It was one of the most euphoric moments as a sports fan when Derrick White pulled off a miracle by tipping in a shot at the buzzer to beat the Heat 104-103 in Game 6. All the momentum appeared to be on the men in Green to pull off the near improbable comeback by becoming the first team in 151 attempts to climb from a 0-3 deficit. However, Game 7 did not follow the script that Celtics’ nation had anticipated starting with a freakish ankle injury to star Jayson Tatum on the first play. The Celtics still surged to an early 9-4 lead, but in a blink of the eye, the Heat responded by going on a 32-12 run to get the game under control. The Celtics failed to get the deficit below 7 points, and the Miami Heat will head to Denver to play the Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals. In this article, we will discuss the takeaways for both teams in Game 7 and look at some questions facing the Celtics as they head into an uncertain offseason.
1. Celtics’ back-against-the-wall mentality caught up with them- on paper, Boston were the most talented of the two rosters that contested this series. Therefore, the Celtics should see this series as a wasted opportunity. In the first round, they were pushed to a Game 6 against the Hawks because they played down to their opponent and let a game slip away at home. After leading 2-1 against the Sixers, they let Games 4 and 5 slip through their grasp and had to scramble to win Games 6 and 7 to come from behind. In this series against Miami, they collapsed and gave up double-digit leads at home to fall behind a 0-3 deficit, forcing them to pull off a historic rally. However, the team needs to realize that successfully coming from behind requires a perfect set of circumstances including the health of key players. Yes, Jayson Tatum’s injury affected Game 7’s outcome, but this series should not have required a Game 7. The Celtics also must confront an identity crisis because, in this series, their offensive strategy got exposed. In back-to-back games, the team had two of their worst three-point shooting performances in recent memory. In Game 6, the team shot 7 of 35 or 20% from three-pointers, while Game 7 was equally as bad with nine makes of 42 attempts or 21% from distance. The team had defensive lapses in Game 7 that allowed Miami to surge to a big lead, and by the time they decided to up the pressure, it was too late. It was a clear reminder as Malcolm Brogdon said it best after Game 7, “I don’t think you win championships with the better offense than you have defense.”
2. The Heat showed their mental toughness- after an excruciating Game 6 loss, most teams would have folded after such a huge disappointment. However, the Heat embraced the challenge of going on the road in a raucous atmosphere for a shot at redemption. It speaks to the leadership of Erik Spoelstra and the culture to propel them to this improbable run. Jimmy Butler won the East Conference Finals MVP, but I think Caleb Martin could easily have copped the award. Martin scored 26 points, with an efficient 11 of 16 from the field, was 4 of 6 from three-pointers, and managed to grab ten rebounds in Game 7. In fact, in this series, he became the first Heat player to score 100 points with 60% shooting from the field and 45% from three-pointers. Miami is on one of the most improbable run-in sports history because they became only the second 8th seed to make it to the NBA Finals after the New York Knicks did it in 1999. The Heat have eliminated the number 1 seed in the Milwaukee Bucks, the number 4 seed in the New York Knicks, and now the number 2 seed in the Boston Celtics. The Heat will be underdogs in the NBA Finals against the Nuggets, but that is the position they usually succeed.
3. The Celtics face big decisions this summer- the major question facing this team is whether they will sign Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to keep the star duo together. Tatum was a first All-NBA player and leaped into the MVP discussion this past season. Brown made the All-NBA second team and can be rewarded with a massive 5-year, 295-million-dollar extension. However, after another disappointing end to their season in which an opponent celebrated on their home floor, there are legitimate questions about tying down two players to 600 million dollars, and very little flexibility going forward is the smart move. I still think they have to pay these players and retain their assets as they enter the prime of their careers. However, in Game 7, Jaylen struggled mightily finishing with 19 points, shooting 8 of 23 from the field and committing eight costly turnovers. Jaylen has to focus this summer on handling ball pressure better because defenders know that they just need to go for the aggressive strip to force turnovers. The owners will have to pay the tax to retain Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, Grant Williams, and Luke Kornet. I think Grant will probably want to see what the open market could offer. If they lose Grant, Brad Stevens still has his first rounds to swing an off-the-radar deal. The playoff run showed that the Celtics had seven players they trusted in their rotation, and Grant was an inconsistent eighth player. They will hope Gallinari gets healthy this off-season and perhaps find another 3-and-D wing defender. Therefore, I am not expecting a lot to change this offseason, but this core must realize and play like next season could be their last together if they fail to get it done.