Miami Heat

Coming off a successful season with the Miami Heat, P.J. Tucker is going to try cashing in with a new contract this summer.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the 37-year-old declined his $7.35 million player option for the 2022-23 season to become a free agent.

Charania reported Tucker is expected to get interest from "several championship-contending teams."

According to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, Tucker's decision to opt out of his deal does not mean his time in South Beach is coming to an end:

P.J. Tucker deciding to opt out was 100% expected. This does not mean he’s leaving Miami, source reiterated to AP. It’s likely Heat will fight to keep him, and Tucker made clear to teammates when season ended that he would like to be back.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) June 20, 2022

Despite playing an integral role for the Milwaukee Bucks on their run to an NBA championship during the 2020-21 season, Tucker became an odd-man-out during the offseason when they elected to re-sign Bobby Portis.

Speaking to Marc J. Spears of Andscape in May, Tucker explained the Bucks didn't keep him because ownership didn't want to go into the luxury tax:

"That home where everybody loves you and you can go back and it’s love. I felt like I was building that [in Milwaukee]. And then to win it, it was like, ‘Oh, yeah, for sure.’ And they just weren’t going over the luxury tax. It just is what it is. They love you and whatever, whatever, but they weren’t going to go over it. They felt like they could replace me, and they did replace me."

Milwaukee's loss turned out to be Miami's gain. The veteran signed a two-year, $14.35 million contract with the Heat last August. Head coach Erik Spoelstra used him in the starting lineup for 70 of his 71 games played.

Tucker, who is primarily known for his defensive exploits, turned into a solid offensive contributor. He averaged 7.6 points per game and made a career-high 41.5 percent of his three-point attempts.

He also had his best defensive rating (110) since the 2018-19 season when he was with the Houston Rockets, per Basketball-Reference.com.

Miami finished in the top five in points allowed per game (105.6) and defensive rating (109.1) this season, per Basketball-Reference.com. The Heat earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2013-14 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Boston Celtics in seven games.

The Texas product was the biggest potential question mark for Miami's roster, and his free agency opens up a potential hole at power forward that general manager Andy Elisburg will need to address.

The Heat could re-sign Tucker, but he has at least given himself the option of testing the market to see what offers will be out there.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday that he believes the Miami Heat will be aggressive this offseason as they look to improve upon a 53-win team that finished as the Eastern Conference's runner-up (2:00 mark).

... They will hunt whoever becomes available, and so we figure today your next question is, 'Well, who's available?' Somebody will be coming available, whether it happens within the next two weeks or whether it happens within six months, Pat Riley will always hunt stars who will want to be in Miami, and they have a good team, and they have good pieces ...

He later added (3:03): "I think they will be hunters. I do not think they will be satisfied with running it back. We'll see what opportunities may open themselves in the next couple of months."

The Heat took first in the Eastern Conference standings and defeated the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs before losing to the Boston Celtics in seven games in the Conference Finals.

They nearly upended the Celtics in a near-comeback victory in Game 7 but ultimately fell just short. It was a good effort, especially considering that second-leading scorer Tyler Herro was held to just 78 minutes over four games with a groin injury.

Miami should be in the thick of the Eastern Conference race yet again next season, but the East is brutally tough with superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum always giving their teams a chance.

The Heat have a superstar of their own in Jimmy Butler, who nearly put the team on his back to the NBA Finals. It didn't happen, but the pieces are in place (Herro, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, etc.) for another run.

The Heat made a big splash last offseason by signing Lowry, a six-time All-Star point guard, to a three-year, $85 million contract. He was a catalyst for Miami's improvement from sixth to first last year.

But Riley and the Heat could apparently be looking to make more moves as they search for a return trip to the NBA Finals after making it in 2020.

Miami Heat veteran Duncan Robinson has finally opened up about his diminished role in the 2022 NBA playoffs, saying on his The Long Shot podcast that not playing was challenging for him.

