Heat eliminate Bucks, will play Celtics or Raptors in conference finals

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The Miami Heat are going to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2014.

The Heat eliminated the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series Tuesday night inside the NBA bubble. The Heat have now reached the conference finals seven times since 2005 -- the most of any East team.

The Bucks were without reigning MVP and superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 5 because of an ankle injury, and despite a valiant effort, Milwaukee was unable to force a Game 6 and lost 103-94.

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The Heat will play either the Boston Celtics or Toronto Raptors in the conference finals. The Celtics earned a dominant Game 5 win over the Raptors to take a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 of the series is Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. ET.

The Celtics and Heat last met in the conference finals in 2012 when Miami prevailed in Game 7. The Heat also beat the Celtics in a five-game conference semifinals series in 2011 and lost to Boston in a five-game first-round series in 2010.

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The Raptors and Heat have met only once in the playoffs -- a conference semifinals series in 2016 that Toronto won in seven games.

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