The Miami Heat have continued their miraculous run this postseason, booking a trip to the NBA Finals after dominating the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 103-84, on the iconic parquet home floor of Boston.
The Heat posted a 44-38 record in the regular season and entered the playoffs as the 8th-seeded team. They pulled off a stunning first-round upset against the Milwaukee Bucks, the team with the best record in the league in a short five-game series.
After a relatively comfortable series win against the New York Knicks in the second round, the Heat won the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.
However, the Beantown responded with three straight wins of their own, extending the series to an all-or-nothing game and a chance at history.
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Caleb Martin Comes Up Big in ECF
Undrafted Caleb Martin was a huge contributor throughout the series, to the point that many were clamoring for the 6-foot-5 wing to be named the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP over star Jimmy Butler.
Martin had his highest-scoring game in the biggest of them all, scoring 26 points in Game 7 on an efficient 11-of-16 shooting and 4-of-6 from downtown. He also added 10 rebounds for the night.
For his efforts, the 27-year-old nearly won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP. He was one vote shy from winning the honor that went to Jimmy Butler.
Martin spoke during the locker room celebrations, saying they are enjoying the moment but aiming to stay locked in for the bigger task - the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets.
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