James, Heat move on to finals

Associated Press

MIAMI

LeBron James finally got a Game 7 victory, on his third try.

Next up, the NBA finals — and his third try at that elusive first championship.

James had 31 points and 12 rebounds, Chris Bosh hit a career-best three 3-pointers — the last sparking the run that put it away — and the Miami Heat won their second straight Eastern Conference title by beating the Boston Celtics 101-88 in Game 7 on Saturday night.

Miami opens the title series in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.

Dwyane Wade scored and Shane Battier added 12 for the Heat, who won a Game 7 for the first time since 2004 — Wade’s rookie season.

Rajon Rondo finished with 22 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for Boston, which got 19 points from Paul Pierce in what might be the last game of the “Big Four” era for the Celtics.

Six games decided nothing, and nothing was decided in Game 7 until the very last moments, neither team yielding much of anything. Battier’s 3-pointer with 8:06 left in the third cut Boston’s lead at the time to 59-57.

And back and forth they went.

For the next 13 minutes, a span of 46 dizzying, unbelievable possessions, neither team led by more than two points.

That finally changed when Bosh his third 3-pointer with 7:17 left. James made a runner on the next Miami trip, and suddenly the Heat had their biggest lead of the night to that point, 88-82 with 6:54 remaining.

They were on their way.