The Boston Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals with a 100-96 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
After the game, Jimmy Butler and Jayson Tatum embraced at half court. While doing so, Butler delivered a simple message to Tatum ahead of the finals.
“It’s your title,” Butler said.
Butler gave it his all in Game 7, scoring a game-high 35 points with nine rebounds in 48 minutes, though he missed a big shot at the end. His 47-point performance in Game 6 was a main reason that the Heat avoided elimination on Friday.
Tatum put forth a similar effort in Game 7 for the Celtics. He led the team in points (26), minutes (46), and had 10 rebounds and six assists.
To bring Butler’s message to fruition, Tatum and the Celtics will have to go through a well-rested Golden State Warriors team.
The two teams played twice during the regular season. The Warriors won 111-107 in December, while the Celtics had a 110-88 win in March.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Thursday, while Game 2 will follow on Sunday.
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