All that for this. After having glimpsed the comeback of the century by returning to 3-3 in its series against the Heat, the Celtics ruined everything by losing game 7 at home (84-103). Miami continues its crazy history and reaches the NBA Finals, three years after the last one, thanks to strong performances from Caleb Martin and Jimmy Butler. For Boston, it’s a big slap in the face.
Miami is not only on the verge of a fourth title, after those gleaned in 2006, 2012 and 2013 (failures in 2011, 2014 and 2020), but can achieve what no team has yet achieved in history: to be crowned champion by having been seeded n°8, moreover, after having had to go through play-offs to reach the play-offs. In 1999, the New York Knicks, also eighth in the East, had already managed to reach the final, but then fell to the sacred San Antonio Spurs.
There is no doubt that the Heat are dreaming of another scenario, carried by the energy of the warriors that we give do not give winners and who ultimately overthrow mountains. After the Bucks of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Knicks of Jalen Brunson and the Celtics of Jayson Tatum, they will play at even higher altitude against the Nuggets, literally – Denver, nicknamed “Mile High City”, culminates at 1,500 m – as in figuratively, with Jokic and his gang bluntly dismissing LeBron James’ Lakers.
“We stayed together”
The return of Floridians to the bottom step of the championship, when few would have bet a dime (ten cents) on this hypothesis, during a complicated season, bears the seal of coach Erik Spoelstra and president Pat Riley, who knew how to maintain the culture of the Heat, mixing discipline, work ethic and endless self-sacrifice.
It took all these ingredients, a tough character and a good dose of newfound basketball, not to crack under the pressure of the Celtics wound up like pendulums, after being reduced the gap from 3-0 to 3-3 in this conference final.
“We stuck together,” Butler said of the torment he’s been through over the past 48 hours. “We’re excited, but we still have four wins to go” to clinch the ring, added the MVP of Eastern Conference games.
To many, Boston seemed destined indeed to become the first team in history to achieve the feat of reversing such a highly compromised situation, but for the 151st time in play-off history the miracle did not happen. did not take place.
Tatum on one leg
First because it had already happened 48 hours earlier, when Derrick White, succeeded in his miraculous tap dance two hundredths from the buzzer to snatch the victory (104-103). Then because Jayson Tatum, the driving force of the C’s, severely twisted his left ankle in his first action and he had to deal with pain throughout the game, having to settle for 14 points (at 5/13, 11 rbds).
In fact, Boston came up against an extremely tight defense of the Floridians, accusing 15 losses of opposing balls and being intercepted 7 times, without any player being able to really take over in attack, even if Jaylen Brown (19 pts) did not deserve.
Derrick White thought he was still playing the saviors in the third quarter by bringing his team closer to six units, scoring 13 of his 18 points. But the Heat never flinched in this controlled match from start to finish, showing a strong mentality and a fighting spirit that lived up to their reputation.
The embodiment of this state of mind, Jimmy Butler, certainly not always successful, constantly led the charge to finish with 28 points (at 12/28, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 interceptions). Caleb Martin, substitute propelled holder – formidable blow succeeded by Spoelstra as an adjustment – was a second lethal weapon in attack, author of 26 points (at 11/16, 10 rebounds).
And as is often the case, when it comes close, it comes from afar, Floridians planting 50% of their award-winning banderillas (14/28), when the Celtics missed the target (9/42), their sin in this series.