Boston had the chance to make NBA history at home. After being down 0–3 in the semi-final series, the club managed to win three straight games. Had the team won even the seventh and decisive one, it would have been the first in league history to account for such a turnaround.
But it didn't want to, especially when it came to three-pointers, with Miami scoring half of the attempts, while Boston didn't even get in every fourth.
"Have to suffer sometimes"
The game ended 103–84 to Miami. It happened almost to the day a year since Boston won the seventh game in Miami to make it to the final.
No NBA team has failed to advance after a 3-0 win in games. Now Miami did not become the first team with such a plump in the protocol.
Now coach Eric Spoelstra chooses to see the return – when it really mattered – as something positive, and celebrates the "collective spirit".
"Sometimes you have to suffer to get the things you really want," he said at a post-match press conference.
"Excited"
The Conference Finals series' most valuable player was Miami's Jimmy Buttler, who once again made a big play, accounting for 28 points. Miami also had good help from Caleb Martin who accounted for 26 points.
"We stuck together as a group. As a team, we talked about going away and getting a tough (win) away from home, and that's exactly what we did," Butler said.
"But we are not satisfied. We are excited. We are happy, but we have more to give.
With the victory, Miami takes the Eastern Conference trophy and will face the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. Denver has never played in the NBA Finals before despite participating in the league for 47 years.
Miami, for its part, has won the NBA title three times before, most recently in 2013.