NBA FINALS 7 GAME SERIES PLUS
NBA FINALS 7 GAME SERIES SERIES
NBA FINALS 7 GAME SERIES FREE

However, his timely offense has been a huge factor in this series. Sedano: Marcus Smart's defense is the Celtics' not-so-secret sauce - everyone knows how important the first-team All-Defensive guard is on that end. Live in the moment and take each play one at a time. Spears: Take a deep breath and get back to what made them successful during their three wins: great defense, well-rounded offense, not getting too emotional when something goes wrong. Boston has won all three games in which it has held Lowry under the 20-point mark, while losing all three in which he has eclipsed that mark.

NBA FINALS 7 GAME SERIES SERIES

He's had to do some heavy lifting offensively in this series because of how well the Celtics are bottling up Siakam. As this series has shown, and as we should've known already, he's the heart and soul behind what Toronto does. LeBron's Laker Year 2 ends with a title.Shelburne: Inside the Lakers' title run.The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 4-2 in the 2020 NBA Finals to claim their 17th championship. Boston will have trouble surviving another subpar Walker performance. Their production was uneven, though Tatum seemed to find a rhythm late. In the guts of Game 6, Boston leaned on Kemba Walker- Jayson Tatum pick-and-rolls, hoping to get Fred VanVleet switched onto Tatum and exploit that size mismatch. Lowe: Finding an offensive rhythm when the Raptors bust out their various geometric zones or go small, with Pascal Siakam at center, and switch everything. What's the biggest key for the Celtics in Game 7?

Kemba Walker was stymied in Game 6 by the Raptors' defense. All three of those players have positive net ratings for the series. Brad Wanamaker is averaging 18 minutes per game and has hit 50% of his 3s, Robert Williams has been an important source of energy and above-the-rim finishing and Grant Williams has played with maturity far beyond his status as a rookie. Kevin Pelton: How much Boston's reserves have stepped up with Gordon Hayward sidelined. Tensions escalated with Marcus Smart battling Kyle Lowry on the floor and jawing with Norman Powell after the buzzer.

NBA FINALS 7 GAME SERIES FREE

Jorge Sedano: How intense, emotional and petty this series has become, from Nurse roaming out of the coaches' box and baiting Jayson Tatum into a late-game turnover to the Raptors reportedly irking Jaylen Brown by chanting, 'Hey, batter batter,' while Brown was at the free throw line. Both teams and their loved ones might have to pack in preparation for being sent packing. And because it is in a bubble environment, there is renewed meaning to 'win or go home' here. Spears: These are the two highest-seeded teams remaining in the East, and they are battling in the second round - and in a Game 7, no less. That Toronto has a chance is a testament to coach Nick Nurse and the Raptors' refusal to be dismissed, no matter how many daggers the Celtics drive into them. Boston also spanked the Raptors by 22 in the bubble prior to the playoffs, suggesting that it has more firepower. Throw in solid minutes from the Time Lord - even given his shaky defense against Ibaka pick-and-pops - and Boston's less decorated centers have outplayed their Toronto counterparts.Д¬hris Herring: That the series has been this close, and tied at three games apiece, despite the Celtics having won a pair of blowouts. Given the stakes, the past two games probably mark the finest two-game stretch of Theis' NBA career: 33 points on 14-of-16 shooting, and steady defense all over the floor.

Lowe: Nine NBA playoff things I like and don't like, including Kyle Lowry attacking.

He has fared well enough corralling Toronto's high-octane pick-and-roll attack, and looked shockingly comfortable switching onto Kyle Lowry in Game 5. Daniel Theis' scoring quieted in Games 2-4, but his defense has been sensational throughout. OK, fine: Boston winning the center battle despite Serge Ibaka's hot shooting. Zach Lowe: Nick Nurse looking exhausted and sounding hoarse in every on-court interview? What's most underappreciated about this series?

NBA FINALS 7 GAME SERIES PLUS

NBA schedule: Game 7, plus the West semisДЎ.

We asked five of our experts to tell us what's underrated about this series, what to watch for and which team should be favored in Game 7 and beyond. Along the way, the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors have put on eye-popping shooting displays and defensive clinics, with star performances on the court and a coaching chess match on the sideline. For the third time in the 2020 NBA playoffs, a series is going the distance.

Nba finals 7 game series