"Not playing...it sucks in a lot of ways," Robinson said. "Especially when you feel that you're capable and you feel that you can help win. It's a really, really challenging feeling to combat. Especially when you're on the cusp and in the midst of a run where your team is playing really well."

https://twitter.com/TheLongShotPod/status/1534191794186878981

Robinson had been a staple in Miami's starting lineup during the regular season, starting 68 of the 79 games he appeared in and averaging 10.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 2.9 made threes in 25.9 minutes. That all changed in the postseason.

The 28-year-old appeared in 13 of 18 playoff games without making a single start while averaging just 12.2 minutes per contest. He only produced 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 made threes per game as he struggled to adjust to a bench role.

That said, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra may have opted not to start Robinson because he's limited defensively and, in the playoffs, defense is everything. Robinson had a defensive rating of 112.2 this season, per StatMuse. For comparison, Boston Celtics guard and Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart had a 107.1 defensive rating.

Max Strus, who started postseason games over Robinson, is a slightly better defender, equally adept from three-point range and had a defensive rating of 111.7 this season.

That said, Robinson has the size and frame at 6'7" and 215 pounds to be more effective on the defensive end. If he can learn to be a better defender, and still maintain his 37.2 shooting percentage from beyond the arc, he could find himself back in the playoff rotation.

However, if this remains his role for 2022-23 and beyond, Robinson said on his podcast he needs "to do whatever it takes to excel in it."

Robinson signed a five-year, $90 million deal with the Heat in August 2021 and can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2024-25 season.

Miami Heat president Pat Riley has already enjoyed enough success in the NBA to last a lifetime, but he's still hungry for more.

The 77-year-old spoke to reporters Monday and indicated that he has no plans to step away from the game anytime soon.

"I definitely feel an obligation to finish this build," Riley said. "And so if we're three years into this build—then I don't want to do another three years of just building this team. I think we're in that window of internal improvement."

The Heat finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference this season at 53-29. Miami advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals but fell to the Boston Celtics in seven games.

Riley further explained that he thinks the team has a window to potentially win a title and that he doesn't want it to be wasted, which is why the loss to the Celtics was difficult for him to get over.

"We got a great, great, great player in Jimmy Butler. We know that," he said. "We have a lot of real experienced veterans, and so we put together a team that got to the Eastern Conference Finals, and it was bitter, it was a bitter loss. ... I was stunned. I was frustrated. I was angry. I was all of those things for the last week, and now I'm beginning to move on past all of that, so I haven't given that any thought at all."

Riley coached the Heat to an NBA title in 2005-06, and he constructed the rosters that won back-to-back championships in 2011-12 and 2012-13. The current Miami core features a mix of veteran experience with youthful energy, with the likes of Butler, Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.

"I like the team that we have," Riley said. "I like the core, so let's see where we can go internally and let's see where we can go if something presents itself. If that's a viable option. But I'm not really concerned about the age—I'm not—because there's more geezers in this league playing at the top of their game so you can't really depend on them."

While next season will not be any easier as the other Eastern Conference powerhouses reload for another title chase, Riley maintains that the Heat organization is up for the challenge.

"It's a different game, a different time, and we have to stay one step ahead of the posse, in order to stay one step away from—the street. And that's what we're going to continue to try to do," he said.

The Miami Heat reportedly believe Patrick Beverley would be a good fit for "Heat Culture."

Sean Deveney of Heavy.com reported an Eastern Conference executive expects the Heat to pursue a trade for the Minnesota Timberwolves guard.

"The Heat would love to get Patrick Beverley," the exec said. "The Timberwolves, obviously, they love what he brought last year, but if they could sell high, they might be willing to give him up. They have a new regime [ex-Nuggets president Tim Connelly] there, so they can look at things a little more realistically."

Beverley spent the 2021-22 season in Minnesota after a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged 9.2 points and a career-high 4.6 assists while acting as an emotional leader for a Timberwolves team that made the playoffs for just the second time in the last 18 seasons. Minnesota was so impressed with Beverley's play that the team inked him to a one-year, $13 million contract extension.

