It’s over for Boston, which does not become the first in NBA history to win in 7 games in a playoff series after being down 3-0 before. Perhaps engulfed by the challenge of this Game 7, or quite simply exhausted after their incredible “remontada”, the Celtics actually missed their match (39% on shots, 15 bullet losses), in front of their audience, facing a Heat much more sharp and precise, when he was no longer favorite, on paper, after having squandered his lead.
A little less than three years after his journey to the Finals in the health “bubble” in Orlando (defeat against the Lakers), and a year after day after a cruel defeat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final against these same Celtics, the club of miami thus returns to the Finals. By depriving their opponents of a place in posterity, the Heat ensured their own, becoming only the second team in Big League history to reach the Finals as the No. 8 seed. , after the Knicks in 1999.
It now remains to do better than New York, who lost against the Spurs in 1999. The mission will be very complex against a Denver team in great confidence after flying over the Western Conference in the regular season and then during its first three rounds of playoffs… But the victory would be all the more grandiose, when we remember where this Heat team is coming from, in this “post-season”!
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The Heat, from the “play-in” to the Finals. Beaten by the Hawks in their first play-in game, and still trailing by the Bulls with less than four minutes left in their second game, the Miami players are in a position to win a title, close to a month and a half later. An exceptional career of Jimmy Butler and his band, which in the event of a title would clearly have serious arguments to make to be considered one of the most beautiful titles, in the course and the context, of all time. In fact, this loss against Atlanta simply saved the season for the Heat, completely transformed after this meeting. By becoming only the second No. 8 seed to reach the Finals, Miami has already made history, but can still write a final page…
– Jimmy Butler, Eastern Conference Finals MVP. The vote couldn’t be tighter: of the nine voters, five voted for Jimmy Butler, and four for Caleb Martin, clearly Miami’s second best player in this series. Heroic in vain at the very end of Game 6, “Jimmy Buckets” was undeterred and released a Game 7 with 28 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals to propel the Heat to the Finals, his second in four seasons in a personal capacity with the Florida club. Over the entire series, he shot 24.7 points (42% / 35% / 85%), 7.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.6 steals. A damn well-deserved reward for the boss of Miami.
TOPS & FLOPS
✅ Caleb Martin. Not far from being elected MVP of the series, the soldier of the Heat, after a Game 6 with 21 points and 15 rebounds, took out the blue again in this decisive seventh inning by compiling 26 points and 10 rebounds, with also 3 passes for a single loss of ball. Ultra precious by his opportunism in attack around Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, in particular by his outside address (4/6), the former Hornets player also shone by his impeccable defensive contribution, against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown most time. A star match, in short, for an essential “role-player”.
⛔ Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. If the whole team went through it, it is (unfairly) their poor performances that will be remembered the most, because of their star status. While they had both been very solid in Game 6, the “Jay’s” had a hole in the “scoring” in this Game 7: 14 points at 5/13 on shots for Jayson Tatum (11 rebounds and 4 assists), and 19 points at 8/23 for Jaylen Brown (8 rebounds and 5 assists). The latter also committed 8 of his team’s 15 ball losses, and thus sadly completes a series in which he was generally struggling (19 points at 16.3% from 3-point range, 3.4 assists for 3.6 ball losses)…
THE FOLLOWING
– Game 1 of the Finals: Thursday night to Friday (2:30 a.m.), in Denver.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D= defensive rebound; T = Total Bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
