NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

September 25, 2020

Erik Spoelstra

Miami Heat

Game 5: Postgame

Boston Celtics 121, Miami Heat 108

Q. The way they turned it around in the third quarter, what did they do and what didn't you guys do?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: A little bit of everything. I mean, we missed some open shots to start the quarter and then those turned into run-outs that got them going, those easy ones. This is a team that has great offensive firepower. When they see the ball go in the basket they started to get more aggressive and putting a ton of pressure on us in the paint, much like they did in Game 3 and we weren't able to shut that -- shut that off, and they just carried that through.

Q. You always talk about it's not necessarily each individual game, one loss or one win, but a series. Coming out of this game, is it just shake it off and move to Sunday or does it require a serious look?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: We are not getting caught up into all of the nerves. Boston played great in that second half. They deserved and earned what they got. We understand how tough it is to win in the playoffs. We did not compete hard enough defensively, and we paid the price for that. But you do have to credit Boston. They played with great force, particularly off the dribble, over 50 points I believe in the paint in the second half. Actually, after the first quarter, I think they only had four, six points in the paint and it was a deluge to the rim after that.

Q. I know defense was the main issue tonight, but the fourth straight game of sub-par three-point shooting. Is that something Boston does schematically to take away looks or do you like the looks you're getting; you're just missing some.

ERIK SPOELSTRA: I'll have to look at the film. I'm sure it's a little bit of both. I'm sure we're getting some good looks, open looks. It seemed like at the beginning of the third, we had some open ones that weren't going. They had some that they heavily contested.

But you know, regardless of whether it's going in or not, that can't affect your commitment on the other side of the floor, and it felt like it did.

Fifty-six points at halftime, sometimes that can be concerning, that you think you can win the game offensively. They are too good for that and we paid the price in the second half.

Q. You talk all the time about competition, is this just a reminder that to win any game this time of year, especially a close-out game, it's going to take more?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Yeah, there's no question about it. Just the feel of it and my recollection of every 50/50 ball going their direction. But generally, you know, dictates the tenor and the momentum of the game.

Q. In the NBA bubble we've seen time and time again how being up 3-1 means nothing. The Denver Nuggets have come back so many times. How do you keep your heads up so this will not happen to you guys and you can close out the series in a satisfactory manner?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: I don't think those series have anything to do with this. Our guys are well aware. We have great respect for Boston. We're not expecting it to be easy. You have to earn it. And we'll just learn from this and try to get ready for next one.

Q. What did you seen from Goran tonight?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: What do you mean?

Q. He's been like your best scorer, and then he fouled out. Anything especially in the second half, he seemed like the only guy who had it going offensively.

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Yeah, they are a good defense. He was aggressive. He was keeping us alive for a while but our defense was so poor and they were so good and so aggressive offensively, that we weren't able to keep it within range long enough.

Q. We saw Bam wearing the sleeve on his arm. How did he play and was he favoring that throughout the game?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: No, he wasn't favoring it. That was -- no. We're not making any excuses. Boston outplayed us in the second half. We probably outplayed them in the first half, and their outplaying us in the second half is two or three times what we did in the first half.

Forty-eight minutes, that's a long game, and you have to play consistently a lot longer than we did tonight.

Q. Obviously in that third quarter, we know how they outscored you, but Jayson specifically what do you see from your vantage point where he was able to build his confidence in that third period?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Who?

Q. Jayson Tatum.

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Oh, he's a great scorer. So if he's able to get into open space and see some easy ones go down -- you know, they just had a great rhythm at the beginning with those transition opportunities. They are a dangerous team to give relief buckets like that. They see the ball go in, and then they start to get on a roll, and before we could even do anything, two timeouts in the third ended a 20-5 run.