The 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals will feature the No. 8-seeded Miami Heat, who have advanced for the second consecutive season, and the No. 2-seeded Boston Celtics. Miami secured their place in the series by eliminating the No. 5-seeded New York Knicks in Game 6 on their home court, following their status as the conference’s top overall seed in 2022.
Following a convincing Game 7 victory against league MVP Joel Embiid and the No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers, the Boston Celtics have earned their spot in the Eastern Conference Finals, setting up a rematch with the Miami Heat.
As the stage is now set for the Heat and Celtics showdown, here’s what you need to know about the highly anticipated 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals:
2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals: Path to Finals
Contending for a coveted NBA Finals berth are the No. 8 Miami Heat and the No. 2 Boston Celtics. Miami’s journey involved remarkable upsets, as they triumphed over the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games and then eliminated the No. 5-seeded New York Knicks in six. The Heat reached this stage last season but suffered a heart-wrenching seven-game defeat to the Boston Celtics, who eventually became the runners-up for the title.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics faced a challenging path of their own. They started by defeating the No. 7-seeded Atlanta Hawks with a 4-2 series victory in the first round. The second round proved to be an even greater test, as the Celtics found themselves trailing 3-2 before mounting a remarkable comeback to defeat the No. 3-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in a thrilling Game 7.
When does the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals start?
Game 1 of the series is scheduled for Wednesday, May 17 in Boston, while a potential Game 7 would be held on Monday, May 29.
How to watch the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals
TNT will televise every game of the series, including Games 5-7 if required, with live streaming accessible on TNT.com and the TNT app.
2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals: Schedule
• Game 1: Heat at Celtics, Wednesday, May 17, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Game 2: Heat at Celtics, Friday, May 19, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Game 3: Celtics at Heat, Sunday, May 21, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Game 4: Celtics at Heat, Tuesday, May 23, 8:30 p.m. ET
• Game 5: Heat at Celtics, Thursday, May 25. 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
• Game 6: Celtics at Heat, Saturday, May 27, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
• Game 7: Heat at Celtics, Monday, May 29, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
The Celtics bested the Heat to win the East last year, will this year be different?
@AschNBA previews the Eastern Conference Finals rematch.📰: https://t.co/vSmfv76YLa pic.twitter.com/euqH3sicDa
— NBA (@NBA) May 16, 2023
Celtics vs Heat: Favorites and Odds
The Boston Celtics enter the Eastern Conference Finals rematch as the strong betting favorites to overcome the Miami Heat. Although the Celtics emerged victorious in the same round against Miami last year, the series was fiercely contested, ultimately requiring seven grueling games to determine a winner. According to the future odds provided by Pointsbet, the Celtics are listed at -500 to win the series, while the Miami Heat stands at +360.
