Celtics

Jimmy Butlers 35 points were not enough as the Miami Heat fell to a 100-96 defeat to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said: "I thought it would have been an incredible storyline for Jimmy to pull up and hit that 3," Spoelstra said. Regardless of how long I've been in the league, I'm not too far removed from when I was in high school and when I was dreaming about moments like this." We're ready for the challenge." "We don't hang or celebrate Eastern Conference championships in the Celtics organization … We're here now trying to finish the deal." The young Boston core of Brown and Tatum will make their first trip to the finals after another Game 7 victory. Ime Udoka's side led for the entirety of the match after a dominant first quarter.

Jayson Tatum scored 26 points, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart each added 24 and the Boston Celtics held off a frantic rally to beat the Miami Heat and reach ...

Miami thought it had gotten within 56-54 when Strus rattled in a corner 3 early in the third. Butler was up to 24 points at the break - he didn't miss a single second - and Miami had gotten within 55-49 going into the third. A 9-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Max Strus with 51 seconds left, got the Heat within 98-96.

Boston Celtics, sparked by 26 points from Jayson Tatum, advanced to the NBA Finals by defeating Miami 100-96.

We just couldn't get control of the game," Spoelstra said. "We've been responding all year to adversity," Brown said. "I'm happy to be sharing this moment with these guys," Horford said. "We had plenty of opportunities. We got it done." We've got to come with our A-game." "It's one of the worst feelings in the world to address your locker room after a game like this," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "To get over the hump with this group, it means everything," Tatum said. "This is a great opportunity. "We know we have a tough task ahead. "We're a resilient group. "We aren't satisfied.

The Boston Celtics have heard a lot about their pattern of falling short when an NBA Finals berth was on the line. Even when a double-digit victory seemed.

On May 29, the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat in a win-or-go-home game seven for the Eastern Conference Championship, and now move on to the NBA ...

For me, it’s just special to be with them, and being able to help them, and being part of this. Now, both Horford and the Celtics will get four days of rest before starting their series against the Warriors on Thursday, June 2. Al Horford has seen a lot throughout his NBA career, most notably, the rise of Boston’s current stars. We’re going to be here for a while, we trust in each other, and that we had to be better. Road Warriors, we’ve been doing it all year, had to make it interesting,” Udoka said during a lockerroom speech with his team. From saying we need to split the group up, or get rid of somebody, to saying that me and JB can’t play together.

Even when a double-digit victory seemed probable in Sunday's Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, there were still nerve-wracking moments at the finish ...

I learned that I have to be better and I will be better.” It’s one of the worst feelings in the world to address a locker room after a game like this. “The Boston Celtics came out and did what they had to do in the series. When it ends, it ends in a thud.” We took the toughest route and it worked out.” Smart’s two free throws elevated the lead to 98-85 with 3:35 remaining.

Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 35 points and just missed a 3-pointer with 16.6 seconds left.

I love that about Jimmy. That was the right look, and I just thought as it was leaving his hand, I thought for sure that was going down,” the Miami coach said. “But when he shot that, I was like, ‘Man, what the hell.’ But he missed, we get the rebound, we move on.” “My thought process was ‘go for the win’, which I did. Just hope he doesn’t make it,” Smart said. He could have made the shot. Butler had a game-high 35 points and 38 might have put Miami in the NBA Finals. But he missed.

The Eastern Conference Finals series between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat has concluded with a Boston Celtics victory in Game 7.

Hopefully, the Boston Celtics are able to show out on the highest stage. "We're proud of the progress they're making, but they're going to have to make another step and find ways to not only create for themselves but create for others on this team to open up the court for them later down in the game where they're always going to have to take those tough shots or take tough matchups when they do get the 1-on-1 or they bring the trap. Earlier in the year, Marcus Smart called out Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for not wanting to pass the ball.

MIAMI -- Not this time. After being thwarted on the doorstep of the NBA Finals three other times in the previous five seasons, the Boston Celtics have ...

"Today was the biggest test," Brown said. "The road that we took to get here, not a lot of people believed in us," Tatum said. Butler was up to 24 points at the break and Miami had gotten within 55-49 going into the third. Miami thought it had gotten within 56-54 when Strus rattled in a corner three-pointer early in the third. This Celtics team roared to life down the stretch and is still roaring. They are a heck of a basketball team." ... It's one of the worst feelings into the world to address your locker room after a game like this." "We finally got over the hump." Boston is now 13-1 after losses over the last four-plus months. Ime Udoka's first season as coach of the Celtics was not without immense challenges. Through 50 games, the Celtics were 25-25. Tatum -- wearing a purple-and-gold armband bearing the number "24" of Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, his favorite player -- had lost two East finals in his young career.

On this date in 2008, the Celtics defeated the Detroit Pistons to advance to their first NBA Finals since 1987 on their way to Banner 17.

The Celtics lost, 104-96, in the first game of the best-of-seven series. Boston Celtics Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge react near the end of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons at Boston Garden, May 26, 1988. The Celtics would beat the Pistons via a future Hall of Fame trio, with 27 points and 8 rebounds from small forward Paul Pierce, 17 points from shooting guard Ray Allen, and big man Kevin Garnett adding 16 points and 6 rebounds.

Any question about if Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can win together were answered as the Celtics are onto the NBA Finals.

So the Celtics will celebrate, but they also know the task ahead of them as they look to bring home the often-discussed banner No. 18. “We’ve grown from it, and it’s definitely helped us in the long run.” But when the C’s needed buckets, they put the ball in Tatum’s hands and allowed him not only score, but make the correct reads. The Celtics were 18-21 and 11th place in the East nearly midway through the season. That was the case again in Game 7, where the C’s held a 17-point lead but nearly allowed a Heat comeback. MIAMI — The Celtics heard it all earlier this season when they sputtered, and an NBA Finals berth wasn’t even on the spectrum of reality.

