The Boston Celtics offseason officially began after a Game 7 loss Monday night at TD Garden. Battling back from an 3-0 series deficit was an admirable effort, but Boston’s Eastern Conference finals comeback ultimately fell short with a 103-84 loss to the Miami Heat.
The business of bringing home an 18th banner remains unfinished for the Celtics.
Poor defense and worse shooting doomed Boston from the jump, and the Celtics could neither buy a basket nor consistently slow the Heat. Jimmy Butler led the way for Miami, logging 28 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. On the other side, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 33 points on a 2-for-13 performance from deep and 39% shooting overall. It was a perfect storm in all the wrong ways for the Celtics.
Evening the series was a major feat in and of itself. Boston is one of only four teams to ever force a Game 7 after being down 3-0 in a series in NBA history. Still, the loss ushers in an offseason period that could bring significant change for the Celtics. For now, here’s your game recap for Boston’s 103-84 Game 7 loss.