
With Butler leading the way, the Heat went on the most improbable postseason run in recent memory, one in which they made history - and avoided it, by not becoming the first NBA team to blow a 3-0 lead in a playoff series.Īfter losing the first game of the play-in tournament to the Atlanta Hawks last month, the Heat were on the verge of not even making the playoffs after falling behind late to the Chicago Bulls during the second play-in game.
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"He's gnarly, but he knows how to have a soft touch to give somebody some confidence at the right time. But the confidence level that he can create for everybody on the roster is incredible. He doesn't judge us for how crazy we get. That's why we think it's like an incredible marriage. It's not for everybody, and we're not for everybody. I don't want him to ever apologize for who he is and how he approaches competition. "And you know, Jimmy has never had to apologize. "There's no way to quantify the confidence that he can instill in everybody," Spoelstra said of Butler. The Heat, meanwhile, made 50% of their 3-pointers in Game 7 - and they are now set to face their biggest test in Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets starting on Thursday in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The rest of the Celtics labored to score, as well, as the team finished 9-for-42 on 3-pointers. He finished with 14 points on 13 shots in 42 minutes. The Celtics took an early blow when star Jayson Tatum turned his left ankle on the opening possession of the game and appeared to struggle with the injury over the remainder of the contest.
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Martin had clutch performances throughout this series and went 11-for-16 from the field in Game 7.Īfter an initial push by the Celtics to start the game in front of a rabid TD Garden crowd, the Heat got up by as many as 17 in the first half, never letting Boston all the way back as their defense held tough all night. While Butler paced the group Monday night, Caleb Martin - who didn't play in last year's Game 7 - stole the show with another huge outing for the Heat, scoring 26 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 45 minutes. We don't play just to win the Eastern Conference we play to win the whole thing."

I know the work that we all put into it, so I know what we're capable of. "I know that the group that they put around me at all times is going to give me an opportunity to do so. "And that's to compete at a high level and to win championships. "I just know why Coach Pat and Coach wanted me to be here," Butler said after Monday's win, when asked about his comments from a year ago. He scored 28 points, grabbed seven rebounds and made six assists in 43 minutes in Monday's Game 7, earning the Larry Bird Trophy as the Eastern Conference finals MVP.

next year, we will have enough and we're going to be right back in this same situation and we're going to get it done."īutler's words have proved prophetic throughout the Heat's magical run this postseason. "I think we had enough, I think we do have enough. "Figure out a way to be consistent," Butler had said after that Game 7 defeat in 2022 - one that ended with him missing a 3-pointer that would have potentially won Miami the game. 8 seed to make the NBA Finals after a dominant 103-84 victory over Boston in Game 7 of the conference finals on Monday night. Miami joined the 1999 New York Knicks as the second No. 8 seed to make FinalsĪ year to the day after Butler vowed to get the Miami Heat over the hump following a hard-fought Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics in the 2022 Eastern Conference finals, he made good on his promise. Heat stomp Celtics in G7, become second No.
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