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Heat, Celtics first NBA teams to play in a Game 7 in consecutive years since 1994-95

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated27 Sep 2023

Heat, Celtics first NBA teams to play in a Game 7 in consecutive years since 1994-95

The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are the first NBA teams to play in a Game 7 in consecutive years since 1994-95. It is also the sixth time in league history. In the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, Boston defeated the Heat 100-96 in Game 7 to advance to its 22nd NBA Finals.

The Celtics are the fourth team in NBA history to force a Game 7 after trailing a series 3-0. NBA teams are 0-149 when trailing 3-0 in seven-game series. The 2003 Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, 1994 Denver Nuggets in the second round, and 1951 New York Knicks in the NBA Finals fell short. All three teams lost Game 7 away.

Per multiple NBA betting sites, the Nuggets are the odds-on favorite to win the championship. Check out which sportsbooks are now showing the Heat with third-shortest odds.


In Boston’s 104-103 win over the Heat in Game 6 this past Saturday, Derrick White became just the second player in NBA history to make a game-winning buzzer-beater when facing elimination while trailing prior to the shot. Michael Jordan was the only other player to accomplish this feat against the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1989.

This was the sixth game-winning buzzer-beater when facing elimination in NBA history and the first since Kawhi Leonard in 2019 against the 76ers. “Ball came to me,” White said. “I made the shot. … I was just happy. Season was on the line. We don’t want to go home.”

Additionally, Jayson Tatum recorded his seventh playoff game with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, tying LeBron James in 2018 for most in a single postseason in NBA history. The four-time All-Star has scored over 500 points this postseason as well.

Boston Celtics are the fourth team in NBA history to force a Game 7 after trailing a series 3-0, joining the 2003 Portland Trail Blazers (first round), 1994 Denver Nuggets (second round), and 1951 New York Knicks (NBA Finals)

Tatum, 25, is the youngest player to score 500 points in back-to-back postseasons. The three-time All-NBA member also became the second Celtics player with 500 or more points in multiple postseasons, joining Larry Bird.

If the Heat win Game 7 on Monday night, the 2023 NBA Playoffs would have the most lower-seeded teams winning a series since the current playoff format began in 1983-84. Entering Game 7, a total of six lower-seeded teams have won a series this postseason, matching 1995 and 2007.

Jimmy Butler scored 24 points and Caleb Martin added 21 for the Heat. Although the Heat outscored the Celtics 31-25 in the fourth quarter, Miami allowed 42 points in the paint.


Furthermore, the Heat are 6-5 all time in Game 7s and are 0-2 away in previous winner-take-all affairs. They lost Game 7 at Atlanta in 2009. Plus, Boston is 5-0 this postseason in elimination games.

“It’s a seven-game series,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “There’s nothing better than Game 7s. … I don’t know how we’re going to get this done, but we’re going to go out there and get it done.

“And that’s what the next 48 hours is about. There’s been nothing easy about this season for our group, and so we just have to do it the hard way.”

Meanwhile, the Celtics are 27-9 in Game 7s. Boston has won its last four Game 7 matchups, including one in Miami last season and one against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The C’s are 1-1 against the Heat in Game 7s.

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