MIAMI -- Playing out the fifth season of a three-year window, the Celtics fell one game short of the NBA Finals in an unlikely championship run, losing to the Miami Heat, 101-88, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
LeBron James took over in the fourth quarter for the Heat, scoring 11 of his 31 points as Miami took a 73-73 tie after three quarters and turned it into a 13-point win. For one of the few times this series, James had the help of a superstar on his level as Dwyane Wade scored nine points in the final frame to help put the game away.Seeking their first title since the arrival of James two seasons ago, Miami now advances to the Finals for the second straight year. The Celtics are left to sort out the impending free agencies of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, and to contemplate a run that started with a championship in 2008 and continued with a Game-7 NBA Finals loss to the Lakers in 2010 and this run to the final game of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
"I don't know if I've ever had a group like this," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "They did everything I asked them to do. They came up short."
The Celtics got off to a much stronger start in Game 7 than they did in Game 6, taking a 23-14 lead before Garnett went to the bench with 3:46 remaining in the first quarter. As they've done all postseason without Garnett, the Celtics struggled, and they found themselves with a four-point lead after one. James was 1 of 3 from the floor in the first quarter but made all six free throws he attempted.
When Garnett picked up his third foul on an illegal screen with 7:08 left in the second quarter, the Celtics found themselves without their emotional leader again. This time, however, they pieced together a 14-3 run, increasing the lead with a super-small lineup led by Brandon Bass. Bass scored 10 points in the quarter and also took turns guarding James. It was a welcome surprise and unexpected boost for Boston, who took a 53-46 lead into halftime. Rondo, who had 5 turnovers and 5 assists in the first half of Game 6, had 10 assists and no turnovers in the first half of Game 7.
The third quarter was a bumpy ride for the Celtics. They committed five turnovers. Pierce picked up his fourth foul. And they struggled to put the ball in the basket, hitting 41 percent of their shots in the period. But just as they've done over and over again this season, the Celtics found a way to hang around through the rough patch, entering the fourth quarter tied at 73.
"You can never relax at any time on the court against them," said James. "You can never feel comfortable. You're always on edge against them."
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