"I think that Pat is a huge part of our team," Karl-Anthony Towns told reporters in March. "Not only as one of the leaders, but just our soul of our team. I really believe that. I feel like he's our Draymond [Green]. When he's on the floor, when he's on the bench, we have a different mentality. Shoutout to him."

The Heat have assembled a group of hard-nosed veteran players, and Beverley would be a perfect on-paper fit. That said, it'd be a surprise if the Timberwolves chose to move on from their emotional leader—even if a new front office is in place. The level of success has been so low for so long in Minnesota that messing with the recipe could ruin the Wolves' upward trajectory.

Frustrations over Max Strus' overturned three-pointer continued to mount for the Miami Heat in the aftermath following their 100-96 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Easter Conference Finals.

Strus spoke with reporters about it Tuesday and provided his thoughts:

Max Strus asked about overturned three pointer: Thank you for pissing me off again. I don't know how that was called back after seeing the video. I'm obviously not happy about it. It definitely changed the game and the momentum. It is what it is. Not happy about it. pic.twitter.com/WghGYrAU2i

— Brendan Tobin (@Brendan_Tobin) May 31, 2022

"Thank you for pissing me off again," Strus said with a smile. "But yeah, I don’t know how that was called that after I've seen the video." He added:

...They say they have that rule to take human error out of the game. And then the human error makes an error on the video. So, I don't know. But hopefully I don’t get fined.

But yeah, I’m obviously not happy about it. But it is what it is at this point. I guess we can't really do anything. But it definitely changed the game and the momentum.

I think it went from a six-point game to an 11-point game with no time coming off the clock. It is what it is, I guess is the best I can put it. I'm not happy about it, but I guess we've just got to move on.

ESPN's Nick Friedell explained what went down.

The call in question came with 11:04 remaining in the third quarter, when Heat guard Max Strus knocked down a three-pointer deep in the corner that cut the Celtics' lead, which had been as many as 17 earlier in the first half, to 56-54.

After several minutes of game action—during which the Celtics put together another run of their own—the call was overturned by the NBA replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Strus was ultimately called out-of-bounds, but it appeared his left heel hovered over the line without touching it.

Official Review (Kirkland): if Strus' made field goal was a 2 or 3-point field goal in Q3 of #BOSatMIA. Ruling: Overturned to no basket as Strus alighted from out of bounds on his shot attempt. pic.twitter.com/YHpqzBON5I

— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) May 30, 2022

We need a review of the review that erased Max Strus’ 3-pointer.

A trip to the NBA Finals should not be decided by this. pic.twitter.com/KqZkQaXgWK

— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) May 30, 2022

This Max Strus 3 was overturned after he stepped out of bounds. Celtics won by 4 points.

Do you agree? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/UNXH5fVKF8

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 30, 2022

Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald explained why the call could be looked at well after it happened.

Re: Strus' overturned three-pointer ...

NBA says that every three-pointer is now reviewed to determine if it's a 3 or a 2.

Then the Replay Center Official will also review the video to determine "whether the shooter committed a boundary line violation" among other things.

— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) May 30, 2022

It was a tough decision for the Heat in a four-point loss, and head coach Erik Spoelstra wasn't happy about it either, per Friedell:

I was in shock. I was asking [assistant coach] [Chris Quinn] about that. The fact that it happened, three to four, five minutes in game time, that does change the context of how you're playing. We were starting to gain some momentum. You feel like it's a seven-, eight-point game and you look up and it's a 13-point game, and there's no other explanation for it other than it's gone back to the league offices. You feel like if it happens like that, it should happen immediately and you can adjust accordingly.

Spoelstra also noted, though, that the Heat didn't lose the game because of the call.

Look, that's not the reason we lost. We still had plenty of opportunities. We just couldn't get control of the game. A lot of that was Boston. We didn't stop grinding, and we gave ourselves a shot at it at the end. We just couldn't make enough plays during the course of the game. It felt like most of the game we were grinding from an eight-to-10-point deficit.