For the inaugural presentation of the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP award, it was only right to be given to a Celtic Legend in the making.

Look for bigger and better things, and obviously he's going to do the same in the championship series.” Well-deserved all the accolades he's getting and he's only 24 and not even touched his ceiling, not even close to that. Tatum’s ability to battle through adversity in the ECF reflected upon his full-season effort of helping the Celtics bounce back from a rough start. “He's a superstar, and he deserved that,” Butler said of Tatum’s first Finals berth. Friday night’s Game 6 loss could have been a breaking point for Boston, but Tatum did what he has done all throughout the postseason by leading them to a bounce-back win. Regardless of how long I've been in the league, I'm not too far removed from when I was in high school and when I was dreaming about moments like this.

We've been through a lot,” Marcus Smart said after Boston's Game 7 win over the Miami Heat. “Literally blood, sweat and tears."

We know we’ve got a long road in front of us, but we’re up for the challenge.” Horford collapsed to the ground. “No matter what adversity is put in front of us, no obstacle, no loop, we’re going to get through it, we’re going to get over it, we’re going to get around it,” Smart said. For months, the Celtics struggled to learn the way Udoka wanted them to play. The Celtics lost their scruples over the final three minutes but still did enough to advance. In the celebration, Tatum and Brown hugged each other. Butler, dominant over the last two games of the series, pulled up for a 3-pointer instead of driving to the rim. The Celtics were a golden franchise loaded with enough talent, both young and established, to control the Eastern Conference for years to come. As Miami tried to mount a comeback after that drought, Tatum drilled a stepback 3-pointer from the left wing, then lost Butler with a great move at the end of the shot clock. Why would the Celtics dwell on the pain when the future promised to heal it? At the end of a series that left both teams hobbled, Tatum, Brown and Smart became the second trio in NBA history to record at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists each during a Game 7. MIAMI — Four years ago, back when this all seemed easy to Jayson Tatum, the Celtics ripped off a run to the Eastern Conference finals.

The Boston Celtics secured a nerve-wracking 100-96 Game 7 victory over the Miami Heat to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 12 years.

Butler had twice exceeded 40 points during this series to drag Miami to a Game 7 but said he wasn't happy with his performance on Sunday. The Boston Celtics came out and did what they had to do in the series. This is the biggest game of my career thus far and I wanted to wear that armband to honor him and kind of share that moment in a way." "The shoes that I've been wearing the last couple games were dedicated to him. "Not good enough," Butler said. This is a typical Celtics win."

After a sometimes chaotic Eastern Conference finals against, the Boston Celtics are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.

“It's not easy, clearly, this is my first time being in the championship. It took time for Tatum and Brown to rely on and trust the pass. “That was the lowest moment for me,” he said. “And they have probably done it the way that it's supposed to happen in this league. “But I think shortly after that, things started to turn around.” This was Boston’s fourth trip to the conference finals in the past six seasons. He wanted versatile defenders that could guard on the perimeter, guard multiple positions, switch when necessary and have big men who can protect the paint. It took us a while, but I feel like once we started to understand how we needed to play, we became more consistent.” They've all been here, and to get to the championship is obviously the next step, but our focus is getting four more.” “Ime just did a tremendous job this year building on what they have done the last six, seven years,” Celtics coach Erik Spoelstra said. Regardless of how long I've been in the league, I'm not too far removed from when I was in high school and when I was dreaming about moments like this.” He averaged 25 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists and shot 46.2% from the field.

After falling short their last four trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics have punched their ticket to play on the NBA's brightest stage.

We left it all on the floor, and obviously, we got it done." Give us everything you can, and we'll help you and pick up everything that we can that you can't." I've got the quad injury, I have the foot injury, and then I have the ankle injury. "There's a couple of games (that) we felt got away from us, and instead of carrying it like baggage, we wore it like a badge of experience to help us get prepared for the next game. "To get over this hump in the fashion that we did it. And I think that's what we all have in common; that we've all been through those tough times, and we remember how that felt. We've learned a lot over the years, and now the stage is at its brightest. To being pushed and to being asked to do more. A good team is able to put their best foot forward each and every night. But trusting yourself; trusting the work that you put in to get to this point and continue to work. And everybody believed, and I think that's half the battle. "You start to realize how hard it is to win.

Boston appeared to be headed for the lottery at the start of the season, but now have a date with the Warriors in the championship.

But I think you just trust in yourself, trust in the work that you put in to get to this point and continue to work, and it can’t rain forever. I knew that coming in today and the group knew that.” Awaiting Boston is Golden State, and this is a matchup the Celtics can win. Tatum was a rookie when the Celtics made the conference finals in 2018, overcoming season-ending injuries to Gordon Hayward and Irving to push LeBron James and the Cavaliers to seven games before bowing out. “I came in with the mindset today that I was willing to do anything it took to win this game, however that looked,” Tatum said. Back then, Tatum believed a trip to the Finals was inevitable. “They allowed us to fix it and work it out.” The man that who spent years coaching under Gregg Popovich seemed to think he was him. “He kind of puts it on you to let you know that, hey, I’m not taking no slack. That’s right: The Celtics are headed to the NBA Finals. From the podium, Smart allowed it all to soak in. But whether it was the 48 minutes he played, the balky knee that has troubled him or the leprechaun that has seemingly attached itself to these Celtics since midseason, Butler’s shot came up short. For three quarters the Celtics had fended off a relentless, never-ending Heat charge, battling as a 15-point first quarter lead was whittled to six at the end of the second, and as a 12-point edge with 3 ½ minutes to play was sliced to two.