After Surrendering 3-0 Series Lead to Celtics, Heat Avoid Collapse, Catch Fire in Game 7 to Reach NBA Finals (103-84)
The Celtics almost did the unthinkable... Almost. The Eastern Conference Finals entered the holiday weekend with the Heat holding a 3-2 series lead over the Celtics. Miami watched their grip on the series continue to slip. Boston won its third straight game on Saturday night via Derrick White’s tip-in game-winner, forcing a Game 7 and setting the stage for the biggest comeback in NBA playoff lore. No team in NBA history had ever come back to win a series after trailing 3-0, and the Celtics were heading back to Boston with a shot. Almost...
Game 7: Jimmy Butler (28 points) and the Heat finally put the series to bed with a Game 7 runaway (103-84) and a sharpshooting performance for the ages. Miami shot 50 percent from beyond the arc (14-for-28, 3pt) while the Celtics were an ice-cold 21 percent (9-for-42, 3pt). Boston started the game 0-for-12 from deep, and the trio of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart shot a combined 3-for-19 from 3. That cold shooting start gave Miami control, and they never looked back. It was a wire-to-wire Game 7 closeout for Erik Spoelstra's squad, and the Heat, after sweating it out for four games, are officially heading to the NBA Finals for a showdown with the Denver Nuggets.
Eastern Conference Finals Highlights
Gm 6: Celtics def. Heat (104-103) | *White Game-Winner
Gm 7: Heat def. Celtics (103-84) | MIA Wins Series (4-3)
Game 7 Statistics
J. Butler (MIA): 28 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals
C. Martin (MIA): 26 points, 10 rebounds
J. Brown (BOS): 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 8 turnovers
J. Tatum (BOS): 14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists
🔥 Heat of History (Miami's Incredible Playoff Run)
- Lost 1st Play-In Game to Hawks
-
Beat Bulls for 8-Seed Play-In Game
- Knocked Out 1-Seed Bucks in 5
- Knocked Out 5-Seed Knicks in 6
- Knocked Out 2-Seed Celtics in 7
- 1st Play-In Team to Reach NBA Finals
- 2nd 8-Seed to Ever Reach NBA Finals (1999 Knicks)
NBA Finals Schedule
Gm 1: Heat at Nuggets (Thursday, 8:30 pm ET)
Read More
FOX Sports: Heat Avoid Making Wrong Kind of History, Instead Headed to NBA Finals
B/R: Jimmy Butler Wins Eastern Conference Finals MVP (Video)
SI: The Heat Wouldn’t Have Had A Chance Without Caleb Martin