MIAMI — The Boston Celtics easily could have folded.
In the opening minutes of the third quarter, they got three stops on the same possession, and each time the ball found the Miami Heat again. Max Strus turned the fourth attempt into a 3-pointer and a 9-point lead. If ever there were a time for Boston to quit, trailing the Eastern Conference finals 3-0, that was the moment.
Instead, back-to-back Jayson Tatum 3s — the first 6 of his 14 points in the third — ignited an 18-0 run that propelled the Celtics to a 116-99 win, extending their season for another game in Boston on Thursday.