May 26th 2022
Celtics vs. Heat score, results: Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum dominate second half as Boston takes a 3-2 series lead
The Boston Celtics are one win away from the NBA Finals after a convincing 93-80 road win over the Miami Heat in Game 5.
After trailing by five points at the half, they turned in a strong defensive performance in the second half, outscoring the Heat 56-38 to take a 3-2 series lead.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 25 points, while Jayson Tatum added 22 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Al Horford provided a spark in the paint, adding 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Miami's offense fell flat for the second game in a row, shooting just 31.9 percent from the field and just 15.6 percent (7-of-45) from the 3-point line.
Bam Adebayo (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Jimmy Butler (13 points, six rebounds, four assists) were the only Heat starters to finish in double figures.
Can the Heat rally on the road and force a Game 7?
The Sporting News tracked all the action from Game 5.
Celtics vs. Heat score
| Game 5 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Celtics | 17 | 20 | 32 | 24 | 93 |
| Heat | 19 | 23 | 16 | 22 | 80 |
Celtics vs. Heat Game 5: Live score, updates and highlights
FINAL: Celtics 93, Heat 80
That's a wrap from South beach as the Boston Celtics dominate the second half to move to within one win of their first NBA Finals since 2010.
11:00 p.m. — The Heat fans are starting to exit the building with Miami down 15 with two minutes remaining.
10:49 p.m. — Jaylen Brown PUNCHES IT HOME!
Brown has come to life down the stretch of Game 5. He's up to 23 points as the Celtics extend their lead to 89-71.
10:45 p.m — The Celtics are running away with it in the fourth as Tatum caps off an 18-2 run.
End of third quarter: Celtics 69, Heat 58
The Celtics blow the game open in the third, outscoring the Heat 32-16 to take the first double-digit lead of the game.
Miami's offense ground to a halt in the third, going just 4-for-23 from the field. Will they respond on their home floor?
10:29 p.m. — Jayson Tatum gets into attack mode for the layup to give the Celtics the biggest lead of the night 67-58.
10:25 p.m. — Kyle Lowry checks out of the game for Gabe Vincent after picking up his fourth foul. Lowry has struggled tonight, with 0 points, 0 assists, one rebound and three turnovers in 21 minutes.
10:17 p.m. — Boston has punished the Heat in transition in the third, snatching rebounds and getting easy buckets. The Heat have to do more on the offensive glass to regain control of the pace of the game.
10:10 p.m. — Here comes Jimmy Butler. He puts his head down and gets to the rim to give Miami their first field goal of the quarter. Boston leads 49-48.
10:06 p.m. — Max Strus heads back to the locker room. We'll continue to monitor the situation.
10:05 p.m. — Are we sure Al Horford's 35? He takes it coast-to-coast for the and-1.
10:02 p.m. — Marcus Smart picks up his fourth foul early in the third quarter. He stays in the game.
10:00 p.m. — Grant Williams starts the second half for the Celtics, giving them a different look on offense with their perimeter players struggling so far.
Halftime: Heat 42, Celtics 37
After a scrappy first half, the Heat take a five-point lead into the break. It's the first time in the series that the half-time lead has not been in double figures.
Derrick White (11 points) and Al Horford lead (10 points) lead the Celtics as their star duo of Brown and Tatum have combined to shoot 3-for-16 from the floor.
For the Heat, Bam Adebayo is making his presence felt inside. He leads the Heat with 10 points and five rebounds at the half.
9:34 p.m. — Derrick White is keeping the Celtics in this one. He's got 11 points in 11 minutes, finding success working as the roll man in pick-and-roll actions.
9:32 p.m. — The Miami rims have been far from friendly early with both teams struggling from deep. Miami is shooting 3-of-16, while the Celtics have hit just 2-of-11.
9:22 p.m. — Duncan Robinson gets his first triple of the game. It will be interesting to see how much he's used tonight after struggling to crack the rotation, not only in this series but through the postseason. Without Tyler Herro, his shooting could be a big factor for the Heat.
9:19 p.m. — Robert Williams with the big defensive play!
He covered a ton of ground to get from the paint to the corner to sway Gabe Vincent's 3-point attempt. Nasty.
End of first quarter: Heat 19, Celtics 17
Did someone say defense?
It was an old fashion scrap in the first quarter with Miami taking a slender lead. They shot 9-of-24, while the Celtics connected on 7-of-17 from the field.
9:12 p.m. — The Celtics did a great job in Game 4 limiting their turnovers to just nine. Through the first quarter, they've already turned the ball over six times, with Jaylen Bwon accounting for four of them.
