After 12 years of waitingthe boston celtics sealed this Sunday their return to the Finals of the NBA by imposing 100-96 on the field of Miami Heat in the seventh and final match of the tie.
Turning around a season that was thought lost, the Celtics were proclaimed champions of the Eastern Conference (4-3) and will fight with the Golden State Warriors for the 18th ring in their history, that would make them the winningest franchise in league history.
Miami had it on the last ball but…
The Heat trailed all game at FTX Arena but had a golden opportunity to get ahead down the stretch. Jimmy Butler, who had another titanic performance of 35 points and nine rebounds, missed a rushed 3-pointer with 16 seconds left when the Celtics only had a two-point lead (98-96). “I thought I’d go for the win, and I did. I missed a shot, but I’ll take it,” Butler explained. “My teammates liked the shot so I can live with it.”
Butler scrambled for the 3 when the double still suited Miami.
Marcus Smart (24 points) sentenced the victory from the free throw line and, after the buzzer, the Celtics players ran to congratulate the Dominican Al Horford (5 points and 14 rebounds), who will play his first Finals at age 35. “This group is special. I’m happy to share this moment with these guys,” the five-time All-Star center said excitedly.
Butler, who on Friday forced this seventh game with 47 points in Boston, played the 48 minutes of the game in a desperate attempt to carry a team depleted by injuries to figures like Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry and Butler himself. The shooting guard’s display was not enough for Miami to have a rematch in the Finals after his loss in 2020 against LeBron James’ Lakers. “It wasn’t good enough. I didn’t do enough,” she lamented. “The statistics mean nothing. I learned that I have to be better and I will be. We are going to come back better than ever.”
The Celtics got into the final after a long wait
LThe Celtics, meanwhile, will play their 22nd Finals in the 75 NBA seasons. His last participation concluded with a defeat in 2010 against the Lakers of Kobe Bryant and Paul Gasol.
The last celebration of this aristocratic franchise was in 2008, also against the Lakers, when they won their 17th ring with a team led by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.
The joy of a Tatum tuned with an idol of the rival of all time.
Tatum, the Finals MVP who was inspired by Kobe Bryant
The current star of Boston, the young Jayson Tatum, scored 26 points this Sunday and was chosen with the first MVP award (Most Valuable Player) of the Eastern finals, named after Celtic legend Larry Bird. “Overcoming the pothole with this group means everything (…) Not many people believed in us, but it has turned out well,” he said. Tatum, who wore a wristband bearing Kobe Bryant’s number 24 and the colors of the Lakers, Boston’s archrival. “He was my idol, my aspiration, my favorite player,” Tatum explained of Kobe. “Today I put on some videos of him before the biggest game of my career. I wanted to honor him and share this moment in some way.”
Resilience wears green
The Celtics, who had fallen in four conference finals since 2010, two of them against Miami, this time broke the barrier in a season that many considered lost. In mid-January, the Celtics were in 11th place in the East, even out of playoff spots. Some voices called for breaking up the duo of young stars made up of Tatum and Jaylen Brown (24 points) and others for dismissing Ime Udoka, who was making his debut as head coach in the league. But the franchise kept its bet and reacted strongly to finish in second place in the regular phase. In the playoffs they eliminated Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving’s Nets and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks, the reigning champions.
The (seventh and last) match -and what will come-
The Celtics started strongly against a Heat that relied exclusively on Butler and Adebayo, who finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Butler, still chasing the first ring of his career, scored 18 points in the second quarter allowing Miami to go into the locker room six points behind (55-49) and dreaming of a comeback. The Celtics stood firm and came with 12 points behind with three minutes to go but Miami fought for the miracle and with a triple by Max Strus they came within 98-96. Smart fumbled the ball and Butler, with 16 seconds left, rushed in with a 3-pointer that fell short and wiped out all of the Heat’s options.
Now the last obstacle for Boston to be crowned the most winning franchise is Stephen Curry’s Warriorswho want to revive the dynasty with which they won three rings between 2015 and 2018. The only meeting between the two in the Finals occurred in 1964 with Boston’s victory.
Tatum, the great figure of Boston.
All series results
— EASTERN CONFERENCE
– Miami Heat (1) vs. Boston Celtics (2) (The Celtics won the series 4-3)
Tuesday, May 17: Heat – Celtics 118-107
Thursday, May 19: Heat – Celtics 102-127
Saturday May 21: Celtics – Heat 103-109
Monday, May 23: Celtics – Heat 102-82
Wednesday May 25: Heat – Celtics 80-93
Friday May 27: Celtics – Heat 103-111
Sunday May 29: Heat – Celtics 96-100
It was played until the last ball of the seventh game. Great series.
The 2021-22 Finals schedule
Thursday, June 2: Warriors – Celtics
Sunday June 5: Warriors – Celtics
Wednesday, June 8: Celtics – Warriors
Friday, June 10: Celtics – Warriors
Monday June 13: Warriors – Celtics (If necessary)
Thursday June 16: Celtics – Warriors (If necessary)
​Sunday, June 19: Warriors – Celtics (If necessary)
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NBA: Boston champion of the East and to the final after 12 years