For Miami’s Alcacia Center, the playoffs motto was “White Hot Playoffs”. On Saturday night, the ring is decked out in white with Heat wearing those three words across their chest.
Little did they know how prophetic it would be.
With just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Jason Tatum hit two free throws to put the Celtics up by nine points at 100-91. The lead had wiped the entire game from double digits and up by 13 in the third quarter to a two-possession play, but down the stretch it looked like Boston had finally put some distance between themselves and the Heat, and came closer to Game 7 at TD Garden Monday night.
Then Jimmy Butler happened. In the final three minutes, he scored 10 of Miami’s final twelve points, including a step back 3, 1, and several free throws, including a clutch three to take the lead when he was fouled by Al Horford, leaving only three seconds left on Clock and maybe Celtics season.
“In all honesty, I’m in total prayer mode,” Jaylen Brown said of Heat’s return.
On the verge of a finals berth, Erik Spoelstra decided to tip the ball away from Jason Tatum. Tatum finished with 31 points and went to the line fifteen times. They wouldn’t let him hit them.
“Really, just trying to get to a place where we can one or two dribbles or two and get a shot,” coach Joe Mazzola said of his final play call. “They did a good job with the rejection with the in-house founder. This is always a hard read.”
He ended up being Marcus Smart with the last run in Game 6.
“He flashed a wit, hit him, and no one was really into him,” said Derek White. “It just diverged into the corner and when he released it, I just tried to crash. The ball came at me and I shot.”
White’s humble nature clearly underestimates the team’s biggest postseason play to date. The Celtics became the first team in NBA history to force a Game 7 home run with their blip.
“Derek White, like a flash of lightning, just came out of nowhere and saved the day, man,” Brown said. “It was just an incredible play.”
That felt like the longest ten seconds ever, waiting for confirmation if he did or not. I’m still in disbelief. That s%$# was insane, Tatum said.
White finished the game with 11 points, four rebounds, and six assists, nothing more important than the offensive rebound and delay to beat the buzzer. However, it may have been his defense that led the Celtics to win Game 6. According to ESPN’s Kirk GoldsberryMiami was 1-for-12 in shots made, including Butler’s 0-for-6 with White as the starting defender.
“My phone is already going off,” White said of his heroics, “but I get home tomorrow and I’m going to play Hendrix.” “I’m sure he wouldn’t look at me any differently, so that would be cool.”