Miami avoided becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 series lead in large part due to the contributions of Caleb Martin and in the process became only the second No. 8 seed in league history to reach the NBA Finals.
The Heat blew the Celtics out 103-84 Monday night, avoiding an epic collapse and setting up a finals matchup with the West's No. 1 seed, the Denver Nuggets, that tips off Thursday.
Jimmy Butler led Miami with 28 points and was named Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player, but it was Martin who generated a spark in the closing moments of the third quarter and early in the fourth with eight consecutive points that pushed the Miami lead from 71-64 to 79-66.
Boston never got any closer.
CALEB MARTIN ON FIRE
— NBA (@NBA) May 30, 2023
He's 4/5 from three... now up to 26 points as Miami leads early in Q4 of Game 7! pic.twitter.com/lcg8rikszT
For the series, Martin averaged 19.3 points while shooting 60.2% from the field and 48.9% from three.
Former Nets front office executive Bobby Marks gave a rundown of how remarkable Martin's run to his big game was.
More on Caleb Martin
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) May 30, 2023
- Not drafted
- 1 year/$898K w/CHA
- Converted to Two Way
- Converted to 3 year/$4.2M w/CHA
- Waived by CHA
- Signed Two Way w/MIA
- Converted to 1 year/$528K w/MIA
- Signed 3 year/$20.4M w/MIA
Martin was a fan-favorite online with multiple people rushing to Twitter to praise his effort.
Definitely did not expect Caleb Martin to be the best player on the floor tonight
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) May 30, 2023
The Caleb Martin Show
— Roy Bellamy (@roybelly) May 30, 2023
Erik Spoelstra had Miami ready to play.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) May 30, 2023
Jimmy Butler came to play.
And Caleb Martin -- who is a candidate for MVP -- was a major difference maker for the Heat again.
103-84, Miami.
The Heat, the No. 8 seed, are headed to the Finals.
StatMuse posted a couple of stats to highlight the absurdity of Martin's productivity. The undrafted East Finals star has four 20-point games this postseason after recording that many in the regular season.
And in the series, he outplayed Celtics star Jaylen Brown, a former No. 3 overall draft pick.
Caleb Martin had four 20-point games this season.
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 30, 2023
He already has four 20-point games this playoffs. pic.twitter.com/dUyLXhMU2L
In the Eastern Conference Finals:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 30, 2023
Caleb Martin — Jaylen Brown —
19.3 PPG 19.0 PPG
6.4 RPG 6.1 RPG
60/49/88% 42/16/67% pic.twitter.com/pyTlVAovoG
Butler is the clear leader for Miami, but as Game 7 in Boston showed, if it stuns the world again in the NBA Finals, it will be due to unsung heroes like Martin continuing to punch above their weight.
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