NBA
Caleb Martin has scored 132 points through the Conference Finals, the most points in a Conference or NBA Finals by an undrafted player
The regular season is where you get your name on the map as a young player. Big moments in the postseason are where legacies are born. That was true for Miami’s Caleb Martin who’s in his second season with the Heat. During the Conference Finals, he averaged (19.3) points per game. He has scored 132 points through the Conference Finals, the most points in a Conference or NBA Finals by an undrafted player.
Caleb Martin had Heat fans criticizing his play during parts of the regular season. Mid-season he was moved to the bench and was starting to lose more minutes as the playoffs approached. However, the 27-year-old was able to flip the switch and has had an incredible postseason for the Heat.
His (19.3) points per game in the Conference Finals are the best shooting numbers of his career. The Heat have a chance to stun the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. It won’t be easy, but the Heat have proved that no opponent is too big for them in the 2023 postseason.
Caleb Martin has scored 132 points in the Conference Finals (through 23 tonight).
He has passed John Starks in the 1994 NBA Finals (124) for the most points in a Conference or NBA Finals by an undrafted player in the Modern Draft Era (since 1966-67). pic.twitter.com/mu4yvoAxEx
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 30, 2023
Caleb Martin was on another level for the Heat in the Conference Finals
Last night in Game 7, Caleb Martin had arguably his best game this postseason. During the Eastern Conference Finals, he had three games with 20+ points. Two of them came in Games 6 and 7. He averaged a scorching hot 49 percent from deep in the Conference Finals and 60 percent from the field.
Jimmy Butler won the ECF MVP this season, but the award almost went to Caleb Martin. Nine members across the league had voted for the Conference Finals MVP. Five of them voted for Jimmy Butler and four voted for Caleb Martin. His heroics this postseason earned the respect of NBA media and personnel around the league.
He was 11-16 from the field last night and 4-6 from deep for 26 points. Martin also had 10 rebounds and three assists. The Heat is going to need that kind of production in the Finals vs Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.