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Winderman’s view: The real Celtics step forward . . . creating concern?

MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Tuesday night’s 116-99 NBA playoff loss to the Boston Celtics:

– The Celtics looked like the Celtics.

– Playing defense.

– Making 3-pointers.

– With Jayson Tatum scoring when needed.

– The concern meter still is mitigated by the Heat’s 3-1 series lead.

– But Boston finally has regained its stride.

– This is a team that came back from 3-2 the previous round against the 76ers.

– It would be that again with a Heat loss on Thursday night at TD Garden.

– Panic? No.

– Urgency? Yes.

– Because this constant pushing of Jimmy Butler takes a toll.

– Even with Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent picking up some of the slack.

– The Celtics assuredly will be favored at home in Games 5 and 7.

– That would make a Saturday Game 6 in Miami all the more pressure packed,

– This is how one game can change everything.

– If the Heat allow it to do that.

– They did, after all, win the first two in Boston.

– Where the Celtics hardly have thrived in the postseason.

– Make-or-miss league.

– On Tuesday night, the Celtics made.

– With the Heat missing a shot to make it far easier on themselves.

– So on they go.

– After being done for the night in the first quarter Sunday due to a leg injury, Kevin Love was back in the Heat starting lineup, along with Bam Adebayo, Butler, Max Strus and Vincent.

– The Celtics remained with a starting lineup of Al Horford, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Derrick White.

– The Heat then made a three-player substitution with 4:43 left in the opening period, with Caleb Martin, Kyle Lowry and Cody Zeller entering.

– Duncan Robinson made it nine deep.

– Martin’s second 3-point attempt was the 100th of his playoff career.

– Strus’ fourth defensive rebound was the 100th of his playoff career.

– Martin, going in, said he would be shocked by anything but desperation from the Celtics.

– “We know how we would approach this situation, he said.

– Martin said he also appreciated how it could be a special night for the home crowd.

– “This is a one-of-a-kind situation where you can hopefully go four straight in front of your home crowd and get to finish it on your home court,” he said at the morning shootaround.

– But Martin cautioned, “We’re the type of guys who don’t get ahead of ourselves.”

– And they didn’t.

– The Celtics just played well.

– Of the atmosphere going in, Robinson said, “I think everyone is just kind of on edge competitively, which is a good place to be.”

– Robinson said the one constant about this stage of the playoffs is the consistent start times.

– “We’ve had kind of a pretty consistent routine, just with the schedule being 8:30 every night,” he said.

– And just being here, Robinson said, should be meaningful.

– “I think we have a respect for the opportunity,” he said. “I think we have a collective mindset of not to take opportunities like this for granted.”

– Strus, on going this deep into the postseason, “It’s a grind, it’s a long season, and every day is going to bring something new.”

–  Brooks Koepka, who was at the Panthers on Monday night this time was at the Heat. Quite the trifecta since Sunday at the PGA

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