As the Celtics’ 112-88 Game 7 rout of the 76ers started to crystallize late within the third quarter, a Boston fan toting a neon pink inflatable flamingo held up an indication that learn, “See you in Miami!”
Celtics-Heat: The rematch is now formally set for the Eastern Conference finals.
Last season the Celtics had a 3-2 sequence lead over Miami within the NBA’s model of the ultimate 4 earlier than dropping in Game 6. Boston then got here inside a late missed bounce by Miami’s Jimmy Butler of seeing its season finish in Game 7 earlier than finally holding on to advance to the NBA Finals.
Following a championship-round loss to Golden State, this season was themed “Unfinished Business” for this newest incarnation of the Celtics as they lengthy to get one other shot on the franchise’s 18th title.
They’re hoping to hold the momentum and classes from Sunday’s blowout win over Philadelphia into what they anticipate to be one other slugfest with the Heat. The groups cut up their 4 regular-season matchups.
“We had another opportunity today, as a team and for myself of just to kind of bounce back,” stated Jayson Tatum, whose 51 factors had been essentially the most ever in a Game 7. “I was relieved, I was happy about that, just to get another chance because our season could have been over in Game 6. Just being in another Game 7. … I was really excited, just for the moment.”
Tatum’s heroics topped the mark set by the Warriors’ Stephen Curry within the Warriors first-round win over Sacramento simply two weeks in the past.
It additionally silenced critics who started to doubt Tatum following back-to-back video games by which he had bother finding the scoring punch that put him within the MVP dialog this season.
“When he plays a well-rounded game, our team is different,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla stated.
Boston entered simply 7-9 in its final 16 dwelling playoff video games, however outscored Philadelphia 33-10 within the third quarter. That 23-point margin was the biggest in any Game 7 quarter in league historical past.
The Celtics, who’ve performed in additional Game 7s than any staff in NBA historical past, improved to 27-9 in these winner-take-all contests.
League MVP Joel Embiid, who grew to become a drive for the 76ers within the second half of the season after Tatum had been among the many frontrunners within the first half, had nothing however reward for Tatum and the potential for the Celtics to characterize the East once more within the finals.
“I think they’re probably the best team in the league,” Embiid stated. “They’re so talented and they got a lot of guys who can play great basketball.”
What might need been essentially the most spectacular about getting previous Philadelphia was how the Celtics adjusted to assert the ultimate two video games of the sequence.
First, Boston benefitted from pleas from the gamers and the final word choice by Mazzulla to insert Robert Williams III into the lineup to play alongside fellow massive man Al Horford. Then, the Celtics made tactical adjustment to make use of Williams as a 3rd defender on the pick-and-rolls between Embiid and James Harden, forcing more durable seems to be for each in Game 7 particularly.
Now the Celtics will look to formulate a sport plan to cease a Miami staff that has fought its approach again to the convention finals due to some epic performances by their greatest star in Butler.
It’s a problem Tatum stated the staff feels able to embrace.
“A team that we’re extremely familiar with, third time in four years I think playing them in the playoffs,” Tatum stated. “Very well-coached team. They compete with the best of them. They play hard. They defend. They make plays. And they figure out a way to win games. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be highly competitive. And I’m looking forward to it.”
