Celtics’ singular goal: Stop Heat 3’s to force Game 7

re have been two undeniable truths about Miami Heat this season. y must make 3’s to win. y aren’t invincible with sizable les.

Boston Celtics have scouting and analytics teams that undoubtedly kw se trends. But, really, so would anyone who simply can re a boxscore.

Take away Miami’s 3’s, and Heat are easier to beat. Celtics proved that again in Game 5 of Eastern Conference finals when y extended ir season with a victory — and will aim to take same tact Sunday night when y meet Heat again in ar must-win for Boston.

“y’re going to hit some shots, y’re going to make some plays,” Celtics forward Jayson Tatum said. “y’ve got some good players. We’re just trying to make it as tough as we could.”

Heat have played 87 games this season and shot below 20% from 3-point range in just three of m — one of m being Friday night, when Celtics prevailed 121-108 to cut Miami’s le in series to 3-2.

Miami was 7 for 36 from deep, just 19%.

“Regardless of wher it’s going in or t, that can’t affect your commitment on or side of floor,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And it felt like it did.”

Celtics confined most of ir Saturday plans to a film session; Heat were doing same along with some optional workouts. Heat center Bam ebayo, who blamed himself for Game 5 loss despite teammates saying orwise, said he would spend some of Saturday on floor looking for answers.

“This team has good resolve," Celtics coach Br Stevens said Saturday. “I thought we showed that last night. We'll have to continue to show ability to be able to handle good and b throughout a game."

Even though disappointment was clear Friday night, Heat still understand where y are: a . 5 seed, one that didn’t even make playoffs last season, one win from NBA Finals. Miami needed two tries before ousting Milwaukee in second round, saying n it learned at what level a team needs to be to win a closeout game.

Celtics provided m ar reminder of that Friday night, when y outscored Miami 70-50 after halftime and erased a 12-point second-quarter deficit.

“As you go on, wins get harder and harder,” Heat guard Duncan Robinson said. “And doing what we want to do and vancing from this round is going to be hardest thing we’ve done all season and our in our athletic careers for many of us. Fortunately, we have coaches and guys that have been re and kw what it takes.

“But this is certainly a reminder — to think that we were just going to have a good first half and just kind of coast to a victory in this st of playoffs, we’re misguided for thinking that.”

Some of what to kw going into Sunday:

HEAT LES

Miami is 55-32 this season, and 18 of those losses have come in games where Heat held a double-digit le. Boston has beaten Miami four times this season, rallying from at least 11 points down in three of those games — including a pair of 12-point comebacks in this series.

Miami has lost games this year where it led by 10 points once, 11 (four times), 12 (five times), 13 (once), 14 (twice), 15 (once), 20 (once), 22 (twice) and 23 (once).

HEAT ON 3’S

For whatever reason, 31.1% is magic number for Heat 3-pointers this season.

When Heat shoot 31.1% or worse from beyond arc, y’re 2-17 (.105). When y shoot better than that, y’re 53-15 (.779).

CELTICS CENTERS

Centers Daniel is and Enes Kanter gave Boston some big-time numbers in Game 5. is played all but 39 seconds of second half, more time on floor after halftime than any or Celtic and finished game with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Kanter ded eight points and four rebounds in 10 minutes.

EIGHT IS EUGH

Friday’s game featured three players — Bam ebayo and Jimmy Butler for Miami, Marcus Smart for Boston — finishing with eight rebounds and eight assists. It was first time a playoff game h three players reach at least eight rebounds and eight assists since April 28, 2005, when Vince Carter and Jason Kidd did it for New Jersey and Dwyane We did it for Miami.

That Nets-Heat game went double overtime. It hn’t happened in a regulation playoff game since April 10, 1969, when Walt Frazier did it for New York and John Havlicek and Bill Russell did it for Boston.

BIG FINISH

Celtics scored 103 points in final three quarters of Game 5. That tied for fourth-best total in final 36 minutes of regulation that y’ve h this season — and was most y scored in final three quarters of a playoff game since June 17, 2008, when y blew out Los Angeles Lakers for clinching win in that season’s NBA Finals.

Im credits: AP