National Basketball Association

Eastern Conference finals: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics by the numbers

Updated May. 17, 2022 3:57 p.m. ET

Only the top two remain in the Eastern Conference: the top-seeded Miami Heat and the second-seeded Boston Celtics.

Let's peek into the historical and statistical comparisons between the Heat and Celtics.

Matchup: This is the 13th time since 2000 that the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds face each other in the Eastern Conference finals. The 2-seed has won nine of the past 12 matchups. Most recently, the second-seeded Toronto Raptors defeated the top-ranked Bucks 4-2 in the 2019 Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics won the regular-season series against the Heat, taking two of their three matchups.

MIAMI HEAT

108.4: The Heat had a 108.4 defensive rating in the regular season (fourth in the NBA) and a 104.6 defensive rating in the 2022 postseason (second-best).

28.7: Jimmy Butler is averaging 28.7 points per game in the postseason (fourth in the NBA).

.562: The Heat have the third-highest all-time playoff winning percentage.

6-0: The Heat are 6-0 in their past six conference finals appearances, dating to 2006.

9: The Heat are making their ninth conference finals appearance (6-2 in their previous eight).

6-0: The Heat are 6-0 at home during this postseason.

2.1: Butler averages 2.1 steals per game this postseason, the most of any player.

40: Butler has two games with 40-plus points this postseason. He and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only two players with multiple 40-point games in this year's playoffs.

6-0: Kyle Lowry is expected to miss at least Game 1 due to a hamstring injury. Miami is 6-0 in the playoffs without Lowry and went 12-7 without him during the regular season.

.604: Erik Spoelstra has a 93-61 (.604) record in the postseason.

93: Spoelstra's 93 career playoff wins as a head coach are eighth in NBA history. He's seven wins away from being the sixth head coach in NBA history to record 100 playoff wins.

BOSTON CELTICS

106.2: The Celtics had a 106.2 defensive rating in the regular season (best in the NBA) and have a 105.2 defensive rating in the postseason (third).

28.3: Jayson Tatum is averaging 28.3 points per game in the postseason (fifth in the NBA).

.569: The Celtics have the second-highest all-time playoff winning percentage.

0-4: The Celtics are 0-4 in their past four conference finals appearances, dating to 2012.

21: The Celtics are making their 21st conference finals appearance (9-11 in their previous 20).

135: Al Horford has played in 135 career playoff games without an NBA Finals appearance. Those 135 games are the most in NBA history by any player without a Finals appearance.

4-0: The Celtics are 4-0 this postseason when Grant Williams scores 10-plus points.

159: Boston has made 159 3s this postseason, the most of any Eastern Conference team (and trailing only the Mavericks' 202).

7: Grant Williams made a career-high seven 3s in the Celtics' Game 7 win over Milwaukee, tying an NBA record for 3s made in a Game 7 (Stephen Curry has done it twice and Marcus Morris once).

.727: Ime Udoka has an 8-3 (.727) record in the postseason.

1: If the Celtics advance, Udoka would be the first coach since Nick Nurse in 2018-19 to lead his team to the NBA Finals in his first season as head coach.