The Celtics and Heat are ready to battle in what should be a competitive, physical Eastern Conference Finals series.
Miami, the No. 1 seed in the East, dispatched Atlanta and Philadelphia in the first two rounds of the NBA Playoffs. Jimmy Butler has been the driving force behind the Heat's success, as the All-Star forward is averaging 28.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.1 steals this postseason.
Boston eliminated Brooklyn and Milwaukee on its way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have carried the Celtics throughout the postseason, but they have gotten plenty of support from role players like Al Horford, Marcus Smart and Grant Williams.
Will the Celtics finally break through and reach the NBA Finals? Or will Butler and the Heat prevail?
MORE: What should the 76ers do with James Harden?
Celtics vs. Heat series schedule
Here is the full schedule for the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals.
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| May 17 | Game 1 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| May 19 | Game 2 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| May 21 | Game 3 | 8:30 p.m. | ABC |
| May 23 | Game 4 | 8:30 p.m. | ABC |
| May 25 | Game 5* | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| May 27 | Game 6* | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| May 29 | Game 7* | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
*If necessary
When is Game 1 of Celtics vs. Heat?
- Date: Tuesday, May 17
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET | 5:30 p.m. PT
Game 1 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals will tip off around 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 17. The game will be played at FTX Arena in Miami.
Celtics vs. Heat regular season results
- Nov. 11: Celtics 95, Heat 78
- Jan. 31: Celtics 122, Heat 92
- March 30: Heat 106, Celtics 98
The Celtics won two of the three regular season matchups against the Heat, but it's worth noting that Miami didn't have Butler for the Jan. 31 game.
In the most recent battle, the Heat defeated the Celtics with a balanced scoring attack. Five different Miami players finished with at least 12 points, including Butler, who had a team-high 24 points.
When will the 2022 NBA Finals start?
- June 2: Game 1
- June 5: Game 2
- June 8: Game 3
- June 10: Game 4
- June 13: Game 5*
- June 16: Game 6*
- June 19: Game 7*
*If necessary
The winner of the Eastern Conference Finals will play in Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals on Thursday, June 2. The latest possible date for an NBA Finals game is Sunday, June 19.
