The long-awaited Playoffs are coming to an end. We are only one game away from knowing the second team that will partake in the 21-22 NBA Finals, and what better than a Game 7! These series have been nothing short of a shock for every basketball fan, as it is becoming increasingly difficult to predict the outcome of the matchups. None of the previous six games has had a particularly close ending due to the dominance of only one team throughout each game. Who will be the Eastern Conference Champion this year?
Boston Celtics
Favorites of many to the win the series, the Boston Celtics are an extraordinary team that proved us wrong. Over the course of this series (and the playoffs overall), they have performed splendidly, both defensively and offensively. Additionally, their starting roster, as well as secondary pieces, have not disappointed at all. Overall, it is safe to say they have been the superior team in this Conference Finals, with little to no aspects to refute them. Even in the games where they lost, they still played pretty decently against the Heat, with the exception of the final quarter of Game 6, as they clearly struggled with clutch scoring. When it comes to historical stats, the Boston Celtics have a 64% win record when playing a Game 7.
Miami Heat
Despite having the home-court advantage in this last game, the Heat are not the clear favorites to win this series. While they are also a top-notch team with many different talented players, great defense, and offensive adaptability, they have not been as consistent as the Boston Celtics throughout the last six matchups. For instance, in their three victories this series, they have taken the wins by an average of 8.3 points difference, which is a lot less than the Celtics, who have won by 19.3 points margin. Nevertheless, there is one determining factor for the Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler. The Miami team has not won a single game this series when Butler scores less than 30 points. Provided Jimmy performs well in this series, the Miami Heat can take the Conference Champions trophy. In terms of historical record, the Heat have a 60% win in game 7.
Series Leaders per game:
Boston Celtics.
Miami Heat.
Points: Jayson Tatum – 24.8
Rebounds: Al Horford – 9.8
Assists: Marcus Smart – 6.5
Steals: Derrick White – 1.6
Blocks: Robert Williams – 2.4
Points: Jimmy Butler – 24.0
Rebounds: Bam Adebayo – 8.0
Assists: Kyle Lowry – 4.5
Steals: Jimmy Butler – 2.4
Blocks: Bam Adebayo – 1.0
Game 7 prediction: Miami Heat Wins
Having overviewed this, we have an extremely close game ahead of us; every moment will be absolutely crucial for both teams to emerge victorious and advance to the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. However, there is one thing we know for sure; we could not be happier. What is your prediction?
Text sources: www.basketball-reference.com, www.nba.com
