MIAMI (SNN-TV) – After being thwarted on the doorstep of the NBA Finals three other times in the previous five seasons, the Boston Celtics have broken through as once again, the “Beasts of the East”.
Eastern Conference finals MVP Jayson Tatum led the way with 26 points, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart each added 24 and the Celtics beat the Miami Heat 100-96 last night to earn a berth in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.
It was Boston’s first Game 7 win on another team’s home floor since topping Milwaukee for the 1974 NBA title; technically, the Celtics were the “road” team when they beat Toronto in a Game 7 two years ago at the restart bubble in Walt Disney World.
Jimmy Butler, who willed Miami into Game 7 by scoring 47 points on Friday in Boston, led the Heat with 35 points in what became their season finale.
First-year head coach Ime Udoka’s Celtics will face the Warriors in Game One of the Finals this Thursday, at 9pm in San Francisco.