With Boston trying to stave off elimination, the Celtics turned to their emotional leader Kevin Garnett to lead them. Garnett scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds in the first quarter of Game 5 while helping the Celtics to a 24-16 lead after one. No other player for Boston has more than two points. 

Miami came out a little sluggish, hitting on only 31 percent of their shots in the opening period. Dwyane Wade scored 11 points to lead the way. Chris Bosh had only one basket in the opening period while LeBron James has one point after going 0-4 from the field. 

Without Shaquille O'Neal available for Boston, the Celtics have given early minutes to Nenad Krstic. The Celtics will need more a contribution from its bench if they hope to avoid elimination and extend the series to a Game 6 in Boston. 

Be sure to check out our Heat vs. Celtics hub for full series coverage. For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more on the Celtics, visit CelticsBlog and SB Nation Boston.