BOSTON — In a series this strange, the simplest explanation might be the best.
"Taking care of the ball is huge," Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka said following his team's 102-82 victory against the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, which tied the best-of-seven set, 2-2.
The Celtics would hold a commanding lead of the series if not for two terrible six-minute stretches of basketball in Games 1 and 3, both marred by turnovers that bled into transition opportunities for the Heat.
Miami blitzed Boston in the first six minutes of the third quarter of Game 1 by a 22-2 margin, flipping an eight-point deficit into a 12-point advantage it would never relinquish.