The Boston Celtics beat the Miami Heat 100-96 on the road in Game 7, advancing to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2010. The Celtics were pushed to the brink for a second straight series after sweeping the Brooklyn Nets in round 1. 

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Here are the major takeaways from their huge Game 7 victory:

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1. The Miami Heat need more scoring

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Scoring the basketball had been an issue for Miami all series, with Jimmy Butler picking up an injury after starting the series red hot and Tyler Herro struggling before going down with a groin injury. This scoring issue was highlighted in Game 7.

Butler and Bam Adebayo combined for 60 of the team’s 96 points in the game with the Celtics using a smaller rotation and having three players score 24+. 

Jimmy Butler played all 48 minutes of the game as the Heat’s entire hopes were placed on his shoulders, he still stepped up with 35 points, but it was just far too much pressure on one player in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

2. Jayson Tatum is ready for the big moments

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Tatum may only be 24 years old, but he is ready for the biggest moments in clutch games as was made evident in Game 7 against Miami. 

After struggling for most of the game he stepped up with a couple of clutch shots midway through the fourth quarter to keep the Heat at arm’s length and ultimately ensure victory for Boston.

Tatum is a go-to scorer, and the greatest sign of a legit go-to scorer is being able to make tough shots in the clutch on a bad day. That’s Tatum!

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3. Al Horford is signing of the season

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Al Horford had a rather unwanted record going into Game 7, being the player with the most playoff appearances (141) without reaching the finals. He made sure to end that on Sunday in his usual under the radar way. 

The 35-year-old only scored 5 points on the night, but they came in key moments. His 14 rebounds were crucial on both ends and his steal and pair of blocks meant he finished the game with the best +/- on the entire Celtics team. 

Horford allows the Celtics to be the Celtics on both ends of the floor, he is a connector and facilitator and one hell of a defender. Horford was a great player for Boston in his first spell and after two years of struggle away from Boston, he’s picked up right where he left off.

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4. The better team won

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The Miami Heat may have been the no.1 seed but the Boston Celtics looked like the better team from Game 1 of this series and ultimately proved that in Game 7. 

The greatness of Jimmy Butler in Game 6 is the only reason there was a Game 7 and there were moments the Celtics looked frustrated but they overcame a big hurdle in the clutch moment. 

There is not a single player on this Celtics roster that has played in the NBA Finals before, getting there was always going to be tough, but they didn’t do it as underdogs. They were the better team in at least five of the previous six games and deserved winners of the Eastern Conference.

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5. This is not the end for this Miami Heat team

This Miami team had a great bounce back year in 2021/22 and despite coming up short in the Conference Finals, there is still plenty to come from this team. 

They still have a great coach, Jimmy Butler in the height of his prime and players like Adebayo and Tyler Herro still growing into the best versions of themselves. 

Injuries had a big impact on this Heat team in the Conference Finals but that doesn’t mean they would have won without the injuries. They need more scoring and if they can go out and get it this off-season, they will be an even better team next season.

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