Derek WhiteThe buzzer beater in Game 6 drew strong reactions from NBA fans, such as Celtics He managed to keep their season alive and force Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals against heat.
The only person who didn’t seem to comment on the game winner was Boston coach Joe Mazzola.
Mazzola spoke to reporters in the aftermath of the stunning Game 6 victory, but admitted he wasn’t focused on White’s shot. When asked what went through his mind after the winner of White’s Game, Mazzulla released a very character-specific response.
“Nothing. Game 7,” Mazzola said of his thought process after the miraculous backtracking.
Joe Mazzola is not in the mood to celebrate 🫡
Game 7 is on the way 🔒
(via @tweet)
pic.twitter.com/CcdflelC4Y– Ball Dont Lie (Balldontlie) May 28, 2023
It seems that Mazzulla is not in a celebratory mood yet, he knows very well that there is still work to be done. He’s certainly glad White’s punt kept the Celtics season afloat, but as far as celebrating is concerned, Mazzola is saving all of that for post-Series.
Mazzola admitted he had no idea if White’s shot had gone in before the buzzer when it was attempted at first.
Once the dust settled and it became clear that the Celtics had won the game, their coach immediately began mentally preparing for Game 7.
“There is no guarantee. We just have to understand why we are still alive and the mentality does not change,” Mazzola said after the win.
The end of the series is set for Monday, at which point the Celtics will be looking to become the first team ever to complete a successful reverse sweep and win the series after trailing 3-0.