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Heat is on as 'Big Three' sizzle to see off Celtics
Source: Agencies |
June 11, 2012, Monday
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THE Miami Heat and their "Big Three" are going back to the National Basketball Association finals.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh combined for the Heat's final 31 points in Miami as they roared past the Boston Celtics 101-88 to win the Eastern Conference championship in Game 7 on Saturday.
James scored 31 points and pulled down 12 rebounds while the Heat came back from an 11-point first-half deficit to earn a meeting with Western winners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the NBA finals. Game 1 is in Oklahoma City on Wednesday (Shanghai time).
"We look forward to the next challenge," James told reporters as he talked about Miami's return to the NBA finals for a second consecutive year.
The Heat had hoped the crown would be theirs last season with the addition of James and Bosh, but they were beaten in the finals by the Dallas Mavericks.
The Heat and Thunder played only twice this season, each winning on their home court.
Wade added 23 points on Saturday with Bosh scoring 19 off the bench and role player Shane Battier contributing four key three-pointers.
"This has to be a collective group for us to win a championship, from the first guy all the way down to 15," three-time league most valuable player James said.
Rajon Rondo tried to keep the aging Celtics competitive, and they were for three quarters before Miami's Big Three took over.
"We let this one slip away," said Rondo, who finished with 22 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.
"We just had nothing left," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers after his team had gone deeper in the Eastern series than many had thought likely against the Heat.
Paul Pierce added 19 points and Brandon Bass, the sparkplug of the Celtics' first-half lead, finished with 16. But he had only two points in the second half as the Heat cranked up their defense and turned to their Big Three for all of their fourth-quarter points.
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh combined for the Heat's final 31 points in Miami as they roared past the Boston Celtics 101-88 to win the Eastern Conference championship in Game 7 on Saturday.
James scored 31 points and pulled down 12 rebounds while the Heat came back from an 11-point first-half deficit to earn a meeting with Western winners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the NBA finals. Game 1 is in Oklahoma City on Wednesday (Shanghai time).
"We look forward to the next challenge," James told reporters as he talked about Miami's return to the NBA finals for a second consecutive year.
The Heat had hoped the crown would be theirs last season with the addition of James and Bosh, but they were beaten in the finals by the Dallas Mavericks.
The Heat and Thunder played only twice this season, each winning on their home court.
Wade added 23 points on Saturday with Bosh scoring 19 off the bench and role player Shane Battier contributing four key three-pointers.
"This has to be a collective group for us to win a championship, from the first guy all the way down to 15," three-time league most valuable player James said.
Rajon Rondo tried to keep the aging Celtics competitive, and they were for three quarters before Miami's Big Three took over.
"We let this one slip away," said Rondo, who finished with 22 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.
"We just had nothing left," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers after his team had gone deeper in the Eastern series than many had thought likely against the Heat.
Paul Pierce added 19 points and Brandon Bass, the sparkplug of the Celtics' first-half lead, finished with 16. But he had only two points in the second half as the Heat cranked up their defense and turned to their Big Three for all of their fourth-quarter points.
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