Boston Celtics: 3 keys to victory in potential series-evening game 4

Boston Celtics key to victory No. 3) Keep rolling out the “best 5” lineup

Game three saw the return of Gordon Hayward to the lineup for the Boston Celtics after he went down with a grade 3 ankle sprain at the end of game one in the Quarterfinals.

Though reportedly on a minutes restriction, the forward managed to log 30 minutes on the night and put up a solid stat line of six points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block.

Not only was last Saturday’s outing deemed a return for Hayward, however, but also, a return of the highly entertaining “best 5” lineup.

This lineup for the Cs is one that consists of Boston’s best players — Kemba Walker, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Hayward — all sharing the hardwood together. As we mentioned in a previous article, game three proved how effective this five-man core can be whilst sharing the court together.

"That group proved to be a handful for Miami in game three, as they helped build a pivotal lead at the end of the second quarter, finishing things off on an 11-2 run (Boston went into the half with a 63-50 lead). In the second half, they were used to thwart off a late surge by the Heat, as the lineup proved to be unbelievably hard to handle on defense."

At the end of the day, whichever team manages to score the most points will end up winning the game. As proven in the past and, of course, in game three, this lineup thrives in that department.

When in need of extra emphasis on offense, Brad Stevens should throw this unit back out onto the court until it proves to have a negative impact on the team. Thus far in the postseason, however, it’s only proven to be positive.

Let’s see if the trend can continue in game four.