The Strus three that wasn't came into light postgame because of a near-epic Heat comeback (and Celtic collapse). Miami trailed 98-85 with 3:35 left before going on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to two after a Strus three with 50.7 seconds remaining.

After the Celtics came up empty on their next trip down the floor, the Heat's Jimmy Butler took a transition three that would have given Miami a one-point lead, but it did not fall through. Celtics guard Marcus Smart made two free throws to close out the game and the series.

This was a hard-fought series with many plot twists and notable moments, including the Strus shot. Ultimately, the Celtics are moving on to face the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, which begin on Thursday.

It took several minutes of game action for officials to take a three-pointer off the board for the Miami Heat against the Boston Celtics in Sunday's Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. It was a decision that left Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra "in shock," as he explained to reporters after the game:

The fact that it happened, three to four, five minutes in game time, that does change the context of how you're playing. We were starting to gain some momentum. You feel like it's a seven-, eight-point game and you look up and it's a 13-point game, and there's no other explanation for it other than it's gone back to the league offices. You feel like if it happens like that, it should happen immediately and you can adjust accordingly.

Miami guard Max Strus seemingly hit a three-pointer early in the third quarter to cut the team's deficit to 56-54. After about two minutes of game time, a replay review revealed Strus stepped out of bounds before the shot, negating the basket.

This Max Strus 3 was overturned after he stepped out of bounds. Celtics won by 4 points.

Do you agree? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/UNXH5fVKF8

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 30, 2022

The points were taken off the board, and a 63-55 Celtics lead at the time became 63-52. 

Spoelstra acknowledged that it wasn't the reason his team lost but said the league should consider a change in procedure going forward.

"I'm sure they will look at that, and we'll probably be the case study for it," he said.

Boston led by as many as 17 in the first half before the Heat cut the margin to six at halftime. The apparent three-pointer by Strus was the closest Miami got until late in the fourth quarter. An 11-0 run cut the deficit to two in the final minute of the game, but a Jimmy Butler three-point attempt for the lead didn't fall.

Miami could have obviously used three more points in the eventual 100-96 loss, but it was the timing of the ruling that especially turned heads.

"That was so unusual for us to be grinding and then start to get some momentum, and then it was like, oh, hey, by the way, take away that three, with no explanation," Spoelstra said.

It was enough to help the Celtics advance to the NBA Finals for a matchup against the Golden State Warriors.     

Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler has no regrets over attempting a go-ahead three-pointer in the waning seconds of Miami's 100-96 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday.

While talking to reporters after the game, Butler said he was trying to "go for the win" and that his teammates were in favor of the shot:

"My thought process was 'go for the win'...my teammates like the shot that I took, so I'm living with it."

Jimmy Butler on the 3-point shot he took while down 2 with 16 seconds left#HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/KrSGcqJ3XI

— FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun (@FanDuelSN_FL) May 30, 2022

Butler took the shot in transition with 16.6 seconds remaining in the game and Miami down by two, but it didn't fall:

Jimmy Butler went for the win. pic.twitter.com/7fjYjg9wkC

— ESPN (@espn) May 30, 2022

Guard Marcus Smart subsequently hit two free throws to seal the massive road win for the C's and cement their place in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

For the second game in a row, Butler essentially put the Heat on his back, and he nearly led them to victory again after elevating them to a victory in a do-or-die Game 6 on the road with 47 points.

On Sunday, Butler led all scorers again with 35 points on 13-of-24 shooting to go along with nine rebounds, but perhaps most impressively, he played all 48 minutes.

Games 6 and 7 represented a remarkable turnaround for Butler after a knee injury knocked him out of Game 3 and he subsequently struggled in Games 4 and 5, scoring a total of 19 points in those two contests.

Butler ended up scoring the most points in the series with 179, and a case could have been made for him to be named Eastern Conference Finals MVP even in defeat, but that honor ultimately went to Boston's Jayson Tatum.

Given how well Butler shot the ball during the final two games of the series, it is difficult to argue against him taking an open shot for the lead.

