The Celtics came out firing on all cylinders in Game 4, leading by as much as 14 points in the first quarter. They continued their impressive play in the second quarter. But the Heat turned things around in the second half, holding the Celtics to 16 points or less in the third and fourth quarters.
Unfortunately for the Heat, LeBron James wasn't able to hit the potential game winning shot, sending the game into overtime. LeBron fouled out a few minutes into the overtime period, leaving Dwyane Wade to carry the load. Down by two points with a few seconds to go, Wade almost secured the win for Miami, taking the last shot of the game. Unfortunately, the ball bounced off the rim, preserving the Celtics' victory.
"It was a good look. It was online but didn't want to go in," Wade told reporters after the game. "Got the shot off I wanted and that is all you can ask for."
Once again, LeBron led Miami's offense, finishing with a game-high 29 points. Wade struggled with his shot in Game 4, but he still put up decent numbers, walking away with 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Miami's role players struggled a bit in Game 4, but they did get some help from Mario Chalmers and Udonis Haslem, who finished with 12 points apiece. Haslem was particularly impressive on the boards, pulling down a game-high 17 rebounds.
Even though the Heat weren't able to pull off the victory against the Celtics, they do deserve some credit for how they turned things around in the second half. For the first time in three games, their defense came to life in the second half, holding the Celtics to 28 points in the last two quarters.
The Eastern Conference finals will now head back to the American Airlines Arena with both teams tied at two games apiece. If the Heat play like they did in the second half of Game 4 on June 5, they should be just fine as they try to regain control of the series.
"Not stressed the series is tied 2-2," LeBron said. "It's great basketball, great competition. We wanted to get one up here and we didn't."
David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.
Associated Press, "Celtics tie series at 2-2 as Dwyane Wade's final shot fails to fall"
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