Draymond Green was correct. Boston, the winner of the crucial match against Miami (100-96), will face off from June 2 to Golden State to attempt to win a record 18th title, in 22 finals, and regain their lead over Los Angeles, their eternal rivals. Lakers, who were with him at the top in 2020 after their coronation at… Heat’s expense.
This will be only the second time these two legendary league teams meet on this stage. The San Francisco Warriors defeated the Celtics in 1964 at the height their dominance, when they won nine consecutive championships. This was against the backdrop of one the most bitter rivalries in history, between Bill Russell (now Wilt Chamberlain).
Jayson Tatum led the @celtics to victory in Game 7, enabling them to win the Bob Cousy Trophy, the Eastern Conference Champions. They will now advance to the Finals.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and John Havlicek will have the chance to create their own history. This follows other great alumni like the Bob Cousy and Larry Bird, as well as Paul Pierce, who led the team to clover in his last title against the Lakers in 2008.
Brown responded, “It’s what your work for all of your life.” We have to enjoy the experience, but also be ready to face it. We will be playing against a team who has been there before and been champions. We must play our best.
Marcus Smart and Jay-Jay were pivotal to the Celtics’ success. They combined to score three-quarters (24, 24, and 20) of the team’s total points. Tatum, who had 10 rbds, 6 assists and 2 blocks, wore the flocked armband worn by his idol Kobe Bryant. 24 “to invoke him know-how during matches 7”, was coldly awarded the MVP trophy at the Eastern Conference Finals.
Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart each scored 24 points in @celtics Game 7 win to become Eastern Conference Champions.
The trio did not stop Jimmy Butler (35 points, 9 rebounds), still heroic, and Bam Adebayo (25 points, 11 rebounds), from allowing a historic comeback for the Heat.
Boston is always ahead of the score in this meeting. Its lead culminated at 17 units (34-17, 45-32). It was quite a miracle that Miami was only able to point at -6 at the break.
This miracle was named after Butler. The winger was able to hold his own in the second quarter against the Celtics, who were now much more skilled behind the arc (8/20 versus 3/13), and much more organized. He scored 18 of the 24 points, 8/11 on shots, that he had scored in his first period.
Jimmy Butler continued his 47-point performance from Game 6 by scoring 35 points in Game 7, while playing an entire 48 minutes for @MiamiHEAT.
He was in time for his extraordinary performance 48 hours prior in Boston, where 47 pawns had been planted. Jimmy began to tire after adding 12 points to the 3rd Quarter, when the gap between the teams was like an accordion and went from two (56-54) and thirteen (67-54).
Illustration at 16 seconds after the final whistle, when the Heat were down to two points (98-96). Strus had a new banderilla and he lost his lucidity. He preferred to shoot from far away to get his team in front, rather than moving to the circle to equalize. Marcus Smart (8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 interceptions) made the free throws that sent Celtics to final.
It is a huge accomplishment to achieve it with this group. Tatum said that few believed in us but we did it. He recalled that his team was in the negative after 41 games and was at 11th place. This was excluded from the playoffs.
She was able to climb up to 2nd place thanks to Ime Udoka, her coach who was able create chemistry between her players. Still, it will be crucial to master it against Stephen Curry’s Warriors of Stephen Curry. They have it and will attempt to win the fourth title in six finals.