9:03 p.m. — Oladipo fights through traffic for the layup to give Miami their first lead of the night 15-14.
Notably, that's the first lead change in the series since the first quarter of Game 2 to and just the fifth lead change of the entire series.
9:00 p.m. — BAM ADEBAYO!!!!
Bam soars in off the Butler miss for the emphatic putback. After a sluggish outing in Game 4, Adebayo is off to a strong start at home.
8:52 p.m. — After missing their first six shots of the game, Jimmy Butler gets the Heat on the board.
8:50 p.m — It's been a frantic start to the game for both teams as Robert Williams III gets things going with the first two baskets of the game.
Pregame
8:00 p.m. — The Heat will start with Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Max Strus, PJ Tucker and Bam Adebayo.
7:58 p.m. — Marcus Smart returns to the starting lineup, alongside Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Robert Williams III.
7:00 p.m.: The Heat announced that Tyler Herro (groin) is out for Game 5. Herro also missed Game 4 due to a groin strain.
7:00 p.m.: The Celtics announced that both Marcus Smart (ankle) and Robert Williams III (knee) will be available for Game 5.
What channel is Celtics vs. Heat on?
- Date: Wednesday, May 25
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live streaming: Watch ESPN | Sling TV
Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals will air on ESPN. Viewers can also stream Game 5 on Watch ESPN and Sling TV.
Viewers in the U.S. can stream every NBA Playoff game live on SLING TV. With the SLING Orange Sports Extra package, get $10 off your first month now with access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT and NBATV. NBA Playoff games on ABC are simulcast on ESPN3, which is included with SLING Orange, available for $35 per month including $25 the first month for new subscribers.
MORE: Watch the NBA Playoffs on Sling TV (U.S. only)
Celtics vs. Heat start time
- Date: Wednesday, May 25
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET | 5:30 p.m. PT
Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals will tip off around 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 25. The game will be played at the FTX Arena in Miami, FL.
Celtics vs. Heat schedule, TV channels
Here is the full schedule for the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals.
| Date | Game | Time (ET) / Result | TV channel |
| May 17 | Game 1 | Heat 118, Celtics 107 | ESPN |
| May 19 | Game 2 | Celtics 127, Heat 102 | ESPN |
| May 21 | Game 3 | Heat 109, Celtics 103 | ABC |
| May 23 | Game 4 | Celtics 102, Heat 82 | ABC |
| May 25 | Game 5 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| May 27 | Game 6 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| May 29 | Game 7* | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
*If necessary
May 18th 2022
Warriors vs. Mavericks predictions, expert picks and Western Conference Finals MVP
The Mavericks stunned everyone by not only defeating the Suns in Game 7, but also blowing them out.Their reward? A matchup with the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.
The Mavericks have been the NBA's biggest surprise in these NBA Playoffs. They took down the Jazz in the first round despite not having Luka Doncic for the entire series and followed it up by knocking out a Suns team that ran away with the league's best record this season in the second round.
The Warriors, meanwhile, have handled their business, beating the Nuggets in five games and the Grizzlies in six games.
The Mavericks will be looking to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011, while the Warriors will be looking to make their sixth Finals appearance in eight seasons.
In anticipation of the Western Conference Finals, members of our NBA staff have identified one matchup to watch and made their picks for the series and the newly-introduced Conference Finals MVP award.
Warriors vs. Mavericks matchup to watch
Matchup #1: Luka Doncic vs. whichever Warrior is defending him
With Gary Payton II out, Andrew Wiggins figures to spend the most time chasing Doncic around, but the Mavericks star is as good as it gets at forcing switches to get the matchup he wants. That means Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole and even Klay Thompson will likely find themselves defending Doncic on an island a fair bit in this series.
Doncic proved what he's capable of in Dallas' second-round upset over Phoenix. He can get to his stepback whenever he wants. He plays at a pace that's hard to read. He has both the size and skill to pick most players apart in the post.
I mean, Doncic posted up Deandre Ayton on one possession in Game 7. He's afraid of no one.
The Mavericks are going to need the likes of Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie to step up again to defeat the Warriors, but it all starts with Doncic.
— Scott Rafferty
Matchup #2: Jalen Brunson vs. Jordan Poole
Both Brunson and Poole elevated their games dramatically this offseason with the late first-round picks emerging as legitimate secondary scoring threats.
There's more pressure on Brunson to deliver given Poole has Thompson pouring in over 20 points per game on the opposite flank and Draymond Green facilitating offense. But at this stage, Poole is the more dangerous creator off the bounce than either of them, which makes his performance vital against a stifling Dallas defense that will do everything it can to take the ball out of Curry's hands.
