MIAMI — The Boston Celtics almost let this series and their championships hopes slip away on Sunday night. Unfortunately for the Miami Heat, they weren’t able to steal the series, C’s won game 7, the final score 100-96. Celtics, for the first time in 12 years, advance to the NBA Finals. 

The Celtics were leading the entire game. With a solid offensive game from both Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown finishing with 24 points, it was a well needed boost. Jayson Tatum finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds. However, Miami made a late game run with four minutes left in the fourth quarter, making it a one possession game. 

With a 13 point lead with over four minutes to go, the series almost looked like it was a wrap. However, with a big three from Max Strus, buckets from Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, the Heat found themselves down 2 points with under a minute left. 

After a bad miss from Marcus Smart, the Heat grab the rebound, go on a fast break with the ball in Butler’s hands, he goes for a pull-up three over Al Horford, but misses. After playing 48 minutes, nobody is going to question Butler’s decision. 

Tatum ended up winning the newly implemented ‘Larry Bird Eastern Conference MVP’ on the series. As for coach Ime Udoka, in his first season—he led this team to a finals appearance. 

After the Celtics lost game 6, many people were skeptical of Boston’s ability. However, the depleted Heat team were riddled with injuries Sunday. Although Tyler Herro played, he only was on the floor for seven minutes and didn’t score. Butler was brilliant with his 35 points and nine rebounds. Bam Adebayo also had a double double with his aggressiveness on offense and the boards. He finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Lowry only dropped 15 points, but he was a pest on defense. P.J. Tucker didn’t score a single bucket. 

Looking ahead to the NBA Finals, the C’s will go up against the ‘Splash Brothers’ and the Golden State Warriors. Game 1 will be Thursday on the west coast.