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Jimmy Butler's prediction for the Miami Heat making an NBA Finals run this year came true after they beat the Boston Celtics 103-84 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Butler predicted last year when the Heat lost to the Celtics at the same stage in a Game 7 contest at home.
Here's what Butler said after the Heat fell 100-96 in that game:
"Next year, we will have enough, and we'll be right back in this same situation and we're gonna get it done."
The Heat could've closed the series much earlier after taking a commanding 3-0 lead. However, the Celtics nearly staged a one-of-one comeback and obliterated that deficit. The C's won three consecutive games to tie the series 3-3.
The Heat were the underdogs entering Game 7. They had no momentum ahead of this game after dropping three straight games. The Celtics' homecourt advantage for Game 7 also made their task tougher.
However, Miami came out swinging from the get-go and put the game to bed early in the fourth quarter.
Jimmy Butler led all scorers with 28 points. He also tallied seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. Meanwhile, Caleb Martin continued his stellar run in his second consecutive start, recording 26 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, shooting 68.8%, including 4-of-6 from deep.
Miami Heat fans gave Butler his props for delivering on his prediction from last year after Monday's Game 7 win.
One fan mocked the critics, saying:
"y’all laughed at em"
More reactions followed:
Jimmy Butler wins Conference Finals MVP award
Jimmy Butler is the second player to win the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP Award. Butler averaged 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 2.6 steals in the seven-game series win over the Boston Celtics to guide the Miami Heat to their second NBA Finals appearance with him.
Butler's contributions early in the series gave Miami a commanding 3-0 lead. He dropped 35 points in Game 1 and 27 in Game 2, setting the tone for the rest of his teammates. The likes of Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin also played significant roles in the series win.
Martin averaged 19.3 points and 6.4 rebounds, shooting on 60/49/88 splits, while Vincent tallied 14.1 points, shooting 45.1% from deep. He had a 29-point outing in Game 3 to give the Heat a 3-0 lead.
The Miami Heat will hope Jimmy Butler and the rest of the entourage can continue having a similar impact in the NBA Finals against arguably their toughest opponent yet, the Denver Nuggets.
The NBA finalists from the West have been the most clinical team this offseason, and they are coming off a series sweep win over LeBron James and the LA Lakers.
Guess the Lakers players!
