The Miami Heat triumphed over the Boston Celtics in a decisive Game 7 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals on Monday, winning 103-84 and earning a spot in the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets.
The Heat’s victory dashed the Celtics’ hopes of becoming the first NBA team to win a seven-game series after losing the first three games. “We have some incredible competitors in that locker room. They love the challenge,” praised Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
Celtics point guard Malcolm Brogdon admitted his team played tight, affecting their performance on both sides of the court. “I thought (the Heat) played loose. I thought they really executed on the defensive end,” he said.
Despite entering the playoffs as the eighth seed, the Heat showed no signs of being underdogs. In the deciding game, Miami forward Jimmy Butler scored 28 points, while forward Caleb Martin added 26 points and 10 rebounds. The Celtics, on the other hand, shot a frigid 39% from the field as a team, with no player scoring 20 points.
The Celtics were only the fourth team to force a Game 7 following an 0-3 start to a series, joining the ranks of the 1951 New York Knicks, the 1994 Denver Nuggets, and the 2003 Portland Trail Blazers. The Heat, who last won the NBA title in 2013, will face the top-seeded Nuggets in Denver on Thursday.
Road to the Finals
The Heat’s playoff journey began with an upset win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the No. 1-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, followed by a hard-fought victory against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The second-seeded Celtics had a tougher road to the conference finals, needing six games to defeat the Atlanta Hawks and seven games to overcome the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Eastern Conference Finals series was a rollercoaster ride, with the Heat racing to a 3-0 lead, bolstered by Butler’s outstanding performances. However, the Celtics roared back, winning Games 4 and 5 comfortably, thanks to Jayson Tatum’s heroics.
Game 6 saw the Heat with a one-point lead and only three seconds remaining, but a last-second putback by Derrick White gave the Celtics an improbable win, forcing Game 7. Unfortunately for Boston, the final game proved too difficult, and the Miami Heat emerged as Eastern Conference champions.