Still, his three-point attempt seemingly took observers by surprise since it was in transition and occurred so early in the shot clock.

Driving to the basket and attempting to draw a foul that either could have tied the game or put the Heat ahead with an and-1 may have been the better play in retrospect, especially since the Celtics still would have had a chance to win even if Butler made the trifecta.

The Heat came agonizingly close to reaching the NBA Finals for the second time in three seasons, but now they will have to watch from home as the Warriors go for their fourth championship in eight seasons against the Celtics.

The Boston Celtics are moving on to face the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, but Jimmy Butler made them work till the final buzzer.

And after everything he'd put Boston through in Games 6 and 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics were surely holding their breath when he pulled up for three in a 98-96 game with 16.6 seconds left.

It felt like Tatum was waiting on a double that didn't come. Miami gets the stop. Jimmy Butler went for it. pic.twitter.com/E6kxaETlGQ

— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) May 30, 2022

You may have felt the collective sigh of relief let out by Celtics fans after Butler came up short. You surely felt the tension that led up to that shot too.

Just over three minutes earlier, Boston was up 13. The game felt done, or at least close to it. But the Miami Heat weren't going to quit on their home floor. And an 11-0 run gave Jimmy his chance.

It was 98-85 before Kyle Lowry hit a mid-range jumper. A Max Strus dunk then cut the lead to single digits. With just over a minute left, Victor Oladipo got the rim and trimmed the lead to seven. Then Lowry scored again. And finally, Strus hit a dribble pull-up three going right that put Miami within one possession of the Finals.

wait. pic.twitter.com/qN6Z1EX3cZ

— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) May 30, 2022

All 11 points in the run were scored by Heat players not named Butler. But make no mistake—there was no way Miami would have had the chance it did without him.

There's leaving it all on the floor, and then there's what Butler did for Miami.

After one of the greatest individual Heat playoff games of all time in Game 6–when he went for 47 points, nine boards, eight assists and four steals in 46 minutes–Butler played all 48 in Game 7. He had 35 points and nine rebounds, but the stat line doesn't begin to do him justice.

For prolonged stretches of the last two games (really, this entire playoff run), Miami's offense seemed entirely reliant on Butler. When everyone else stalled out, he almost always had a way (and the will) to get to the bucket, draw a foul or hit a pull-up jumper.

In 17 playoff games, he averaged 27.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.4 threes. He leads the NBA in playoff wins over replacement player, and it's not particularly close.

Butler carried the Heat to this point.

But this is 2022, when social media reactions feel as connected to the NBA as the traditional game recaps in newspapers used to be.

Even after everything Butler did throughout the postseason, particularly in Games 6 and 7 of this series, plenty of people couldn't help but wonder if he made the right call.

Locked on Heat's Wes Goldberg didn't "love the 3 at the end." Bleacher Report writer and former NBA video coordinator Mo Dakhil wrote, "Got to attack, this wasn't a good shot."

NBA.com's John Schuhmann shared video of a strikingly similar situation Butler found himself in as a Philadelphia 76er in 2019:

pic.twitter.com/tLEfion9pb

— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) May 30, 2022

Others were, uh, less tactful:

https://twitter.com/SCOTTlEBARNESS/status/1531112156686696448

Were there other options for Butler? Absolutely.

Dakhil and Schuhmann nailed one. Miami was in semi-transition, with only Al Horford and Jaylen Brown in position to deter Butler. He may have been able to get around Horford. If Brown came over to help, Oladipo may have been open for a kickout. In that situation, either Celtic may have been overzealous enough to commit a foul. Scoring with the clock stopped would've been huge for the Heat.

But there are a lot of "may haves" in there, and there are plenty of reasons Boston is headed to the Finals. Its team defense may be chief among them.

After playing 47 minutes and 43 seconds, there's no guarantee Butler had the burst or angle he wanted to get by Horford. Since January 1, few (if any) players had any answers against this unit. For the last two games, Butler had plenty. He'd demonstrated an ability to read, dissect and attack this defense.

