2023 Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 vs Boston Celtics

Lore & Background

The Heat led the series 3–0 before the Celtics won the next three games to force a game 7, in hopes of becoming the first NBA team to overcome a 3–0 series deficit. Miami won game 7 on the road by a score of 103–84. Jimmy Butler was named the Eastern Conference finals MVP, while Caleb Martin finished the conference finals averaging 19.3 points.

In Their Own Story

The air in TD Garden was thick with tension as the fourth quarter clock wound down. The Celtics' offense, usually a fluid machine, had sputtered into stagnation against Miami's suffocating defense. On the sidelines, Erik Spoelstra watched calmly, his arms crossed, while the Heat players moved with a synchronized ferocity that seemed to defy the odds stacked against them. Butler drove the lane, drawing multiple defenders before kicking it out to a teammate for an open three. The crowd groaned as the ball swished through the net. With every possession, the gap widened, not just on the scoreboard but in the spirit of the arena. The Celtics looked lost, their stars unable to break free from the Heat's trap. As the final seconds ticked away, the realization settled over Boston: the eighth seed had done the impossible once again.

Reader's Guide

The Heat became the first eight-seeded team since the 1999 New York Knicks to reach the NBA Finals, and the first eighth-seeded team to reach the Finals in a full 82-game regular season.

Did You Know?

• The Heat were the second No. 8 seed to reach the NBA Finals, along with the New York Knicks in 1999.
• Caleb Martin averaged 19.3 points in the conference finals, up from 9.6 points in the regular season.
• Jimmy Butler was named the Eastern Conference finals MVP.