ECF Celtics v Heat | Game 6 Recap

Celtics 104 @ Heat 103 | Kaseya Center | Miami, FL | Series Tied 3-3

Colorado Kid Steals One in Miami

This might be a battle for Eastern Conference bragging rights, but this game felt like an old

western showdown. When the dust settled The Colorado Kid, Derrick White, was left standing as

the hero that saved the Boston Celtics season. As usual Miami hung around, Boston kept landing

haymakers, Miami would wobble, but never fall. Then with three seconds and one stop needed,

for the first time, Miami couldn't close a win and Boston got their Hail Mary answered. We go to

a game seven in Boston on Monday.

As the two teams headed into game six, tensions were running high. Boston has to fight for its

season to continue every single night. Miami is trying to not make history in the worst way,

being the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 lead. They needed to listen to us here, we have

warned that if any team had a chance to break the 150-game losing streak by 0-3 teams it was

Boston. And they didn't have to do anything crazy to do it, they just had to wake up and realize

they are the better team, then play like it. They have done that, and they got what they wanted, a

chance to end this series on their home-court.

Both teams started strong with Boston going out front early, but never able to bury Miami, and there was no telling which side would come out on top. However, the Celtics had the momentum from their previous wins in Miami and Boston. They were looking to keep it rolling in front of a hostile crowd. The Miami fans were electric as they cheered on their team, hoping for a shot at the championship. And celebration on their floor. The game was a nail-biter from start to finish.

The game was a testament to how fierce the competition is in the Eastern Conference. Both

teams played their hearts out, leaving everything on the court. But in the end, it was Derrick

White of the Celtics who emerged from the scrum with .3 seconds left to tip in the game winner

off a Jaylen Brown missed three. He played an exceptional game defensively, scored 11 points

and making crucial plays down the stretch on both ends of the floor. Miami put up a great fight,

taking the lead on three clutch free-throws with just three seconds remaining in what looked like

the ticket punch Miami has been trying to get for a week now. But they were unable to close out

the game and secure the win.

If you were Biff with his almanac and you told me Boston was going to win game six on a buzzer beater, I would say it was plausible. Even if he showed me the almanac however, I would never believe Miami struggled because Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo were the problem. Butler ended with a respectable 24 point, 11 rebound double-double. That required Jimmy to score 15 in the fourth to get to that point total though. Bam joined him with a weak 11 point, 13 point double-double. With just under six minutes left in the third Bam and Butler had combined to make a total of five shots, not logo threes, shots period. If it wasn't for valiant efforts from support players like Gabe Vincent giving 41 gritty minutes and 15 points after a painful ankle injury at the end of game four. Caleb Martin got the start and responded with a third Miami double-double with 21 points and 15 rebounds.

The problem is Miami has allowed Boston to remember they are the bigger, stronger, and more

athletic roster top to bottom. They also found the energy and urgency they lacked in the first

three games of the series. The Boston top three of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus

Smart all scored at least 20 points. Tatum and Brown had double-doubles of their own with

Tatum scoring a game-high 31 and securing 11 rebounds. Brown had 26 points and 10 rebounds

for his, while Smart dropped 21 as he hit four of the Boston's seven made threes. Boston got

away with shooting just 20% from three because Miami was as bad from the entire floor

shooting only 35.5% from the field as a team. This was the strangest stat of the night, Miami shot

11 points higher from three than inside the arch as they hit at a 46.7% clip from deep.

When Jimmy was asked to describe the last few seconds of the game that saw him steal the lead

with his three free-throws to complete the 10-point fourth quarter comeback and then White's

quick draw tip-in at the buzzer he simply stated "Basketball for you...basketball at its finest.

Very, very, very, very entertaining. That's good basketball" When White was asked what he saw

on that final and decisive tip-in he had a similarly succinct answer. "There was really nobody on

me, so I just spaced to the corner and then when he shot it. Just tried to crash, ball came to me,

made a shot, so, that's what I saw."

As the series heads to a decisive game seven, the pressure is on for both teams. Boston is looking

to continue their winning streak and earn a spot in the championship, while Miami is fighting to

avoid a historic collapse. The tension will be high as these two teams battle it out in front of a

passionate Boston crowd. The outcome of this game will determine who advances to the next

round, and who goes home disappointed. Fans from both sides will be on the edge of their seats,

waiting to see which team will come out on top.