Touches Per Game in Conf Semis Mavericks Warriors 1st on team Doncic — 91.1 Curry — 73.8 2nd on team Brunson — 66.0 Green — 65.0 3rd on team Kleber — 37.6 Poole — 58.5
Doncic, meanwhile, has the ball in his hands nearly 10 minutes per game, easily the most in the NBA this postseason. Against the Suns, Brunson was the only Mavs player other than Doncic to average at least 40 touches per game, and if the Warriors sell out in deploying an "anybody but Doncic" approach, the onus will be on Brunson to make Golden State pay.
Make no mistake — Doncic and Curry are the most important players in this series. But the second banana battle between Brunson and Poole could ultimately swing the tide in a tight series.
— Micah Adams
Make no mistake — Doncic and Curry are the most important players in this series. But the second banana battle between Brunson and Poole could ultimately swing the tide in a tight series.
— Micah Adams
Matchup #3: Draymond Green vs. The act of shooting a basketball
As Micah mentioned above, the Mavericks will likely attack Curry defensively and force the ball out of his hands. If he sees a blitz off just about every screen, that means Green will be Curry's outlet pass on a lot of possessions.
Green is one of the smartest players in the league and led the Warriors in assists this season, so that's a good thing for Golden State, right? Well, not if Green keeps refusing to shoot the ball.
In 11 NBA Playoff games, Green is averaging 7.8 points on 5.9 field goal attempts per game, both the lowest postseason marks since his rookie campaign. Green's defenders have been daring him to do something — anything — as a scorer.
Just check out what happens on this play from the second round:
Draymond took one dribble into the paint, then peaced out of the offense. pic.twitter.com/BC4d31AWg5
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) May 14, 2022
No one is expecting Green to suddenly become Kevin Durant, but he simply can't be this passive against Dallas. The Warriors won't win this series if they're consistently playing 4-on-5.
— Jordan Greer
As Micah mentioned above, the Mavericks will likely attack Curry defensively and force the ball out of his hands. If he sees a blitz off just about every screen, that means Green will be Curry's outlet pass on a lot of possessions.
Green is one of the smartest players in the league and led the Warriors in assists this season, so that's a good thing for Golden State, right? Well, not if Green keeps refusing to shoot the ball.
In 11 NBA Playoff games, Green is averaging 7.8 points on 5.9 field goal attempts per game, both the lowest postseason marks since his rookie campaign. Green's defenders have been daring him to do something — anything — as a scorer.
Just check out what happens on this play from the second round:
Draymond took one dribble into the paint, then peaced out of the offense. pic.twitter.com/BC4d31AWg5
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) May 14, 2022
No one is expecting Green to suddenly become Kevin Durant, but he simply can't be this passive against Dallas. The Warriors won't win this series if they're consistently playing 4-on-5.
— Jordan Greer
Warriors vs. Mavericks expert picks
As much respect as I have for the Warriors and their battle-tested core, my gut says Mavericks in six games. Luka Doncic is on another level right now, and Dallas' role players are firing on all cylinders on both ends of the court. It feels like the Mavericks have caught lightning in a bottle.
— Scott Rafferty
The Mavs opened as +200 dogs, which feels like a combination of public money on the Warriors and a sign of respect for Golden State. I picked Dallas to upset Phoenix in the second round and see no reason to jump ship now against a Warriors team that looked shaky in finishing off an undermanned Grizzlies squad. More magic for Doncic, who will spearhead a win for the Mavericks in seven games.
— Micah Adams
I'm going to make this a triple play and take the Mavericks in six games. The Warriors undoubtedly possess an experience advantage, but this isn't the same team that reached five consecutive NBA Finals. Dallas has the best player in the series in Doncic, and the defensive effort under Jason Kidd has been fantastic.
— Jordan Greer
As much respect as I have for the Warriors and their battle-tested core, my gut says Mavericks in six games. Luka Doncic is on another level right now, and Dallas' role players are firing on all cylinders on both ends of the court. It feels like the Mavericks have caught lightning in a bottle.
— Scott Rafferty
The Mavs opened as +200 dogs, which feels like a combination of public money on the Warriors and a sign of respect for Golden State. I picked Dallas to upset Phoenix in the second round and see no reason to jump ship now against a Warriors team that looked shaky in finishing off an undermanned Grizzlies squad. More magic for Doncic, who will spearhead a win for the Mavericks in seven games.
— Micah Adams
I'm going to make this a triple play and take the Mavericks in six games. The Warriors undoubtedly possess an experience advantage, but this isn't the same team that reached five consecutive NBA Finals. Dallas has the best player in the series in Doncic, and the defensive effort under Jason Kidd has been fantastic.
