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After a grueling 7 game series, the Eastern Conference Finals matchup is set as the Miami Heat will face the Boston Celtics in a rematch of last year. The Celtics had to overcome a 3-2 series deficit, but they managed to advance to their 5th Eastern Conference Finals appearance in the last 7 years with a dominant victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Celtics found themselves down 9 points early on in the second quarter, but they managed to mount a comeback thanks to a 16-4 run that allowed them to take a 55-52 lead heading into halftime. The momentum continued in the second half as the Celtics erupted for a 28-6 scoring run, which the 76ers were unable to respond to. The third quarter was especially brutal for the 76ers, as they only scored 10 points while the Celtics put up 33. From that point on, the game was far out of reach for the 76ers, with the Celtics continuing their relentless attack on the offensive end to close out the must-win elimination game.
Jayson Tatum was the standout player of the game, looking like a man possessed as he exploded for a historical 51 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists. His performance broke Steph Curry’s (50 points) record against the Kings in the previous round for the most points scored in a Game 7. Along with Tatum, Jaylen Brown contributed to the Celtics’ dominant victory with his 25 points and 6 rebounds, and Malcom Brogdon, this year’s 6th man of the year, added 12 points off the bench.
As for the 76ers, Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey led the way with their 19 and 17 points, respectively, while this year’s MVP Joel Embiid struggled with only 15 points and 8 rebounds. James Harden also seemed out of it for the 76ers, managing only 9 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds.
Interestingly enough, with both the Celtics and Heat advancing to the Conference Finals yet again, either the Heat or Celtics have been featured in 14 of the last 22 series, with the two franchises going up against each other a total of 4 times. This showcases their dominance throughout the Eastern Conference throughout the decades.
The Celtics will only have a few days of rest as the Heat come into Boston’s TD Garden seeking to steal both Game 1 and home court advantage for the series on Wednesday night. It’s a matchup between two storied franchises, both of whom have had recent success in the playoffs.
The Heat, led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, have been a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs over the past few years. They made it to the NBA Finals in 2020, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. This year, they will be looking to go one step further and bring home a championship all while seeking revenge for last year’s short comings in Game 7 of the Conference Finals against the Celtics.
On the other hand, the Celtics have a rich history of success, having won a record 17 NBA championships and seek banner 18. However, they have not won a championship since 2008 and have come up short in the NBA Finals last year after losing to the Golden State Warriors in six games. But with Tatum and Brown leading the way, the Celtics will be looking to make a statement against the Heat and show that they are a team to be feared.
For more sports coverage from MLB, NBA, NFL, to NCAA contact Julian Ojeda at 786-501-9082 or via email julian@communitynewspapers.com
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