BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 29: Caleb Martin #16 of the Miami Heat attempts a three point basket against Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics during the third quarter in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 29, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The media voters may have given the Larry Bird Trophy – awarded to the best player in each year’s Eastern Conference Finals – to Jimmy Butler after the Heat wrapped up their series win over the Celtics on Monday night. But there’s a strong, strong case to be made that the award should have gone to Caleb Martin, who came up one vote shy of Butler on the ballots.
Martin wrapped up the series with another lights-out performance in the closing game. He scored 26 points in Game 7, shooting 11-of-16 from the floor and 4-of-6 from three. On the glass, he added 10 rebounds for a double-double.
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