The solidity of team play prevailed over individual brilliance.
And Boston's aggressiveness and defensive solidarity to Miami's messier game.
The NBA already has finalists.
After beating the Miami Heat in Game 7, the Boston Celtics will face the Golden State Warriors starting this Thursday.
They are fair finalists, the two teams that have been most in form during the qualifiers.
The NBA Finals will pit the best offense (Warriors) against the best defense (Boston).
For Boston it is the opportunity for a historic tiebreaker, the one that equals the Los Angeles Lakers with 17 NBA titles.
Despite his impressive historical record and the legend of players like John Havlicek, Bill Russell or Larry Bird, he has only won a championship since 1986, that of 2008, against the Lakers.
And against them they also lost their last final, the one in 2010. Those two finals are a small oasis in a journey through the desert that is unbecoming of those from Boston.
The Warriors also have a chance to break their own six-title tie with the Chicago Bulls.
Boston built its victory from the first quarter, with a defense that prevented Miami from comfortable shots.
They didn't have a very sharp aim, and even from the free throw line, with no defense to press, their shooting percentage was poor.
The first quarter ended 17-32 in favor of the Celtics, which was bad news for yesterday's locals.
During this entire Eastern Conference final (which is also the NBA semifinal), Miami has only won the games in which it has averaged at least 27 points per quarter.
Those 17 points, with only 6 from Jimmy Butler and another 6 from Sam Adebayo, were ridiculous for their offense.
Jayson Tatum knocks down an incredible side-step 3️⃣
WIN or GO HOME Game 7 on ESPN pic.twitter.com/yRsPhKvhV2
– NBA (@NBA) May 30, 2022
Meanwhile, in Boston, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart (the latter with some decisive triples throughout the game) shared the work on the scoring side, supported by Grant Williams and Derrick White when they had the chance.
Taum, both for his play in this game and in the previous ones, won the first edition of the Larry Bird award, for the best player in the Eastern Conference final.
Everything stays at home.
Miami could not overcome the initial advantage throughout the game.
In the second quarter it seemed that he would be able.
Butler made all 5 of his field goals and between that and a few free throws he put up an impressive 18 points in the second quarter.
The teams went into the break with a 49-55 that left the game open.
However, the Bostonians escaped again at the beginning of the third quarter.
There it was Adebayo who came to the rescue to reduce the advantage, achieve a 7-0 run and enter the last quarter with a difference of 7 points down (72-85).
The Celtics, however, were very serious and solid.
They managed the impatience of the Miami team at will and gave the feeling of having everything under control until a final acceleration by the locals that put them within 2 points with 45 seconds to go.
Everything was possible.
MAX STRUS DRAINS A HUGE 3
WIN or GO HOME Game 7 on ESPN pic.twitter.com/cl0Z8QMOCT
– NBA (@NBA) May 30, 2022
The most even tie reached an end worthy of so much emotion.
With the score at 96-98, Smart failed in an inning for the Celtics and the Miami team had the chance to get ahead with a 3-point shot.
With 17 seconds to go, Jimmy Butler, the hero of the previous match, missed the decisive shot without much opposition.
The final seconds were unproductive agony for Miami.
Smart hit two free throws and left the score 96-100.
In the final, the Bostonians are awaited by Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors, who quickly dispatched Luka Dončić's Dallas Mavericks 4-1 in the Western Conference final.
They arrive somewhat more rested at the final, which begins this Thursday, June 2 at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
The second game will also be there, on Sunday June 5.
The series then comes to the East Coast on Wednesday, June 8 and Friday, June 10, in Boston.
If necessary, the fifth, sixth and seventh games will be on June 13 (San Francisco), 16 (Boston) and 19 (San Francisco).
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