PLAYOFFS 2023 - EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME #6 - POST GAME MIAMI HEAT - AWAY

Celtics Wrap: Boston Saves Season, Forces Game 7 With Insane Final Shot
It didn't deserve to end any other way

NESN by Keagan Stiefel

The Boston Celtics are on the precipice of history, defeating the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, 104-103, on Saturday night at Kaseya Center in an instant classic.

The series is tied 3-3, with Game 7 set for Monday night.

Check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
There has been plenty made about the Celtics’ struggles to get consistent production out of their stars this postseason.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who both made All-NBA after phenomenal regular seasons, have each put together some stinkers in the postseason. It is very much part of the reason why the Celtics, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, fell behind 0-3 to the No. 8 seeded Heat in this series. Brown was a minus-49 collectively between Games 2 and 3, while Tatum shot 33.3% from the field in Game 3.

The two stars haven’t consistently been stars for Boston, which is why it must have been nice to see Miami struggle with the same issue in Game 6.

Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, who both made the NBA All-Star Game with Butler making All-NBA, saved their collective implosion for the worst time possible. Miami’s dynamic-duo combined to average over 43 points and per game in the regular season, but finished with just 35 points on 9-for-37 shooting in Game 6, forcing a bench scorer (Caleb Martin) and injured point guard (Gabe Vincent) to try and pick up the slack.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Marcus Smart was Boston’s most consistent player on the night, continuing his scoring spree with a 21-point night. He also contributed solid defense, being the point man on Adebayo throughout the middle two quarters.

— Caleb Martin did exactly what bettors expected from him entering the night, finishing with 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting and 15 rebounds

— Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 31 points, with his gigantic first half helping the Celtics build a lead. He had 11 rebounds and two blocks to go along with his offensive output.

WAGER WATCH
Martin was the best player Miami had Saturday, recording a double-double for the first time this postseason. DraftKings Sportsbook gave him -110 odds to surpass 19.5 total points, rebounds and assists, which he did within one half. A $100 wager placed on the 27-year-old netted in a $190.91 total payout.

UP NEXT
The series heads back to Boston for a winner-take-all Game 7, with the Celtics and Heat meeting for a chance to meet the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. Tipoff from TD Garden is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.

112288

Hi,
Wow. What a game - nail-biter.
We need to tighten our defense a little bit more and give JT a little bit more breathing time. And he has to start sinking 3-pointers. Actually, all Celtics shooters have to get better in that department - you can't win many games with 20% from 3.
Game 7, here we come!

AK

Actual game 7 on Monday. I was really worried about game 6, had this feeling that it will be a nail biter.

Hope that the Celts bring their poise and intensity on Monday.

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.

We did everything wrong in this game, the defense kept us in it all game, then made huge mistakes down the stretch, and we still won. Duncan Robinson had 2 wide open looks with no defender near, terrible defense, but bricked them. He hits either, we are pissed with the defensive breakdowns and are going fishing. I hate how dumb we switch, making the match up worse, with Al making a dumb foul on Jimmys last posession. Love Al, but can’t the perimeter guys stick to guards and wings, don’t fu(k!ng switch putting bigs at the 3 point line on guards and wings; we have been scored on so many times doing this sh!t. On top of all those defensive breakdowns, and agree with worse we should have kept RWill in the game, he made so many defensive plays that didn’t show up on the boxscore. Then we also played the most putrid offense with a 10 point lead, walking the ball up the floor giving Tatum the ball 28-30 ft from the basket, ignoring Jaylen, a total offensive collapse. We slowly bricked everything with the worst execution, they cut the lead down, down, down and if Duncan Robinson hits either wide open 3 off defensive collapses, they don’t need Jimmy’s 3 FT’s.

Yet somehow we still won!!!! So somehow we must have earned it, we were giving it away and Heat couldn’t take it!! Tatum had 25 points in the first half and 1 FG in second half, such a bizarre game. 2 J’s, Al and Grant went 0-17 on 3’s and we still won. Thank God for Derrick White!!! This team is so Jekyl and Hyde, have no idea how we pulled this off. It’s better to be lucky than good.

Piece of cake! (I’ll write more when the EMTs revive me). hawk

White tips it in but the buzzer sounded, the light was on …. it will be reviewed - TNT blowing the call in real time. Reggie is the worst Heat rooter (or anti-Celtics or both), he was left just as stunned and disappointed as the fans.

OK, I'm going to walk softly here and carry a big stick.

First, Derrick White For President. Put him on the ballot. Not really. He doesn't need to quit his day job or focus on anything else but basketball. What a gem, Brad, what a gem.

Next. We're not out of the woods yet. We can and have lost G7's at home. Not many. But it only takes one. Last thing we need is another relapse.

