If the Boston Celtics are looking for redemption in this postseason, they had to start by getting even with the Miami Heat.

Miami humiliated Boston in a Game 7 match at TD Garden a year ago.

After defeating the inexperienced Heat 118-84 in Game 5, on Wednesday night, the Celtics advanced to the Eastern Conference playoffs thanks to 25 points apiece from Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.

The winner of the Cleveland-Orlando series will play Boston. Game 6 is scheduled on Friday night in Orlando, where the Cavaliers lead 3-2.

According to Brown, they approached the game like professionals.

There is a great deal of back-and-forth history. But it made no difference who it was,” Brown remarked. “We simply needed to finish the task.”

Jayson Tatum, a teammate, echoed that.

Tatum remarked, “I think this is my fourth playoff game against them.” “They all have the same number. We fulfilled our duties. We attended to business.”

White drained five 3-pointers, while Brown also had six assists. The top-seeded Celtics never trailed and led by 35 points with Sam Hauser contributing 17 points and Tatum recording 16 points and 12 rebounds.

For Miami, which earned its first departure from the playoffs before the conference finals since 2021, Bam Adebayo scored 23 points and Tyler Herro had 15. Throughout, the Heat had difficulty shooting 3-pointers, going 3 of 29.

The Celtics were playing with more vigor from the first tip, according to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.

He remarked, “They most likely had something to further incite them against us.”

Adebayo stated he is carrying the lessons into the offseason despite the crushing defeat and the manner in which their season concluded.

We’ve become much more mentally tough, he stated. As a captain, going through that let me realize that there will be hard patches on the ship.

Center Kristaps Porzingis hurt his right calf during the Celtics’ Game 4 victory, forcing Boston to play without him for the first time this series. up the first half, the Celtics’ lead increased to thirty points as his teammates filled up the voids.

Boston took advantage of a Heat club that was suffering from its worst injuries of the series. Following a hip ιnjury sustained during Game 4, Jaime Jaquez Jr. did not play. Delon Wright took his place in the starting lineup, making it the 37th starting five the Heat have used this year. Jimmy Butler (knee) and Terry Rozier (neck), who had both been out since the beginning of the series, were joined by Jaquez.

Miami was forced to use unusual lineups, with seasoned player Patty Mills playing for just the third time during the series.

In the first quarter, Boston took advantage of the weaknesses in the Heat’s defense, spreading them out and making eight 3-pointers. It enabled the Celtics to lead by eighteen points going into the second half.

White’s eight 3-pointers in Game 4 smashed Miami from long range, making it the highlight of the first twelve minutes. Early on on Wednesday, he continued to аttаck, driving in for an uncontested one-handed dunk after faked a 3-point try.

Afterward, White performed for the home audience while backing up the court with his hand in front of his face. A courtside supporter next to the Celtics bench was seen pantomiming to fan White on the sideline after the Heat called a timeout.

“I believe that’s my peak performance, when I’m enjoying myself,” White remarked. “But also understanding that we’re all trapped in this greatest moment at the same time.”