The Miami Heat beat the Celtics, 103-84, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals to advance to face the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. The series will begin on Thursday.
The Nuggets will be well-rested. The last time they played was May 22, when they completed a sweep of the Lakers.
Denver has home-court advantage by virtue of the better regular-season record.
The Nuggets have a few local connections. Boston native Bruce Brown is averaging 12.2 points in 26.4 minutes per game off the bench this postseason. Jeff Green, who spent three seasons in Boston, is gunning for his first championship ring in his 14-year career. He’s getting 18.5 minutes per game off the bench.
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But all eyes will be on Nikola Jokic, who finished second in MVP voting this year — falling just short of a third-straight award. He’s averaging a triple-double in the playoffs: 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per game.
All games will be broadcast on ABC, all times are Eastern.
NBA Finals 2023 schedule
Game 1: Heat at Nuggets, Thursday, June 1, 8:30 p.m.
Game 2: Heat at Nuggets, Sunday, June 4, 8 p.m.
Game 3: Nuggets at Heat, Wednesday, June 7, 8:30 p.m.
Game 4: Nuggets at Heat, Friday, June 9, 8:30 p.m.
*Game 5: Heat at Nuggets, Monday, June 12, 8:30 p.m.
*Game 6: Nuggets at Heat, Thursday, June 15, 8:30 p.m.
*Game 7: Heat at Nuggets, Sunday, June 18, 8 p.m.
Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her @k8tmac.