Heat’s Butler not satisfied: We’ve got one more to get

BOSTON—Jimmy Butler played a starring role as the Miami Heat advanced to the NBA Finals by routing Boston 103-84 on Monday, denying the Celtics a historic comeback after trailing the playoff series 3-0.

Butler had 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists while Caleb Martin added 26 points and 10 rebounds to spark Miami, which will visit Denver on Thursday to begin the best-of-seven championship final.

Miami recovered from a gut-punch of a game-six defeat, where they fell on a lastsecond tip-in, to win the Eastern Conference final 4-3, silencing a loud Boston crowd.

Taking full advantage of an injury to Boston star Jayson Tatum in the opening seconds and a cold-shooting Celtics start, the Heat avoided becoming the first team in 151 attempts to lose a playoff series after leading 3-0.

“We stayed together as a group,” Butler said. “We talked about going to get a tough one on the road and we did just that.

“But we’re not satisfied. We’re happy. We’re ecstatic. But we’ve got one more to get.”

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said he never doubted his resilient squad could win game seven.

“Sometimes you have to suffer for the things you really want,” he said. “This group has shown fortitude when there are inevitable let-downs and failures, but had that perseverance to pick yourself up, that collective spirit to keep on forging ahead.”

The Heat, seeking a fourth NBA title and first since 2013, last reached the NBA Finals in 2020, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Nuggets, into the NBA Finals for the first time, swept the Lakers in the Western Conference final.

It was a determined effort by a Miami squad that lost to Boston in seven games in last year’s East finals. Miami also lacked any momentum after squandering their 3-0 edge to set up a winner-takes-all road game.

“When the ship gets rocky, just stay together and keep believing in one another,” said Miami’s Bam Adebayo, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Spoelstra said last year’s loss had weighed on the team. “They made us get better. We thought about it all season long,” he said.

Butler said his teammates enabled him to sink key shots and shut down Boston comeback bids.

“They give me so much confidence to hoop at a high level,” he said. “They’re the reason we’re here. I know how good a team we are and we made it happen.”

‘A shell of myself’

Tatum, who finished with 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, turned his left ankle landing awkwardly after a baseline jumper in the opening seconds. He gri-

AMID allegations that the Converge FiberXers is forming a breakaway basketball league, Converge ICT Solutions Inc. CEO Dennis Anthony Uy has emphasized that the company is not in the business of basketball and that he is not interested in participating in such histrionics.

“Converge joined the PBA with the genuine intention of bringing vigor to the league for the greater entertainment of basketball fans across the country as our fiber internet services reached nationwide presence,” said Uy who is currently traveling on business ahead of his participation at the World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Monte Carlo, Monaco to represent the Philippines.

Uy was named Entrepreneur of the Year and Master Entrepreneur at the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines (EOYP) 2022 Awards last November for his pivotal role in bringing digital connectivity to more Filipinos across the country.

The EOYP Awards was organized by EY Philippines through the SGV Foundation.

“We believe that having a PBA basketball team would bring us closer to more Filipino homes that we want to serve. We are aiming to become a household name when it comes to world-class connectivity,” Uy said. He stressed that he is currently focused on making that happen so that majority of Filipinos will receive the benefits of having best quality, reliable, and affordable internet connectivity. Thus, he wanted to appoint people who are knowledgeable and passionate about basketball to represent and manage the Converge FiberXers team.

“I deeply regret the decision of the PBA Board to decline our appointment of Pampanga Governor Delta Pineda as our representative to the Board of Governors. We truly believe that his presence at the PBA Board will only bring more energy and dynamism to the PBA and maced often and took only one shot in the first 17 minutes.

“It swelled up,” Tatum said. “I was like a shell of myself. It was tough to move. It was frustrating especially that it should happen on the first play.” Miami stretched the lead as high as 17 points in the second quarter but Boston pulled within 59-51 early in the third.

Caleb Martin sank a baseline jumper to put Miami ahead 76-66 entering the fourth. Martin sank a three-pointer to ignite a 7-0 Miami run to open the fourth quarter for an 83-66 edge.

“Not shooting the ball well had an effect on us,” Tatum said. “And it kind of snowballed.”

The Celtics went nearly four minutes without scoring and never again threatened, finishing a woeful 9-of-42 from three-point range.

“They gave it everything they had,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “That’s the most important thing to take from this. We failed, but it’s not because the guys didn’t have a sense of togetherness and character.” AFP help the league re-energize its popularity among sports fans,” Uy noted.

It may be recalled that Gov. Pineda had offered his province during the 2020 and 2021 PBA tournaments under a bubble setup at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, demonstrating his love for the game. He was also behind the development of some of PBA’s superstars such as Calvin Abueva and Ian Sangalang.

Many sports observers have indicated the dampening luster of the PBA with its fan base getting alienated by the SMC-MVP duopoly resulting in declining live gates, with the UAAP getting more ticket sales, and new talents snubbing the PBA draft to play overseas.

“It’s about time that we level the playing field at the PBA. Fairness is a core virtue of sportsmanship. We need to respect our viewers - the Filipino basketball fans. We should give them the sports entertainment that they deserve,” Uy concluded.

8-of-14 shooting from the field, 5-of-9 from deep, while Catome produced a stellar line of 25 points, three rebounds, two steals, and two assists to snap Mandaluyong’s two-game skid.

With their starters not clicking, the Builders relied on their off-thebench duo of Jashlie De Leon and debuting Keith Bencalo, who got 18 points apiece. However, their efforts were not enough as Taytay fell to 2-1 -- half-a-game behind leg leaders Farm Fresh-Letran and NBS Kris.

In the other NCR leg game, USTcommits Mark Llemit and James Jumao-as, along with incoming Adamson freshman Peter Rosillo, joined hands in carrying Fin & Claw Grill to an 87-84 escape of

Magnificent Manila. Rosillo tallied 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists; Jumao-as got 13 points and three rebounds; while Llemit added 12 points and eight rebounds, pushing Fin & Claw to a 2-1 record while dropping Manila to a 0-3 slate.

In the sole Luzon leg of the day also had at the same Manila venue, Datzluv Sta. Cruz earned its third straight win to remain on pace with Pampanga Pradera after eking out an 84-77 win over Calamba City. Four players scored in doublefigures for the team that also has Builders as monicker with Geo Argonza scoring 14, Jasper Matienzo finishing with 13, Amiel Lopez chipping in 11, and Skyler Glen adding 10.

Edrian Palma (19 points) was the high point man for Calamba, who fell to 2-3. Over at the Cebu City Sports Institute, Dea’s Bakeshop X RAD racked up its third straight win after beating hapless Sidlak Danao, 82-71.

Ateneo-commit Michael Asoro tallied the first triple-double of the season for the 3-2 DBxR with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists while also notching seven steals.

Jose Marie Tumabang also produced a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

In the other game, Basak Where I Belong knotted Consolacion Black Sharma in the standings at 2-3 after a 97-86 victory. Sidlak Danao fell to 0-6.