— Jordan Greer
Warriors vs. Mavericks Western Conference Finals MVP prediction
If the Mavericks win, it's Doncic. And honestly, if the Warriors win, it still might be Doncic. Jerry West won Finals MVP after losing in the first year of that award's existence back in 1969. I could see the same thing playing out for the newly minted Magic Johnson Award if the Mavs fall to the Warriors. The only answer for me here is Luka Doncic.
— Micah Adams
MORE: Full details on the new Magic Johnson Trophy
The Mavericks are my pick to win, so the only option to take home the first Western Conference Finals MVP award is Luka Doncic. The man enters this series with averages of 31.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in these NBA Playoffs. Time will tell if he can maintain those numbers against the Warriors, but would anyone be surprised if he does? I wouldn't.
— Scott Rafferty
It feels silly to say anything other than Luka Doncic here. I'm not going to overthink this.
— Jordan Greer
If the Mavericks win, it's Doncic. And honestly, if the Warriors win, it still might be Doncic. Jerry West won Finals MVP after losing in the first year of that award's existence back in 1969. I could see the same thing playing out for the newly minted Magic Johnson Award if the Mavs fall to the Warriors. The only answer for me here is Luka Doncic.
— Micah Adams
MORE: Full details on the new Magic Johnson Trophy
The Mavericks are my pick to win, so the only option to take home the first Western Conference Finals MVP award is Luka Doncic. The man enters this series with averages of 31.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in these NBA Playoffs. Time will tell if he can maintain those numbers against the Warriors, but would anyone be surprised if he does? I wouldn't.
— Scott Rafferty
It feels silly to say anything other than Luka Doncic here. I'm not going to overthink this.
— Jordan Greer
May 13th 2022
‘It’s incredible’ – Denis Shapovalov elated with Rome revenge over Nada
Rafael Nadal was looking to reach his 100th Masters level quarter-final and win a record-extending 11 titles in the Italian capital, but was stopped in his tracks by the 13th Shapovalov.
Shapovalov, who moved up to 15th in the ATP rankings this week, lost the first set 6-1 before fighting back to win a close second set 7-5.
In the third set, Nadal was clearly hampered by his reocuring foot injury which limited his movement.
Despite resistance from an injured Nadal, the 23-year-old Shapovalov held on to complete a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 win in two hours and 37 minutes.
This was Shapovalov’s second career win over the 21-time Grand Slam champion, the first coming at the Canadian Open Masters in 2017 in their first-ever clash.
The win for Shapovalov meant he was able to reverse the loss he suffered to Nadal last year at the same stage in Rome.
The 2021 round of 16 tie went into a third set tiebreaker, with the Canadian squandering two match points before Nadal claimed the victory and then went on to win the title.
Denis Shapovalov following the match, labelled the win as “incredible” and “super satisfying”, especially as a result of the match last year.
In recent interview, Shapovalov told reporters, “It’s definitely incredible to me to beat him. Having match points against him last year was kind of a hurtful feeling.
“Obviously great tennis, but that one really hurt. Happy to get the win this time around. I think someone mentioned it’s been like five years since the first time I played and beat him. Definitely great that I was able to do it, especially on clay.”
“I think both are very satisfying. He’s very difficult to beat. I think the first win will always be very special. It was kind of my opening scene onto the tour. Yeah, it was just super special the way it happened in a third set tiebreak being down 3-0 and coming back. Of course, today is definitely a great, great win for sure as well.
“Having match points last year against him, not being able to convert. Coming back this year and turning the match around, it’s super satisfying to beat the greatest player on clay of all time. Super happy.”
May 12th 2022
NBA Conference Finals MVP trophies, explained: What new honors mean for players
As part of its 75th-anniversary season, the NBA has made a number of style and design changes to be implemented moving forward.
On Thursday, May 12, with the 2022 NBA Playoffs in full swing, the league unveiled a lineup of reimagined trophies for the NBA postseason, including the introduction of two all-new trophies that will be awarded at the conclusion of the Conference Finals
In addition to revamped Conference Championship trophies, which will now be known as The Bob Cousy Trophy (East) and The Oscar Robertson Trophy (West), the league introduced two new trophies that will be awarded to the player that is named MVP of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.
The player that is named Eastern Conference Finals MVP will win The Larry Bird Trophy while the player that is named Western Conference Finals MVP will win The Earvin "Magic" Johnson Trophy. The titles are fitting, as they align with Bird's dominance of the Eastern Conference as a member of the Celtics and Johnson's dominance of the Western Conference as a member of the Lakers.
In addition to league MVP, All-NBA and Finals MVP honors, players can now add another prestigious accolade to their resumes, which, in turn, could have a legacy-altering impact moving forward.
What new Conference Finals MVP trophies mean for players
Save for the NBA Finals, it doesn't get any bigger than the Conference Finals, but somehow, accolades from that round are often minimized. Now that players will be given a tangible representation of their achievements on that stage, the accomplishments can garner the respect that they deserve.
In a time where players' resumes are often called into question, each coming year will now provide two more honors that are up for grabs.
As official NBA awards, these honors will likely be recognized on platforms such as Basketball-Reference, which maintains a database of all award winners and provides a handy tool in the top right corner of each player's profile that outlines their NBA achievements.
Winning an NBA title is the ultimate prize, but the NBA's introduction of Conference Finals MVP trophies is a celebration of just how hard it is to actually make it to the NBA Finals. Moving forward, players can add "Conference Finals MVP" to a resume that also includes All-Star and all-league honors, which will better put their career achievements into perspective.
As recent as last year, Khris Middleton and Devin Booker are two prime examples of players that could have taken home Conference Finals MVP honors, adding to resumes that already included multiple All-Star selections.
From this point forward, legacy discussions have a new dynamic to take into consideration. Happy debating.
May 11th 2022
Rafael Nadal to face Denis Shapovalov in Italian Open rematch as he labels their previous Rome clash ‘a joke’
Rafael Nadal overcame a sluggish start to see off John Isner in his opening match at the Italian Open and his reward is a clash against Denis Shapovalov, whom he beat in a titanic battle in Rome last year.
The 10-time Italian Open champion was made to work for his points on serve early on as Isner had two break point opportunities in the first set, but he held firm and eventually broke in game eight.
He took that momentum into the second set as he broke in the opening game and again in games five and seven to seal the match.
“I finished better than how I started, without a doubt,” Nadal said about the match. “The beginning of the match was not good for me.
“He had some chances on the return and had two break points. [He had] two not difficult balls so I was in his hands at that moment. I was lucky that he missed those shots and then I was able to break. Then the match changed, of course. With the first set on the board, and having the break in the first game of the second [set], everything changed.”
He will face Shapovalov, who defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), for a place in the quarter-final.
The pair also met in Rome last year with Nadal saving two match points before winning in three hours and 27 minutes while at this year’s Australian Open they slugged it out in five sets with the Spaniard also victorious.
“Last year was a joke, the match that I saved here against him,” Nadal said. “[I was] super lucky. I know how dangerous he is, I need to play well, of course. I need to play better than today, but after a while without being on court it is another victory and I have the chance again to play against one of the best players in the world.
“I need to build things again after a tough stoppage and that’s what I am trying now. I just need to stay with the right attitude, and let’s see if I am able to make that happen.”
Second seed Alexander Zverev, who finished runner-up at the Madrid Open on Sunday, also advanced with a 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 win over Sebastian Baez.
May 10th 2022
Women’s U20 World Cup Costa Rica: holders Japan face US and Dutch group draw
Reigning world champions Japan will face the Netherlands, Ghana and USA at the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica later this year.
The draw in San Jose, which featured Shirley Cruz, Paulo Wanchope and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, left the hosts in a tough group with Australia, Spain and Brazil. Costa Rica will kick off the tournament in Group A against Australia, co-hosts of next year’s Women’s World Cup.
“We want to give Costa Rica the best possible performances at this World Cup but we have to take it step by step,” said Costa Rica coach Jose Catoya. “We’ve never won a Women’s World Cup match, so we have to go out and get that first win and take it from there.”
The top two from each of the four groups will advance to the knockout phase. The tournament will kick off on August 10 and culminate with the final on August 28.
Costa Rica and Panama had been due to stage the competition in 2020, but the championship was postponed because of the global health crisis. Panama then withdrew as co-hosts.
Japan are the defending champions. They won the 2018 U-20 Women’s World Cup defeating Spain 3-1 in the final in France. “We won the trophy four years ago but we now have a completely different squad,” said Japan coach Futoshi Ikeda. “It’s a whole new challenge for me.”
Women’s Under-20 World Cup draw:
Group A: Costa Rica (hosts), Australia, Spain, Brazil.
Group B: Germany, Colombia, New Zealand, Mexico.
Group C: France, Nigeria, Canada, South Korea.
Group D: Japan (holders), Netherlands, Ghana, USA.
Contact the writer of this story at
May 5th 2022
Real Madrid stun Manchester City to reach Champions League final
Spanish giants mount a dramatic comeback to beat City and book a showdown with Liverpool in the final.
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