Player of the Game: Caleb Martin closes out Celtics with another lights

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.

For the series, Martin averaged 20 points per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field including 48 percent from three. Called upon to step up as a scorer with the losses of Victor Oladipo and Tyler Herro to injury, Martin was the Heat's second-leading scorer in the series behind Butler.

Keep scrolling for highlights of Caleb Martin from Monday night…

Caleb Martin fadeaway bucket!Heat lead in Q2 of Game 7 on TNT.#NBAConferenceFinals presented by @GooglePixel_US pic.twitter.com/Pq3eo0HMc9

Caleb Martin 🌪He's up to 18 PTS, 3Q live on TNT!ECF Game 7 🍿 pic.twitter.com/hhSIsR9MKp

CALEB MARTIN THREE 💦23 PTS through 3 quarters to lead Miami in Game 7 on TNT!#NBAConferenceFinals presented by @GooglePixel_US pic.twitter.com/aBJK33VXsY

CALEB MARTIN ON FIRE 🔥He's 4/5 from three... now up to 26 points as Miami leads early in Q4 of Game 7! pic.twitter.com/lcg8rikszT

Caleb continues to stay hot behind the arc 🙌 pic.twitter.com/oTdn3BmpGN

Caleb Martin, y'all. He's got 23 points through 3 quarters. pic.twitter.com/5ipjJwcVGL

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].