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May 15 (UPI) -- Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics are "extremely familiar" with the Miami Heat and looking forward to the matchup in the Eastern Conference finals, the All-Star forward told reporters. Tatum commented on the upcoming series after scoring a Game 7 record 51 points in the Celtics' series-clinching win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday in Boston. The Celtics trailed 3-2 in the semifinals series before they claimed Game 6 and Game 7 to advance.
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The No. 2 Celtics will host the No. 8 Miami Heat in Game 1 of the conference finals Wednesday in Boston.
"It's a team that we're extremely familiar with," Tatum said of the Heat. "A very well-coached team, they compete with the best of them, play hard.
"They defend, they make plays and they figure out a way to win games. It's going to be fun. It's going to be highly competitive and I'm looking forward to it."
Tatum made 17 of 28 shots, including six 3-pointers, Sunday in Boston. He chipped in 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals in the historic showing.
The Celtics held the 76ers to 37.3% shooting in the 112-88 triumph. Tatum's 51 points broke the record for the most points ever scored in a Game 7 in NBA history. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry set the record earlier this postseason when he scored 50 against the Sacramento Kings.
"I was more myself," Tatum said. "In pregame, I was relaxed, laughing, joking. That's when I play my best, when I'm having fun. I just tried not to think about the pressure, what everybody is going to say. Just focus on the game and having fun."
The Celtics will meet a Heat team that is making a historic run. The Heat advanced through the play-in tournament. They then knocked off the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and No. 5 New York Knicks to become just the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to reach the conference finals.
Heat forward Jimmy Butler, who is averaging 31.1 points per game this postseason, remains one of the league's most dangerous players.
The Celtics beat the Heat last year in the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat beat the Celtics in the 2020 Eastern Conference finals.
Game 1 of the 2023 rematch will tip off at 8:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday on TNT. Game 2 will be at the same time Friday on TNT. The series will move to Miami for the next two games on Sunday and May 23, respectively.
The winner of the Heat-Celtics series will meet the Los Angeles Lakers or Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. The top-seeded Nuggets will host the No. 7 Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in Denver. That series will air on ESPN and ABC.
