Celtics vs Heat live stream: How to watch game 5 of NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals online right now

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks to pass against Duncan Robinson #55 of the Miami Heat
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It's time for the Celtics vs Heat live stream and we have some injury report news. Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III are back and active for Game 5, but Miami is down Tyler Herro.

Right now this series may seem like it's back to square one, but this is a highly crucial game at the same time. The team that loses is only one loss away from going home, and the winner of this NBA playoffs live stream is a victory away from the finals.

Celtics vs Heat live stream channels

Next game: Game 5, Boston @ Miami is 8.30 p.m. ET today (Wednesday, May 25).
Where to watch in the U.S.: The Celtics vs Heat game is set to air on ESPN. ESPN is available on Sling TV, currently on sale at 50% off for the first month.
Watch from anywhere: with ExpressVPN.

Boston's win is largely credited to a superstar performance by Jayson Tatum, who scored 31 points. Boston hit early and often, with an early 26-4 lead. How did such an off-balance lead happen? Miami missed 15 of its first 16 shots.

The bad news of game 4 was that both teams were down a key figure. The Heat missed Tyler Herro, out with a groin injury. No word on if he'll miss further games, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra referred to his availability as "day-to-day." The Celtics lacked one Marcus Smart, who had a big role in game 3, out with a sprained right ankle.

But even without Smart (the first guard to earn Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton), the Celtics still managed to severely limit Miami in their 102-82 win Monday night. The Heat's diminished offense was led by Victor Oladipo, with 23 points — while Jimmy Butler only contributed six. Butler is possibly still recovering from the swelling in the right knee that caused him to miss the second half of game 3.

The rest of the Miami starting lineup failed to deliver as well, with a total of 12 points from Bam Adebayo (nine points), Kyle Lowry (three points), Max Strus (no points) and P.J. Tucker (no points). 

The series goes back to Miami for game 5, where the Celtics are a 3.5-point favorite according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The over/under is 203.5.

Also, we've got all the Mavericks vs Warriors live stream details for game 5.

How to watch Celtics vs Heat live streams from anywhere on Earth

Having trouble actually getting ABC, ESPN, ESPN3 or TNT? Even if you can't watch the Celtics vs Heat live streams on cable, you're not out of luck. With a virtual private network, or VPN, you can appear to be surfing the web from your home town (or somewhere that blackouts won't hit), and access the same streaming services you already paid for. 

Not sure which VPN is right for you? We've tested many different services and our pick for the best VPN overall is ExpressVPN. It offers superb speeds and excellent customer service. But you've got other VPN options as well. Here's our top pick.

ExpressVPN

We think speed, security and simplicity make ExpressVPN second to none. During our tests, we saw fast connection times, and we're impressed by the service's ability to access more than 3,000 services spread out across 160 locations in 94 countries. 

Celtics vs Heat live streams in the U.S.

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The Celtics vs Heat live stream is going to be on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday (May 25). 

If you've already cut the cord and don't have a cable package? With the right pick from our best cable TV alternatives, you'll be able to watch all of these games. But for as much as we like FuboTV, it fails here without TNT, a must have for NBA fanatics.

Instead, you should get Sling TV, one of the best streaming services. ESPN and TNT are both included in the Sling Orange package, which costs $35, which is pretty low for live TV services (and the lowest rate for one with ESPN). Sling is a perfect place to watch all of the NBA playoffs, as ABC games will simulcast on ESPN3. Sling Orange gets you TNT, ESPN, ESPN3, and its Sports Extra pack gets you NBA TV.

You could also pull down ABC with one of the best TV antennas.

Sling TV:

Sling TV: You can get ESPN and TNT in the Sling Orange package. The 30-plus channels in the lineup include AMC, CNN, Food Network, AMC, Comedy Central, HGTV and many more. And it's currently offering 50% off the first month!

Celtics vs Heat live streams schedule

All times below are in ET.

* = If necessary

  • Game 1: Miami 118, Boston 107
  • Game 2: Boston 127, Miami 102
  • Game 3: Miami 109, Boston 103  
  • Game 4: Boston 102, Miami 82
  • Game 5*: May 25 at 8.30 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Game 6*: May 27 at 8.30 p.m. (ESPN)
  • Game 7*: May 29 at 8.30 p.m. (ESPN)

Celtics vs Heat live streams in the UK

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NBA fans in the U.K. need look no further than Sky Sports for all their Playoff needs. Sky will be showing all games on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Arena, though the timings aren't great for U.K. fans, with games typically starting at 1.30 a.m. BST.

If you already have a Sky subscription that doesn't include Sports, you'll need to pay £22/month to add those channels. You'll also gain access to coverage in 4K and HDR, so long as you also have an HDR-ready Sky Q box and HLG-compatible TV.

You could also consider the Sky NBA League Pass, which offers every NBA game for just £14.99/month, plus loads of extra features including archived games on demand — helpful if you want to watch the next day — condensed replays and more. 

If you don't want to shell out for a full Sky sub, you could also consider its Now Sports streaming service. This gives you 24-hour access for £9.99 or month-long access for £33.99 but Sky is currently offering a great deal here: you can sign up for six months of access for just £25/month right now. Now Sports is available on virtually every streaming device out there and is a great option if you don't already have Sky. 

Not in the U.K. right now? You may need a little help from a service such as ExpressVPN.

Celtics vs Heat live streams in Canada

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Hoops fans in Canada can catch Celtics vs Heat live streams with SportsNet.

Celtics vs Heat game 5 starts at 8:30 p.m. ET (Wednesday, May 25) on SN1 and SN360.

If you're having trouble finding all the games, ExpressVPN may be your ticket.

Celtics vs Heat live streams in Australia

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Aussies can watch the Celtics vs Heat live stream on Kayo Sports, which has every one of the NBA Conference playoff games this year. But beware the time difference: you'll need to go by the above lists and add 14 hours to convert ET to AEST.

Kayo offers a 14-day free trial for both its Basic and Premium plans, more than enough time to watch the playoffs. The Basic package costs $25 per month thereafter. 

The $35 per month Premium Kayo plan gives you all the same things as the normal plan, but it offers three simultaneous streams. The Basic plan gives you two streams at the same time. 

Not in Australia but usually a Kayo subscriber? You may need a little help from a service such as ExpressVPN.

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Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.