The Eastern Conference Finals is the playoff series of the National Basketball Association (NBA) that determines the Eastern Conference champion for the season. The two teams that make it to the Eastern Conference Finals face off in a best-of-seven series, with the winner advancing to the NBA Finals to compete for the NBA championship.
The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the NBA, with the other being the Western Conference.
2023 Eastern Conference Finals: Schedule and Format
The NBA Conference Finals are set to begin on May 16-17, but there is a chance that the start date could be moved up to May 14-15.
The teams and the schedule are yet to be determined.
The Eastern Conference Finals in the NBA playoffs follow a 2-2-1-1-1 format, meaning that the higher-seeded team will host games 1, 2, 5, and 7 in their homecourt, while the lower-seeded team will host games 3, 4, and 6 in their home. This format has been used consistently since the 1985 NBA playoffs. The team that wins the Eastern Conference Finals advances to the NBA Finals to compete for the NBA Championship.
How to watch the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals
ESPN: ESPN is a sports network that broadcasts many of the NBA playoff games. If you have a cable or satellite subscription that includes ESPN, you can watch the games on TV or stream them through the ESPN app or website.
NBA League Pass: By signing up for the NBA League pass, you can stream the live NBA playoffs matches on your device. Additionally, you can access replays, highlights, and other NBA content.
ABC: ABC also broadcasts select NBA playoff games all that you need is a TV antenna or a cable or satellite subscription that includes ABC.
Sling TV: Sling TV is an online streaming service that offers live TV channels. You can buy the Sling Orange package and enjoy watching the NBA playoffs games.
Hulu Live TV: Hulu Live TV is another online streaming service that offers live TV channels. You can watch NBA playoffs games on Hulu Live TV by subscribing to the Hulu with Live TV package.
YouTube TV: You can watch NBA playoffs games on YouTube TV by subscribing to their service.
Recap of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals
In the 2022 NBA playoffs, the Boston Celtics faced off against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Led by Tatum, the Celtics won the series in six games, advancing to the NBA Finals. There, they faced off against the Golden State Warriors, the Western Conference champions.
Here, are some notable performances and stats from the series -
Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics in the series, averaging around 27 points per game and was chosen the Larry Bird East Finals MVP award honoree.
Jimmy Butler was the standout player for the Miami Heat, putting up impressive numbers on both ends of the court and his masterpiece playoff career-high 47 points gameplay, forcing the Celtics into Game 7.
In Game 4 of the series, Tatum had a 31-point performance to lead the Celtics to a crucial victory.
Bam Adebayo had a triple-double in Game 3 for the Miami Heat.
Both teams played strong defense throughout the series, with several low-scoring games and close finishes.
In game 5, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined to score 47 points and helped lead their team to a 3-2 series lead.
In game 7, the Boston Celtics secured a victory and advanced to the NBA Finals. This was the first time since 2010 that the Celtics had made it to the Finals.
