NBA playoffs

The Celtics’ season-ending loss to the Heat on Sunday night was even more of a gut punch than their past exits. A. Sherrod Blakely explains why this year’s failure feels different.

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics clearly are not ready to see the world that exists outside the NBA’s restart bubble. And a big second half extended their stay at Walt Disney World. Tatum had 31 points and 10 rebounds, Jaylen Brown added 28 points and the Celtics staved off elimination by topping the Miami Heat 121-108 in Game 5…

The Celtics find their 2019-20 season on life support after dropping Game 4 to the Heat. As Chris Forsberg explains, Boston’s own blunders may be what leads to their eventual demise.

The youngest player on the floor helped the Miami Heat move a game away from the NBA Finals. Tyler Herro — still just 20 years old — scored a Heat rookie-record 37 points, Jimmy Butler had 24 and Miami beat the Boston Celtics 112-109 on Wednesday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. Goran Dragic added 22 and…

Getting big leads has been relatively easy for the Boston Celtics in these Eastern Conference finals. This time, they also found a way to finish the job. And just like that, the East title series got a whole lot closer. Jaylen Brown scored 26 points, Jayson Tatum added 25 and the Celtics got right back into the East finals with…

There is “significant optimism” within the Celtics organization Gordon Hayward will return for Game 3 vs. the Heat, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Celtics desperately need a spark in their Eastern Conference finals series against the Heat — and Gordon Hayward hopes to give it to them by potentially returning for Game 3.

Goran Dragic scored 25 points, Bam Adebayo led a big third-quarter rally to finish with 21, and the Miami Heat pulled off another comeback to beat the Boston Celtics 106-101 and take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals Thursday night. Duncan Robinson scored 18 points, Jimmy Butler had 14, Jae Crowder 12 and Tyler Herro 11. The Heat…

A. Sherrod Blakely gives his Stars, Studs and Duds from the Celtics’ overtime loss to the Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Kemba Walker wanted to come to Boston to compete for titles. As our Chris Forsberg writes, the first-year Celtic has a great chance to help carry his team to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Why did Celtics star Jayson Tatum commit a brutal turnover late in Game 6? Raptors coach Nick Nurse may have had something to do with it.

After failing to close out the Raptors in a double-OT thriller Wednesday night, the Celtics know they must collect themselves and shift focus to a do-or-die Game 7 on Friday, our Chris Forsberg writes.

The Boston Celtics couldn’t eliminate the reigning NBA champions, the Toronto Raptors, Wednesday night, losing 125-122 in double overtime of Game 6 of their playoff matchup. The result of the scrappy game sends the teams to a decisive Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Celtics’ Daniel Theis managed a pair of alley-oops in the second overtime but the…

The game plan from Boston coach Brad Stevens was simple: Start things off with an increased effort on defense to set an immediate tone. The Celtics did exactly as he asked and put the reigning NBA champions on the ropes. Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and the Celtics never trailed, rolling past the Toronto Raptors 111-89 in Game 5 of…

As Gordon Hayward heads back to Orlando to rejoin the Celtics inside the NBA’s bubble, Chris Forsberg asks if the C’s will go deep enough into the playoffs for Hayward to get back on the floor.

No need for any big shots this time. Not the way the Toronto Raptors just kept getting stops. Pascal Siakam had 23 points and 11 rebounds, Kyle Lowry added 22 points and 11 boards and the Raptors evened the Eastern Conference semifinal at two games apiece, beating the Boston Celtics 100-93 on Saturday. Two days after winning Game 3 on…

The Raptors avoided going down 0-3 in the series by drilling a last-second game-winner vs. the Celtics. Now, as our A. Sherrod Blakely writes, it’s the Celtics’ turn to respond to adversity.

In their last 18 games, the Raptors are 0-3 against the Celtics — and 15-0 against the rest of the NBA. A. Sherrod Blakely takes a look at how the C’s have succeeded against the defending champs.

The Boston Celtics now know when they’ll start their Round 2 showdown with the Toronto Raptors, the defending NBA champions, after the initial date was postponed amid league-wide racial justice protests. Tip-off of Game 1 was moved to Sunday at 1 p.m., the Celtics said. The game had initially been scheduled for Thursday, but it was postponed as players in…

The Celtics were finally healthy entering the playoffs, but couldn’t make it through one game without losing a starter. Chris Forsberg examines how the C’s can move forward without Gordon Hayward for the next month.