Celtics vs. Heat score, results: Jayson Tatum powers Celtics past Heat in Game 7 of Eastern Conference Finals

Benyam Kidane

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Celtics vs. Heat score, results: Jayson Tatum powers Celtics past Heat in Game 7 of Eastern Conference Finals image

For the first time since 2010, the Boston Celtics are heading to the NBA Finals.

Game 7 lived up to the billing on South Beach as Boston held off a late Miami comeback to seal a 100-96 victory.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, while Marcus Smart added 24 points and nine rebounds. Jaylen Brown chipped in 24 points as well.

Heat All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler followed up his huge Game 6 performance with 35 points and nine rebounds. Miami also got a strong effort from Bam Adebayo, who had a 25-point, 11-rebound double-double. Kyle Lowry added 15 points as the Heat trio accounted for 75 of their 96 points. 

The Sporting News tracked all the action from Game 7.

Celtics vs. Heat score

  1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q Total
Heat 17 32 26 21 96
Celtics 32 23 27 18 100

Celtics vs. Heat live updates, highlights from Game 7

FINAL: Celtics 100, Heat 96

11:22 p.m. — With a team-high 26 points in Game 7, Jayson Tatum is named Most Valuable Player of the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the Larry Bird trophy.

11:17 p.m. Boston advance!

11:16 p.m. — Max Strus gets two looks from three to cut the lead but misses on both and that's all she wrote. Boston is into the NBA Finals. 

11:14 p.m. — Jimmy Butler has a shot to put the Heat up by one, but the three is off. Marcus Smart goes to the line at the other end to make it 100-96 with 11.4 seconds left. 

Note: Boston has one foul to give. Miami has no timeouts.

11:13 p.m. — MAX STRUS!!!! He drains the three to cut the deficit to two points. 

11:09 p.m. — Jaylen Brown is called for an offensive foul, his fifth of the game. With 50.7 seconds to go, the Heat have possession down five. Here we go!

10:08 p.m. — Oladipo gets it to go in traffic to make it a seven-point game. Miami is still alive with under two minutes to go. 

11:01 p.m. — TATUM!

JT coming up big down the stretch, first with the triple and then the fadeaway to make it a double-digit lead for Boston. 95-85 with just over four minutes to go.

11:00 p.m. — Make that an 8-0 run from the Celtics with 6:30 remaining. Miami is really struggling to get anything going in the half-court. Where's Tyler Herro?

10:58 p.m. — Big defensive play from Lowry, he takes the charge on Tatum. That's Tatum's fourth foul. brown also has four. Celtics lead 88-79.

10:55 p.m. — Miami is struggling to get anything going in the halfcourt against the Celtics' defense. They have to get some stops and push the ball in transition. 

10:52 p.m. — The foul is overturned, offensive foul is called on Brown. Heat ball. 

10:51 p.m. — Kyle Lowry is not pleased. He gets called for a blocking foul on Jaylen Brown for what would be his fourth foul of the game. Miami will challenge the call.

10:42 p.m. — Strong start to the quarter from Jayson Tatum. Attacks the rim and gets fouled and then follows it up with a nice feed to Grant Williams. He's applying pressure the Heat defense.

10:40 p.m. — BAM THROWS IT DOWN!

End of third quarter: Celtics 82, Heat 75

12 minutes left for a spot in the NBA Finals. Boston extends their half-time lead by a point.

Can the Heat finish strong on their home floor? Lowry, Butler and Adebayo have combined for 63 of their 75 points so far tonight.

10:37 p.m. — The Heat have to do a better job defending in transition. Boston is making them work for their buckets and punishing them on the fast break. 

10:34 p.m. — Kyle Lowry is showing his championship experience, coming up with some big plays. First a 3-pointer and now and and-1 bucket. Miami now within seven points. Celtics lead 80-73.

10:29 p.m. — The Heat have defended Tatum well one-on-one in the third. His off-ball movement will be key to getting good looks at the basket the rest of the way. He's up to 19 points.

10:24 p.m. — Oladipo drains the triple to cap a 7-0 Miami run and bring the deficit down to single digits. Celtics lead 72-65 with 5:16 remaining in the period.  

10:20 p.m. — Marcus Smart is heating up in the third. He's got a team-high 18 points.

10:14 p.m. — Max Strus' three is overturned to no basket due to stepping out of bounds. Boston's lead is now 66-54.

10:10 p.m. — Robert Williams starts the second half but looks a step slow on the defensive end. 

Halftime: Celtics 55, Heat 49

The Heat close the first half on an 11-2 run to cut the deficit to 55-49 at the break. Jimmy Butler has a game-high 24 points. 

For the Celtics, Jaylen Brown has 15 points and Jayson Tatum 13.  

9:50 p.m. — Jimmy Butler isn't going out without a fight!

9:49 p.m. — Gret defensive set for the Heat, who get the stop on one end, resulting in a pair of made free throws for Lowry. Miami trail by just six points. 

9:48 p.m. — Adebayo goes 1-of-2 at the free-throw line, a worrying trend for the Heat in the first half. Miami has shot just 10-of-18 at the line so far.

9:44 p.m. — And right on cue, Tyler Herro buries the Heat's second triple of the game to cut it to 53-41.

9:41 p.m. — The outside shooting has made the difference early in Game 7. Boston is 7-for-16 from deep, while the Heat is just 1-fo-10.

9:40 p.m. — Derrick White coming up big off the bench once again. He drains the triple to make it 50-34.

9:34 p.m. — Butler (17) and Adebayo (10) now have 27 of the Heat's 32 points so far.

9:33 p.m. The Celtics' swarming defense forces the shot clock violation of the game as Vincent can't get the triple off in time. That's the seventh turnover for the Heat.

9:30 p.m. — Bam Adebayo taking 'em to the weight room inside using his physicality to muscle his way to the rim. He cuts the lead to single digits 41-32.

9:24 p.m. — Here comes the Heat! Jimmy Butler attacks the halfcourt defense and takes it right to the rim for the and-1.

9:21 p.m. — Herro making his presence felt as he combines with Adebayo who gets the and-1 bucket. He misses the free throw. Celtics lead 37-24.

9:18 p.m. — Tyler Herro checks in to start the second quarter for the Heat. Can he give them the offensive boost they need?

End of first quarter: Celtics 32, Heat 17

After the Heat made a late surge, the Celtics close out the quarter on an 8-0 run to take a 13-point lead into the break. They shot 50 percent from the field and knocked down 5-of-9 from 3, while the Heat went 7-for-21 (33%) from the field and 1-for-7 from deep. 

Tatum has a game-high eight points, six rebounds and three assists, while Butler and Adebayo lead the Heat with six points apiece.

9:10 p.m. — Jayson Tatum steps into the 3-pointer and sucks the air out of the arena. He's up to eight points and pushes the lead back out to 13, 30-17.

9:06 p.m — Make that an 8-0 run for the Heat. 

9:05 p.m. — GABE VINCENT!

Vincent drains the triple and gets the foul call for the 4-point play. A big bucket that halts the Celtics' momentum. He converts the free throw to cut the lead to 24-15. 

9:02 p.m. — Al Horford says NOPE!

9:01 p.m. — Bam Adebayo takes it right at Al Horford for the reverse layup, his third bucket for the quarter.  Celtics lead 20-9.

8:53 p.m. — Butler gets the steal and finishes in transition with the jam.

Turnovers have proven to be the difference-maker for the Celtics throughout this series. They have to take care of the ball and limit these fast break opportunities on the road.

8:52 p.m. — Kyle Lowry swipes at Marcus Smart in the half court and picks up his second foul within the first three minutes of the game. He stays in the game.

8:51 p.m. — Another slow start offensively for the Heat, missing their first four shots. Celtics lead 9-1.

8:48 p.m. — And we're underway in Game 7 as Jayson Tatum hauls in the offensive rebound and puts it up for the opening basket.

Pregame

8:40 p.m. — Tyler Herro is going to give it a go tonight. 

8:30 p.m. — Marcus Smart getting loose with the reverse triple.

8:00 p.m. — The Heat will start Kyle Lowry, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler, PJ Tucker and Bam Adebayo.

8:00 p.m. — The Celtics will start Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Robert Williams.

6:45 p.m. — Both teams will be at full strength for Game 7. The Celtics announced Marcus Smart and Robert Williams will be available, while the Heat announced Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro will "warm up with the intent to play." Herro missed Games 4, 5 and 6 due to a groin injury.

5:00 p.m. — Before things tip off, relive some of the best moments from the Eastern Conference Finals so far.

What channel is Celtics vs. Heat on?

  • Date: Sunday, May 29
  • TV channel: ESPN
  • Live streaming: Watch ESPN | Sling TV

Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals will air on ESPN. Viewers can also stream Game 7 on Watch ESPN and Sling TV.

Viewers in the U.S. can stream every NBA Playoff game live on SLING TV. With the SLING Orange Sports Extra package, get $10 off your first month now with access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT and NBATV. NBA Playoff games on ABC are simulcast on ESPN3, which is included with SLING Orange, available for $35 per month including $25 the first month for new subscribers.

MORE: Watch the NBA Playoffs on Sling TV

Celtics vs. Heat start time

  • Date: Sunday, May 29
  • Time: 8:30 p.m. ET | 5:30 p.m. PT

Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals will tip off around 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 29. The game will be played at FTX Arena in Miami.

Celtics vs. Heat schedule, TV channels

Here is the full schedule for the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals.

Date Game Time (ET) / Result TV channel
May 17 Game 1 Heat 118, Celtics 107 ESPN
May 19 Game 2 Celtics 127, Heat 102 ESPN
May 21 Game 3 Heat 109, Celtics 103 ABC
May 23 Game 4 Celtics 102, Heat 82 ABC
May 25 Game 5 Celtics 93, Heat 80 ESPN
May 27 Game 6 Heat 111, Celtics 103 ESPN
May 29 Game 7 8:30 p.m. ESPN

Benyam Kidane

Benyam Kidane Photo

Benyam Kidane is a senior NBA editor and has been covering the league for The Sporting News since 2016. In his spare time you can find him watching Allen Iverson highlights on repeat.