NBA
The Miami Heat have won 41 straight playoff games when leading by 10+ points at halftime, the NBA’s 2nd-longest streak
Miami’s 2023 postseason run has been special and they’re not done just yet. A 103-84 win in Game 7 last night punched their ticket to the NBA Finals. This is their seventh trip to the NBA Finals since 2006, the most of any team in that span. On top of that, the Heat have won 41 straight playoff games when leading by 10+ points at halftime. The NBA’s 2nd-longest streak.
By halftime last night, the Heat had a 52-41 lead vs the Celtics. Boston scored only 15 points in the first quarter and was off to begin the game. That’s something they could not afford to have happened in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. On top of this, Jayson Tatum rolled his ankle within the first 30 seconds of the game.
He was clearly grimacing in pain throughout the rest of the game and did what he could offensively. The Celtics lost three games at home during the ECF. That is not a recipe for winning a series.
The Heat have won 41 straight playoff games when leading by 10+ points at halftime, the 2nd-longest streak in NBA history behind the Lakers (63 from 1985-2008).
Their last loss was in 2000 at the Knicks. pic.twitter.com/UByl9cZM8E
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 30, 2023
The Miami Heat routed the Boston Celtics 103-84 in Game 7 last night
Over the last four postseasons, Miami’s Jimmy Butler has proven that he’s built for the playoffs. He’s now led Miami to their second NBA Finals appearance in the last four seasons. During the Conference Finals, he averaged (24.7) points per game. Alongside Butler, Caleb Martin has a dominant run in their seven-game series vs the Celtics.
Martin is in his second season with the Heat and averaged a career-high (9.6) points per game during the regular season. He played in 71 of their 82 games this season and made 49 starts. The 27-year-old started three games for the Heat this postseason, including Games 6 and 7 of the Conference Finals.
Jimmy Butler and Caleb Martin are the 2nd duo in Heat franchise history to each score 25 points in a series-clinching Conference Finals win. Martin has 26 points and Butler has 28 in Game 7 to punch Miami’s ticket to the NBA Finals. Their next opponent is Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.