UNDATED (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns were last year’s NBA finalists. Neither team managed to advance to the upcoming conference finals.
The Celtics are in the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals after knocking out the defending champs, 109-81 over the Bucks.
Boston did it with a 3-point barrage in the Game 7 victory, nailing 22 from beyond the arc. Grant Williams was the Celtics’ long-range master, hitting seven treys and scoring a career-high 27 points.
Jayson Tatum had 23 points for the Celtics, who will face the top-seeded Heat in Miami on Tuesday.
The Celts trailed early but took control by outscoring the Bucks, 61-38 in the second half.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists for Milwaukee. But he was just 3 of 11 in the paint in the second half, including 1 for 6 the fourth quarter.
The Mavericks cruised into the Western Conference finals by building a 30-point halftime lead in a 123-90 blowout over the top-seeded Suns in Phoenix.
Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie and Jalen Brunson accounted for 89 points, with Doncic delivering 35 with 10 rebounds. Dinwiddie poured in 30 points, doubling his previous series high. Brunson chipped in 24 points for the Mavs, who held the Phoenix starting lineup to 37 points.
Dallas shot a blistering 57 percent, including 19 of 39 from 3-point range. Doncic and Dinwiddie were a combined 11-for-18 from downtown.
Backup Cameron Johnson paced the Suns with just 12 points. Devin Booker was held to 11 on 3 of 14 shooting, and Chris Paul took just eight attempts while scoring 10 points.
The Warriors will host the Mavericks in Game 1 of the conference final series on Wednesday.