If he'd made the shot, the internet would be loudly and unanimously celebrating the decision.

Gotta say "Butler would have gotten an And 1" Twitter is really illustrating just how results oriented some of you all can be.

— Haralabos Voulgaris (@haralabob) May 30, 2022

Butler was the best player on the floor this series, and he did more than enough to earn the trust of his team, his coach and an entire fanbase.

Riding momentum and with a chance to take the lead, he took his shot. And he spent the entire postseason earning the right to do so.

If the best two words in sports are Game 7, the best four words in Boston might just be "no more Jimmy Butler."

While the Miami Heat star kept his team's season alive with 47 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, his individual brilliance was not enough against the Boston Celtics in Sunday's decisive Game 7. 

He also missed a three that would have given the Heat the lead in the final seconds of their 100-96 loss.

Celtics. Warriors. The NBA Finals is set 🍿 pic.twitter.com/j0CiOlpWqD

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 30, 2022

Despite that miss, he was excellent again with 35 points and nine rebounds. He kept his team within striking distance through sheer individual will, but Boston countered with the three-headed attack of Jayson Tatum (26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists), Jaylen Brown (24 points, six assists and six rebounds) and Marcus Smart (24 points, nine rebounds and five assists).

The biggest issue for the Heat was the poor performance from their supporting cast, as players not named Butler and Bam Adebayo (25 points and 11 rebounds) shot a combined 12-of-43 (27.9 percent) from the field.

Social media took notice, and Kyle Lowry in particular drew plenty of ire:

*watches the heat's first quarter offense* pic.twitter.com/mWI9GUb8fN

— Dan Favale (@danfavale) May 30, 2022

https://twitter.com/TomFornelli/status/1531082505134252032

You absolutely cannot bench Lowry because of his contract, veteran standing, etc. but every possession he’s inolved with is 2014-level painful.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) May 30, 2022

Celtics' Big 3: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kyle Lowry

— Justin Phan (@jphanned) May 30, 2022

Kyle Lowry:
0-6
2 fouls
1-4 from the FT line pic.twitter.com/YQ5Q2moicf

— Josh Eberley 🇨🇦 (@JoshEberley) May 30, 2022

Kyle Lowry so far 😅 pic.twitter.com/NQhqAeXpfK

— br_betting (@br_betting) May 30, 2022

Never wanna hear yall question whether Jimmy Butler is a superstar again

— Master (@MasterTes) May 30, 2022

Jimmy and Bam are playing NBA Jam tonight

— Tate Frazier (@tatefrazier) May 30, 2022

Jimmy Butler has his 8th 30-point game of this postseason. That is the most in a single postseason by a Heat player since LeBron James in 2013 (also had 8).

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 30, 2022

No matter what happens from here on out -- Jimmy can take solace in the fact that he has left everything out on the floor. This is reminiscent of the way he played against the Lakers in the Bubble Finals. He's emptying the tank in Game 7.

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) May 30, 2022

Give the CF MVP to Jimmy.

— Mr. Statistician Face Man (@tomhaberstroh) May 30, 2022

Boston jumped out to a 15-point lead by the end of the first quarter by forcing turnovers, running off misses, targeting Max Strus in switches and creating easy looks in transition. Miami's offense was far too stagnant with 17 points in the opening quarter, although Butler put the team on his back and clawed to within six by halftime.

Still, Tyler Herro was far less than 100 percent in his first action since Game 3 because of a groin injury, Lowry got cooked multiple times on defense while struggling with his outside shot and the Celtics had an answer for every one of Butler's spurts.

The final spurt was almost enough for Miami to shock the Eastern Conference champs, as it went on an 11-0 run and had the ball down two in the final 20 seconds. However, Butler missed the pull-up three-pointer in transition that would have given his side the lead, and the Celtics iced it from there on the free-throw line.

Boston's win meant the road team went 5-2 in this series, and it may need some of that magic away from home in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.