How Jaylen Brown, Celtics Felt Of Jimmy Butler’s Potential Game-Winner

Jaylen Brown and Al Horford felt exactly like all the Boston Celtics fans watching as Miami Heat guard Jimmy Butler pulled up for a transition 3-pointer with 16 seconds left in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Butler’s shot came after Marcus Smart missed at the rim, allowing Miami to get out on the break while trailing, 98-96. It undoubtedly caused the hearts of Green Teamers to skip a beat as the Celtics had an 11-point lead just three minutes prior.

That was the same for those on the court, too.

“I was hoping to God, my mind was to rebound because I was in the game so I didn’t give up an offensive rebound. But when he shot that, I was like, ‘Man, what the hell?,'” Brown said after Boston’s 100-96 victory, as seen on NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage. “But he missed, we get the rebound and move on.”

Brown did secure the rebound with 12.9 seconds left before Miami used a foul to stop the clock with 11.4 remaining.

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Celtics veteran big man Al Horford was the closest defender on Butler, who could have attacked the rim given that Miami was trailing by just two points.

“Yeah, I mean I was loaded (defensively). I didn’t know what he was going to do. It seemed like he was going to go for the shot, but I just to make sure that I stayed solid,” Horford said after the game. “And when he pulled up for the three I was like, let me just contest the best way that I can. He got a good look at it.

“It was nerve-wrecking,” Horford continued. “He pulled up and anything could have happened there. He could have made the shot. Fortunately, I contested it enough and he missed it and we were able to get control of the ball.”

Smart then hit a pair of free throws to push Boston’s lead to two possessions and the Celtics pulled it out. It helped the Green claim the victory in the winner-take-all Game 7 and ultimately emerge with the Eastern Conference title.

The Celtics now advance to face the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Thursday with tipoff set for 9 p.m. ET.