a career-high 38 points in a 102-88 win. He nailed eight three-point bombs with 15 attempts and shot 15-for-26 overall. As usual, White also made himself useful defensively and produced Boston's only three blocks of the game. He wrapped up his line with four rebounds and three assists. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown generally grab the headlines in Boston, but White once again demonstrated how well this Celtics team is built. He's been effective throughout the series, averaging 21.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 blocks with 47 percent shooting from downtown.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum struggled with his shot in Game 4 against Miami on Monday but still produced 20 points and posted his third double-double of the 2024 postseason by grabbing 11 rebounds. Tatum added five assists in a 102-88 win, shooting 5-for-14 from the field with a 2-for-6 effort from outside. He was able to reach the 20-point plateau thanks to perfect 8-for-8 free-throw shooting. The Boston superstar tweaked his left ankle with five minutes to go in the contest, although he had no trouble finishing the game. Tatum has suffered from streaky shooting in the 2024 playoffs, but the Celtics have still grabbed a commanding 3-1 lead in the first-round series and will go out for the kill in Wednesday's Game 5.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (calf) will undergo an MRI on Tuesday. The veteran suffered what the team called right calf tightness before the end of the first half, so he'd finish the night with seven points in 14 minutes. Fortunately, medical personnel don't suspect an Achilles injury. However, the ailment could be enough to keep Porzingis off the floor for Game 5, although it's still too early to speculate. But if he can't go, Al Horford should slide into the starting lineup, with Luke Kornet getting minutes behind him from off the bench.