Grant Williams drained seven 3-pointers as the Celtics advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. (1:40)
For the fourth time in the last six seasons, the Boston Celtics are headed to the Eastern Conference finals. The hope is that they can take it one step further.
They will have to do what the crowd at the Garden started chanting in the fourth quarter: beat the Heat.
Grant Williams had a career-high 27 points, and the Celtics hit a playoff franchise-record 22 3-pointers as they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 7 on Sunday.
Boston has come up short in the Eastern Conference finals in the past. After the Celtics got through the defending champion on Sunday, there is hope that this year could mark the storied franchise's first trip to the NBA Finals since 2010.
They will have to go through the top-seeded Miami Heat. The best-of-seven series begins on Tuesday in Miami.
Before this series, Williams had never attempted more than eight 3-pointers. He was 6-of-9 from deep in the first two games of the series, but only made one in Game 7.
His 18 attempts are the most ever attempted in a Game 7. It ties Ray Allen for the most three-point attempts by a Celtics player, and it was a triple-overtime game against the Bulls in 2009. He tied Stephen Curry and Marcus Morris for the most 3-pointers in a Game 7.
Williams did not enter the NBA as a three-point shooter. He only made 15 threes in his final season at Tennessee and 30 in his career as a Volunteer. He improved his shooting percentage from three to four last season. He was 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217
Williams was just 2-of-14 from deep in his last four games. Milwaukee left Williams open for most of the game because of that. He hit the first shot he took, a three from the left wing. He continued to fire away.
The Celtics shot 22-of-54 from 3-point range while the Bucks went just 4-of-32.
That is the largest 3-point differential in a Game 7 in NBA history and tied for the largest 3-point differential in any playoff game.
The Eastern Conference finals are in Miami.
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