Report: Heat Schedule Flight to Denver for NBA Finals Before Game 7 vs. Celtics
Despite dropping each of the past three games of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Boston Celtics and blowing a 3-0 series lead, the Miami Heat are reportedly confident they will prevail in Monday's Game 7.
According to Andy Slater of Fox Sports 640, Federal Aviation Administration records show that the Heat have scheduled a flight to Denver rather than back home to Miami after Monday night's game.
That suggests the Heat believe they will defeat the Celtics in Game 7 in Boston since the NBA Finals would begin Thursday in Denver against the Nuggets if Miami wins the Eastern Conference Finals.
Miami needed to go through the play-in tournament and take a win-or-go-home game against the Chicago Bulls in order to secure the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Although the Heat reached the ECF last season and are still led by All-Star-level players in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, they were not widely expected to go on a deep run this postseason.
Against all odds, the Heat upset Giannis Antetokounmpo and the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and knocked off the New York Knicks in the second round to return to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Thanks largely to excellent play from role players such as Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent, the Heat raced out to a 3-0 series lead over Boston, including a 128-102 drubbing in Game 3.
With their backs against the wall, the Celtics won the next two games, shifting the series back to Miami for Game 6.
It was a back-and-forth affair, but Butler was fouled on a three-point shot with three seconds remaining and hit all three free throws to give Miami a one-point lead.
The Heat seemed destined for the NBA Finals, but Celtics guard Derrick White barely beat the buzzer on a miraculous putback to give Boston a 104-103 win and to force a Game 7.
Momentum is fully on the Celtics' side, although it can also be argued that the pressure is mostly on them since they are the better seed, playing Game 7 at home and on the brink of an all-time great comeback.
Regardless, the Heat will be feeling the pressure as well since they undoubtedly want to avoid becoming the first team in NBA history to lose a seven-game series after taking a 3-0 lead.
Booking a flight to Denver may be a ploy to up the confidence of the Heat players and coaches, but the only true way to ensure a Game 7 win is for Miami to play more like it did in Games 1 through 3.
