Author: Monojit Mandal
Heat 103 – 84 Celtics
The Heat defeated the Celtics in a decisive Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night, winning 103-84 and going on to the NBA Finals. The Heat’s win away from home not only guaranteed them a spot in the championship series, but also prevented the Celtics from pulling off the historic comeback to win a seven-game series after being down three games to the Heat.
Celtics point guard Malcolm Brodgon acknowledged that his team’s performance was hampered by the tight game, which ended up affecting both sides of the court. The Miami Heat have exceeded expectations and put in an incredible performance in the playoffs so far, despite being eighth and having to battle their way through the play-in competition.
Butler, a Heat forward, scored 28 points against the Celtics, while forward Caleb Martin contributed 26 points and 10 rebounds. The Celtics, however, had trouble getting into a rhythm, shooting just 39% from the field, and none of their players managed to reach the 20-point mark during the contest.
The long litany of failed attempts to pull off the greatest comeback in NBA history now includes another chapter, thanks to this triumph. No team has ever recovered from a 0-3 series deficit in 151 attempts. Only four teams, including the Celtics, forced a seventh game after losing the first three games of a series. In the 1951 NBA Finals, the Knicks achieved this feat against the Rochester Royals; in the 1994 Western Conference semi-finals, the Denver Nuggets tested the Utah Jazz; and in the 2003 Western Conference first round, the Portland Trail Blazers came dangerously close to making history against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Miami Heat, who have won three NBA championships – the most recent in 2013 – are preparing to play the top-seeded Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals, which begin in Denver on Thursday. The Denver Nuggets are eager to continue their success in the post-season after taking a week off after beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
Miami’s journey to the finals has been nothing short of extraordinary. They beat the Milwaukee Bucks, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the first round before facing the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Boston struggled in the post-season, despite having an excellent record in the regular season and being in second place. They had to win seven games to beat the Philadelphia 76ers and six games to beat the seventh-placed Atlanta Hawks.
The ups and downs of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Heat and Celtics delighted spectators. Tyler Herro was injured, but coach Erik Spoelstra still found guys like Gabe Vincent and Martin, who stepped up in crucial situations and contributed significantly to the Heat’s victory.
However, the Celtics recovered and easily won Games 4 and 5, with Jayson Tatum showing his genius when it mattered. The Eastern Conference championship seemed to be on the line when the series went to Miami for Game 6. The Heat had the support of their fans. With just three seconds on the clock, Miami held a tenuous one-point lead in a tense finish. When Marcus Smart attempted a three-pointer to win the game, it was far from over. Derrick White took advantage of the opportunity with a putback that hit the buzzer after the ball bounced off the rim, to give the Celtics the win.