The Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat 104-103 in Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals of the 2022-2023 season at 9:30 a.m. ET on Monday at the Amway Center in Miami, Fla.
Three straight wins after three straight losses. That’s a hell of a come-from-behind. Now the winner of Game 7 advances to the Finals.
Never before in NBA history has a team down 0-3 in a best-of-seven playoff series made it 4-3. In all, it’s happened 150 times.
Boston would make history if it were to force a Game 7. Game 7 will be played at Boston’s home TD Garden on March 30.
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 31 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, while Jaylen Brown added 26 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Marcus Smart (21 points, 4 rebounds), Robert Williams III (10 points, 7 rebounds), and the supporting cast also played well.
Derrick White (11 points, four rebounds, six assists) was the hero with a game-winning putback in the closing seconds.
Miami ran out of steam. Jimmy Butler (24 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists) missed 16 of 21 shots and Bam Adebayo (11 points, 13 rebounds, five assists) missed 12 of 16. Only Caleb Martin, who started at sixth man, did his part with 21 points and 15 rebounds.
When Boston made a run, Miami followed; despite shooting poorly from three, the Heat took the lead on the strength of their defense, especially by locking down the Miami one-two punch of Butler and Adebayo. The presence of White and Williams III was huge.
Early in the fourth quarter, Miami rallied to take an 83-82 lead. Duncan Robinson hit a three and Butler scored on a putback.
Boston was not easily rattled and quickly regained the lead. Brown and Smart made free throws and White hit a three. Miami was unfortunate to miss Adebayo’s goaltending and a technical foul that came at a time when they had the momentum. 안전놀이터
Miami didn’t give up. A Butler three, a technical foul, and three free throws gave them the lead again, 103-102.
Boston’s final offense came with three seconds left in the game. White grabbed the offensive rebound off a missed shot by Tatum and drove to the basket.
The buzzer-beater. It was the moment Boston ended the game, 104-103.