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After Friday night’s Game 7 win over the Toronto Raptors, the Boston Celtics have the luxury of playing in their third Eastern Conference Finals in the last four seasons.
The Celtics will get a much-needed few days off before the Eastern Conference Finals take place with a well-rested Miami Heat team awaiting. Game 1 will occur Tuesday night and will tip-off at 6:30 p.m. EST unless the Denver Nuggets force a Game 7 versus the Los Angeles Clippers. If that happens, the start time of Celtics-Heat Game 1 will be pushed back two hours.
It looks like the NBA will stick with their every other day format as Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday (time TBD) and Game 3 is set for Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and Heat starts Tuesday at 630. Game 2 Thursday at TBD and Game 3 on Saturday at 830.
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) September 12, 2020
If the Nuggets force a Game 7 then Game 1 moves back 2 hours.
The Celtics went 2-1 versus the Heat in the regular season, which includes their most recent encounter in a seeding game inside the bubble that Miami won, 112-106.
Boston may receive a boost to its lineup as it is expected that Gordon Hayward, who took part in a pregame shootaround prior to Friday’s Game 7 and has been sidelined with a sprained ankle that he sustained in Boston’s first playoff game on Aug. 17, is getting closer to a return.
“I think he’ll be back at some point in that series, but I don’t know when,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens.