Towards NBA history? Derek White's game-winning basket right at the buzzer set up Boston's super-dramatic 103-104 victory over Miami in Florida on Sunday morning and a 3-3 tie in the Eastern Conference semifinals that seems to break all records of drama. The Celtics forced a decisive seventh game and in 48 hours they will be able to record a historic feat and become the first team ever to erase a 3-0 deficit in a playoff series and move up a stage.
Either way, the Celtics became the fourth team in history to tie the game at 3-3 despite falling behind by three games in the series and that happened tonight thanks to Derek White, who right at the buzzer was able to correct Marcus Smart's miss from beyond the arc from a memorable offensive rebound.
Jimmy Butler. This time, almost, Photo: AP
Earlier, Jimmy Butler, who swept the Heat to a terrific comeback and brought them back almost single-handedly from ten points behind, scored three times from the penalty line in the closing seconds, but then came White's tip-in, which determined that this abnormal series would only be decided in Game 7.
The Celtics, who raced to a 6-15 lead in the fourth quarter en route to a ten-point lead, got 31 points from Jayson Tatum, who finished with a perfect percentage from the free-throw line (15-of-15) along with 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 26 blocks. Jaylen Brown was terrific with 10 points and 21 rebounds, and Marcus Smart added 11 points. White impressed with 6 points and <> assists.
Derek White celebrates after the Florida game, Photo: AP
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On the disappointed side of the night, Butler finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists. Caleb Martin impressed with a double-double of 21 and 15 rebounds. Bam Adebayo also recorded a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds, but that again wasn't enough for Miami, which will try to avoid negative history Monday and Tuesday night.
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