The Boston Celtics needed a win to avoid going down 3-0 in the series against the Miami Heat and they did just that, bringing a different level of energy to get on the board in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Led by their dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics were in control for the majority of the game. Another late push from the Heat put a scare into Boston, but they’d ultimately hold off Miami for the first time this series to bring it to 2-1.
If you missed any of the action we had you covered with live updates, highlights and more from this contest.
Final: Boston Celtics 117, Miami Heat 106
The Heat didn’t make it easy on them, but the Celtics were able to hold on to this one to take Game 3.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were electric in leading Boston to victory. Tatum finished with a near-triple-double of 25 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists while Brown had 26 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and one block. Gordon Hayward looked solid in his first game back, playing over 30 minutes with six points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals to make an impact.
For the Heat, Bam Adebayo’s 27-point, 16-rebound double-double stands out while Tyler Herro’s 22 points (15 in the second quarter) was the only other constant source of offence.
Bam Adebayo got an easy layup to drop to cut the lead to five, but Marcus Smart converted a pair of free throws to bring the lead back to seven. Celtics lead 111-104 with 47 seconds to go.
I repeat… Miami still will not go away. Duncan Robinson knocks down another two 3s to cut the Celtics lead to just eight points and then draws an offensive foul on Jaylen Brown to give the Heat possession with a minute remaining. UPDATE: That offensive foul has been upgraded to a Flagrant 1, giving the Heat two free throws and the ball. Robinson goes 1-of-2 from the line, trailing 109-102 with 1:03 to play.
Miami still will not go away, but Boston’s still scoring easily in the paint, making it tough for the Heat to cut into this lead. Duncan Robinson finally got a 3-pointer to fall to snap Miami’s streak of missed 3s, but Kemba Walker immediately responded with a strong take to the rim to keep the Celtics up 104-88 with under five minutes remaining.
The Heat have missed 14-straight 3-pointers and are being outscored in the paint 54-28. The combination of those two things helps explain the Celtics 97-80 lead with under eight minutes to play in the contest.
End of third quarter: Celtics 89, Heat 74
The Heat went on a run to keep things close, but the Celtics responded right back with a run of their own to close the quarter.
Jayson Tatum (20 points) and Jaylen Brown (24 points) are stealing the show, while Kemba Walker’s 16 points has been a steadying hand for Boston’s offence. Bam Adebayo had emerged a bit more in that third quarter, up to a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds, but Miami has still been quiet offensively as a whole.
There hasn’t been much from Heat superstar Jimmy Butler in this one just yet, as the All-Star forward has just 10 points shooting 3-for-9 from the field.
And following that 11-1 Heat run, the Celtics go on a 7-0 run of their own to regain control of the game at 89-73. The streak was capped off by this and-one dunk from Jayson Tatum on an ill-advised foul from rookie Kendrick Nunn.
Three consecutive missed layups for the Celtics breathe a little bit of life into the Heat. Miami has since gone on an 11-1 run to cut Boston’s lead to just nine at 82-73 with under two minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Heat are hanging around but are struggling to score consistently. Bam Adebayo converts an and-one to help cut into the Celtics’ lead a bit, as Boston has yet to extend their lead to 20. Even with Adebayo’s strong finish, it’s still a convincing 16-point Celtics lead at 78-62.
The Celtics hold a commanding 76-58 lead as they begin to figure out this Heat zone that gave them so much trouble in Games 1 and 2. This dime from Marcus Smart to a cutting Jaylen Brown helps in that department.
The Celtics held off Tyler Herro’s red-hot second quarter to maintain a 12-point lead heading into the half.
Herro was on fire, scoring 15 points in the quarter shooting 6-for-7 from the field with four 3s, but Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown turned things around with easy transition buckets for the Celtics to ignite the run.
Tatum is flirting with a triple-double at halftime with 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Brown is leading the scoring charge with 17 points shooting an efficient 8-for-12 from the field.
Herro is the only Heat player in double figures with 18 points. Bam Adebayo is a perfect 4-for-4 from the field for eight points, but Boston is doing a much better job of keeping him away from easy lobs at the rim. Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler have both been quiet, scoring six points apiece in the first half.
A 9-0 Celtics run negates Tyler Herro’s hot streak, giving Boston a 60-48 lead with under a minute to play in the half. Fiesty defence has turned into transition buckets for the Celtics.
JAYSON TATUM! After receiving a technical foul for arguing a call, the Celtics’ All-Star forward throws down a vicious dunk in transition to spark a run. Boston now leads 45-37 with 6:48 left in the second frame.
Welcome to Game 3, Tyler Herro. The rookie has scored 11 of Miami’s last 14 points, knocking down three straight 3s to bring his team back in to this one. The Heat still trail 40-36 with just over eight minutes remaining in the half.
Jayson Tatum gets a 3-pointer to go just before the quarter comes to a close to give the Celtics a 31-23 lead.
Boston did a much better job of taking care of the ball in the first frame than they did in Game 2, only recording one turnover in the quarter. They’re bringing better energy on the defensive end, making life tough for the Heat who are shooting 35.3% from the field through one period. In a balanced scoring effort, Jae Crowder is the team’s leading scorer with just five points.
Gordon Hayward checks in for the first time since the first round of the playoffs and immediately makes a play, dropping a sweet pass to Daniel Theis for a layup. The Celtics remain in the lead 22-17 with 2:54 left in the quarter, as the Heat are hanging around with all five starters finding their way into the scoring column early.
The Celtics have come out strong, shooting 7-for-11 from the field to take an early 16-9 lead. Jaylen Brown has it going, scoring six points shooting 3-for-4 from the field to get Boston started off right.
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens announced pregame that he expected Gordon Hayward to be available in a role off the bench for Game 3, and now he’s officially listed as active.
Gordon Hayward is officially listed as active for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.
The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.
Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.
There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.
Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.
But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.
The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”
The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.
Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.
Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.
Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.
Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.
“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”
“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.
Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.
Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.
The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.
Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.
Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.
Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.
Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.
Canada Roster
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).
Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).
Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).
Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
