Celtics are still alive in Eastern Conference Finals with Game 5 in Boston

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The Boston Celtics’ season didn’t end in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference finals matchup with the Miami Heat, and now there is a flicker of hope.

Whether Boston’s 116-99 victory on Tuesday night was the start of a miraculous revival or simply a momentary reprieve from what NBA history suggests is still inevitable remains to be determined.

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At the very least, the Celtics’ win made their chances of becoming the first NBA team in 151 tries to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series move from insurmountable to iffy heading into Game 5 at TD Garden on Thursday.

That’s good for a team that had spent most of this series looking nothing like the one that earned the conference’s second seed.

"We’ve just got to go win another one. That’s all that matters," Celtics guard Marcus Smart said. "We take it one game at a time. We understand the odds are stacked against us, but we’re a team that believes in us no matter what, and we’ve just got to keep going, and all that matters is the next game."

CELTICS STAVE OFF ELIMINATION WITH GAME 4 VICTORY OVER HEAT IN EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

So much of what made the Celtics one of the league’s top scoring and defensive teams during the regular season was eviscerated in three straight losses to Miami to open the series.

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics drives against Caleb Martin #16 of the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals at Kaseya Center on May 23, 2023 in Miami, Florida.  (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

The Heat befuddled Boston in those games. It took away top scoring threats Jayson