After getting off to a slow start, the Eastern Conference Final has become very dramatic. Here are the results so far (home teams listed first):
May 17: Boston 116 - 123 Miami
May 19: Boston 105 - 111 Miami
May 21: Miami 128 - 102 Boston
At this point, of course, most people thought the Celtics were finished. No team in NBA history has made up a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs. But then this happened:
May 23: Miami 99 - 116 Boston
May 25: Boston 110 - 97 Miami
Suddenly, Miami led by only 3-2, and was under big pressure to close out the Celtics in Game Six in Miami. With three seconds left, Jimmy Butler made three free throws in a row to put Miami up 103-102. The Celtics took a jump shot one second left that missed -- but no one blocked out Derrick White, and he got a put back at the buzzer to force Game Seven:
May 27: Miami 103 - 104 Boston
And so, for the second year in a row, Boston and Miami will meet in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals. The last time this happened was in 1981 and 1982, when the Celtics and the 76ers met in back-to-back Game Sevens. I hope teenage fans today enjoy these series as much as I enjoyed those series.
Game Seven will take place in Boston on Memorial Day. The winner will face Denver in the NBA Finals, which will begin on Thursday, June 1.
Here we go. Miami is wearing black uniforms with white numerals and red trim. The Celtics are wearing their traditional green road uniforms, even though they are at home. I don't think I've seen Boston wear its traditional home uniforms at a single home game in these playoffs.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I'm listening to the U.S. versions of Beatles albums. As you know, before Sergeant Pepper's, the U.S. Beatles albums were different from the albums issued in England, even when the albums had the same name. For example, our version of "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver" were different from theirs.
ReplyDeleteIt's not clear to me why this was so. Apparently, the folks at Capitol Records thought that the U.S. market preferred more albums with fewer songs on each album. Anyway, when the Beatles' music was released on CD, they dropped the US albums and switched everyone over to the UK versions.
ReplyDeleteThis had a big impact on the US reputation of the "Revolver" album. In the US, this album had only 11 tracks. But in the UK, "Revolver" included 14 tracks -- the extra tracks were "I'm Only Sleeping," "And Your Bird Can Sing," and "Doctor Robert." In America, those tracks had been included on "Yesterday -- And Today," an album that came out between our version of "Rubber Soul" and our version of "Revolver," and included tracks from the UK version of both. Anyway, once Americans had access to the UK version of "Revolver" on CD, the reputation of that album went way up.
ReplyDeleteBut in 2014, the US albums were released on CD, and I bought them recently. So I'm listening to the US versions, which (of course) are fine, because it's the Beatles, and they're great.
ReplyDeleteMiami leads 22-15 after one quarter.
ReplyDeleteWith 6:57 left in the first half, Miami leads 38-25.
ReplyDeleteAfter 20 minutes, Miami leads 47-34.
ReplyDeleteAt the half, Miami leads 52-41. The Heat are 8-16 from three-point range; the Celtics are 4-21.
ReplyDeleteWith 10:14 left in the third quarter, Miami leads 59-43.
ReplyDeleteWith 4:49 left in the third quarter, Miami leads 66-58. Celtics still only 6-25 from three-point range, but the Celtics have outrebounded Miami 31-25.
ReplyDeleteMiami leads 76-66 with one quarter left. Heat is 12-24 from three-point range. Boston is 7-28.
ReplyDeleteMiami goes on a 7-0 run and leads 83-66 with 10:49 left. Boston calls time.
ReplyDeleteAfter 40 minutes, the Heat lead 88-71.
ReplyDeleteMiami leads 94-73 with 6:07 left. I only watched Games Three and Seven of this series, and they were both blowouts for the Heat. So I have no idea how Boston beat Miami three times in a row.
ReplyDeleteBoston beat Miami in those three games because they had more players who could score than the Heat did and because their best player is a few inches taller than Miami's. It makes no sense that the Celtics did not win this series, but Bob Ryan warned us about this team at the beginning of the playoffs on Tony Kornheiser's radio show.
DeleteMiami is plus-24 with Bam Adebayo on the floor in this game.
ReplyDeleteMiami closes out Boston 103-84 in one of the weirdest series I've ever heard of. They become only the second number-8 seed to reach the NBA Finals.
ReplyDeleteThe other number-8 seed to reach the NBA Finals was the 1999 Knicks.
DeleteCongratulations to Bam Adebayo! Congratulations to Pat Riley! GO BIG BLUE!
ReplyDeleteAnd Tyler Herro, who it appears might return for the finals.
DeleteThe Celtics started off by missing their first 12 three-point shots. In the post-game, Shaq said that if he was on a team that missed 10 three-point shots in a row, he would tell the team that if anyone else shot a three, he would punch them in the face. I really feel vindicated by that thought.
ReplyDeleteNow Charles Barkley is making the point that coaches don't make a difference with the great players, but they do make a difference with the other players. And I think that's a really good point.
ReplyDeleteThat Shaquille O'Neal-Ernie Johnson-Kenny Smith-Charles Barkley program is terrific.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is.
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