The Warriors have issues with turnovers and may not advance further. (0:55)
There were four teams left in the NBA playoffs.
The Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns were knocked out in Game 7s on the same day last year, and the next season is one step closer to crowning a new champion.
The Boston Celtics overcame an incredible performance by the Milwaukee Brewers' Giannis Antetokounmpo to reach the Eastern Conference finals. The Miami Heat defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games.
The Dallas Mavericks routed the Phoenix Suns in the seventh game of their playoff series, setting up a clash with the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals.
Jimmy butler is facing off against Jayson Tatum. Stephen Curry vs. Luka Doncic. Which superstars will win the conference finals? What game plans will the defense come up with to stop them?
Here is an early look at the NBA's final four.
The series odds are provided by the Basketball Power Index.
Series odds
Miami has a percentage of 51%).
Miami is +145 and Boston is +170.
The ratings for MIA and BOS were off.
The MIA has a ratings of 108.4.
The Celtics and Heat have been in the East finals every year since 2005.
The Miami Heat will host the Boston Celtics for the eighth time in 18 seasons on Tuesday night, as the two teams meet for the seventh time in the past 15 years.
For top-seeded Miami, it will be a chance to make the NBA Finals for a sixth time in the past 12 years and for the first time since beating Boston in 2020.
The Celtics have lost four straight in the conference finals, including two to the Heat.
Grant Williams made seven 3-pointers as the Celtics defeated the Milwaukee Bucks.
The status of point guard Kyle Lowry, who has missed six of Miami's past eight playoff games due to a hamstring injury he suffered in Game 3 of the first round, will be a big question for the Heat entering this series.
The Heat were steamrollered in the first round of the playoffs by the champion Milwaukee, and they needed to get their offense going in the later rounds.
Boston will provide a far tougher test as the NBA's best defensive team over the final 35 games of the regular season.
The Celtics emerged from their seven-game tussle with the Bucks relatively healthy, and will now focus on trying to slow down Antetokounmpo instead of trying to slow him down.
After leading the Heat to the NBA Finals two years ago, he has been every bit the superstar Miami needed in these playoffs, averaging 28.7 points, 7.6 rebound and 5.4 assists while shooting 52.5% from the field and attempting nearly eight free throws per game.
Over the course of four games, he has knocked down 36.4% of his 3s. He shot 23.3% on two attempts from deep in the season. In Miami's conference semifinal win over Philadelphia, home-road swings from deep made a big difference.
In its Game 7 win over Milwaukee, Boston proved that it is capable of getting hot at any time. Boston and Miami finished the season first and fourth in defensive rating, respectively, and whoever can break through from behind the 3-point line will have a huge advantage.
Tim Bontemps.
Series odds
Dallas has a percentage of 52%.
The Golden State is at 260.
Ratings: GS (112.1, 16th) and DAL (112.50, 14th)
GS (106.6, second) and DAL (109.1, seventh) have ratings.
The Warriors were aware that Luka Doncic was going to be a problem. The fact that it is happening in the West finals doesn't come as a surprise.
Warriors guard Stephen Curry said after a win in Dallas in January that Doncic was unbelievable.
You can tell he has played high-level basketball. A guy is always at his own pace. I am pretty sure he heard all the doubters and people talking about his game, and he has made himself known for sure. It is fun to watch.
Curry and the Warriors will not be as entertained to watch now that the Mavericks are in the way of another NBA Finals appearance.
The Mavericks won a Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference finals.
The series would be a must-see on TV, but it could be more interesting if the Warriors handle their defensive game plan against the Mavs.
Gary Payton II, the Warriors' Swiss Army knife, who carved out a major role throughout the season thanks to his stellar defense and finishing around the rim, isn't expected to return in this series as he recovers from a fractured elbow.
Expect Andrew to get a lot of minutes trying to make Luka's life more difficult.
The Warriors will always have multiple sets of eyes on Doncic, as is the case with any great player. Draymond Green will switch onto the guard at times, as will Klay Thompson, who has had a lot of huge defensive assignments prior to his injuries.
During the regular season, Doncic averaged more points against the Warriors than any other player with at least two games against them.
In four games against Golden State, Doncic scored 126 points, the fourth most by a player in a single season against the Warriors.
In order to slow down a player of Doncic's caliber, it will take the type of team defensive effort that Kerr has repeatedly discussed through the years against players such as James and, before and after his three-year Warriors stint, Kevin Durant.
Doncic keeps that company. The Warriors need to treat him that way.
Nick Friedell.
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