The day has finally arrived. The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics will clash for a historic winner-take-all in Game 7. The world just witnessed perhaps one of the craziest NBA playoff games in the history of the sport in Game 6, and we could be in for another doozy on Monday night.
As we dust off the remnants from that wild Game 6 finish that featured Derrick White salvaging Boston's season at the edge of death, let's look ahead to the most important one of them all: Game 7. Here is everything you need to know heading into this historic Heat-Celtics Eastern Conference Finals finale.
1. No team has ever come back from down 0-3
Obviously, the biggest one of the series. No team in the history of the NBA has overcome a 0-3 series deficit in the postseason. The record stands at 150-0. That historic streak would end Monday if Boston pulls it off.
The Celtics have the best chance to do it, too. Boston became just the fourth team in NBA history to force a Game 7 after being down 0-3.
The three teams include the New York Knicks, who lost to the Rochester Royals in the 1951 NBA Finals, the Denver Nuggets, who lost to the Utah Jazz in 1994 Western Conference second round, and the Portland Trail Blazers, who failed to complete the comeback to the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2003 West playoffs.
All those teams were on the road in Game 7. Boston has the advantage with a raucous TD Garden crowd ready to pop off.
2. Heat can become second No. 8 seed to make the NBA Finals
While everyone is looking at the Celtics making history, the Heat can do so as well. If Miami somehow pulls off the miracle and prevents being on the wrong side of history, the Heat will become just the second No. 8 seed to make the NBA Finals.
The Heat were just one game-saving stop away from making that happen in Miami. But, unfortunately, Derrick White had other plans.
Nonetheless, Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra remain confident that they can still get it done.
Erik Spoelstra isn't backing down headed into Game 7 ๐ pic.twitter.com/Dr6gkc1pXM
โ ESPN (@espn) May 28, 2023
3. Boston is 5-0 in elimination games this postseason
The Celtics seem to play at their best when their backs are against the wall, or, as in the case in Game 6, they just find a way to stay alive. They faced two do-or-die games in the Philly series and survived all three so far in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Their resiliency also dates back to last season, when they faced three elimination games prior to the NBA Finals. They were down 3-2 to the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round and survived Game 6 on the road before winning convincingly to dethrone the then-defending champs in Game 7. Then, the Celtics won Game 7 on the road versus this same Heat squad.
So in terms of high-pressure stakes like these, Boston has shown its mettle in these kinds of games.
4. Remember the last time Jayson Tatum played in a Game 7?
Yeah, the last time Tatum played in a Game 7 at TD Garden, he happened to just set the NBA record for most points in a Game 7 with 51 points. Tatum absolutely torched Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers en route to this epic Eastern Conference Finals clash versus Miami.
5. Boston won Game 7 last year on the road
The last time these two clashed in a Game 7, the Celtics took down the Heat 100-96 in an epic road win to advance to the NBA Finals. Of course, that memory could be lingering in the back of Miami's minds, apart from the pressure that comes with losing that 3-0 series lead.
The ghost that may haunt the Heat from that game was Butler's potential game-winner that just fell short. Will that same ghost haunt them this year?
6. Jimmy Butler said this last year
โNext year, we will have enough, and we're going to be right back in the same situation. And we're going to get it done.โ
JIMMY BUTLER you said this last year.. and you are INDEED in the same situation game 7โฆ you have ENOUGH
donโt let it happen again.. keep your word
-HEATVSREFS pic.twitter.com/DsmslgjVxp
โ ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ (@HEATVSREFS) May 28, 2023
Those are certainly eerie words with how accurate everything has panned out so far for the Heat and the Celtics. But this time, the pressure is higher with the potential of them becoming the first team ever to blow a 3-0 series lead, they're on the road, and Boston is playing home with all the momentum.
Is Jimmy Butler a man of his word? Will Playoff Jimmy show up and exact his year-long revenge? We'll find out.
7. Al Horford's 10th Game 7
Al Horford will play in his 10th Game 7, joining a historic cast of Celtics legends that include Bill Russell, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen as the only players in NBA history to play in at least 10 Game 7s. The more you know.
Follow Us
Subscribe