The Miami Heat were less than a second away from heading to the NBA Finals until Celtics guard Derrick White managed to convert a putback as time expired, giving Boston the 104-103 win to force a winner-take-all Game 7.
The play started with White, who inbounded the ball to Marcus Smart and ended with White securing the win for the Celtics.
"Just happy we won," White said postgame, per TNT's broadcast. "Whatever it takes. We got our backs against the wall. Just happy we won."
It wasn't the prettiest win the Celtics have had in the postseason. Boston committed 12 turnovers and shot just 20% from behind the arc, but they gutted out the win to save their season.
"We're a resilient group. We pick each other up," White said. "We fight for each other and the job isn't done yet. We got a tough one, game seven and we got to find a way to get one more win."
The Celtics will return home and host the Miami Heat in the most exciting game in sports -- Game 7. Tipoff from TD Garden on Monday is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET. The Celtics are 5-0 this postseason when facing elimination, but in the history of the NBA, no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in 150 tries. The Celtics are hoping the inspiration from the 2004 Red Sox continues and they complete the epic comeback.