Next. dboss, you were almost right, but were foiled by 0.1 seconds. That's about as close as you can get. You have a front row seat with Ktron on the db 4-0 Bus. Come on aboard. I'll even help you to your seat.
You look a bit flushed and wobbly. We all do. We're still moving. Thank you for stepping up and pulling a db. Bet the opposite of what you say.

Next. Law of Averages rule. Always. We were consistently inconsistent again. That's our average.
Nothing has changed there. MIA coming back to the mean. On average they are an 8th seed. Maybe slightly better.

Next. MIA got gut punched but they aren't going to roll over. It's still just one game and there is one game left for all the marbles. Just because it's at home doesn't mean Jack. It helps, especially if the crowd goes bonkers for 48 minutes like it did last round. But no one will care if we lose it. Only if we win it.

Next. Anybody start the @embracethedramagoceltics hashtag? I didn't think so. Just when I dreamed up this crazy go down 0-3 comeback 4-0 scenario/scheme and thought there couldn't possibly be anymore drama, I didn't imagine this crazy G6 game ending to get it to G7. But it fits perfectly, doesn't it?

Next. Hubris-filled Spo is doubling and tripling down just as you would expect from someone with an ego that huge. Oh he was pissed in his post-game. He's like the knight at the bridge in Monty Python's Search For The Holy Grail. Wanted to play another 48 right then. "Come back here!! I'll bite your kneecaps off!!" If G7 goes our way, I'll bet he never shakes Joe's hand. Spiraling out of control as predicted.

Next. What dboss sees as entitlement, I may see as a calm resolve and confidence. We're not cocky. And the first person that comes out and says we're winning G7 and talking smack, just hand the Finals to MIA.

Next. We proved we can win without hitting 3's almost at all against a team that was staying in the game with them. Robinson going to need therapy after those 2 wide open misses. Wow!! He's about as cocky as his coach. Welcome to Humbletown. Come on, dboss! You gotta believe Red had his hand in those two shots after seeing that.

Next. MIA has to be having nightmares. Last year when they had that 3-point shot at the end of the game that clanked off, then Robinson last night? Well, we don't have to play in MIA NO MO!!

Finally. Charles is still fighting us with his postgame comments. He needs to .embrace the drama and stop thinking MIA can still stop this. These are two very crazy teams. There will never be anything like this series. Ever. And I think Charles' stripes are showing through now as well. He does not know what a champion feels like. Of course neither do any of our guys. But he doesn't know what the Celtics organization knows about being champions. He's also on the wrong track. He thinks the pressure in G7 in all on us. And he's correct about some of that. But the real pressure is on MIA to avoid the NBA's curse of death. Now THAT'S pressure. That's 10x's our pressure. But all of them seem to be talking out of both sides of their mouths. They can't believe our consistently inconsistent as just who we are yet we win vs. MIA who is just as inconsistent yet they are the ones still with the fighting chance, the better team, blah, blah, blah. Ktron, help me out here. What am I trying to say? Is it just Rodney Dangerfield Syndrome for us?

I honestly don't know what to expect in G7. I need a drink.

Love you guys and gal. Hang on. One more game left in this series.

db

Binary choice. We win or we lose. I say we shoot more tha 20% from 3, play another good defensive game, and win. How's that for a strategy?

From your mouth to Red's ears Rosalie.

worcester wrote:Binary choice. We win or we lose. I say we shoot more tha 20% from 3, play another good defensive game, and win. How's that for a strategy?

I agree law of averages is Tatum and Grant will not have 3 games in a row of putrid 3 point shooting, but you never know? Tatum was spent after brilliant first half and couldn’t buy a basket. Jaylen has a bad finger/hand on his shooting hand and already has a turnover and blowing FT’s late issue, the team has collapsed and blown leads all year, that’s what they do. Thank God the defense led by Timelord made just enough plays. I was like you, as soon as he went out, I was like “No you flip!n idiot”, did I mention our D gave wide open looks twice to one of their best marksman? We could easily shoot as bad as last game and a case can be made Jimmy and Bam will not play/shoot that bad again? Is Jekyl and Hyde Tatum spent again, 2nd half stats say he is? Hope your the one that is right, I have no idea with this team…???? Still amazed we won within our own collapse both ends, does this team ever learn? Biggest game ever and we do everything wrong/inept at the end and win….Barkley was spot on on his comments with Jaylen in the post game.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:too many negative vibes on this site.  I thought you guys were die hards,   all you do is look for the bad, never the good.  Man oh man, we would have kicked you all in the rear in the '60s    look on the bright side.............GAME 7 AT HOME IN BOSTON TD GARDEN.......

*nods in agreement

12 turnovers for us 5 for them: a very costly stat

I am a diehard which is why I want the Celts to be in a position to win. Rob in there for the last 3 minutes when we are up 10 solidifies our D and helps our O. Pointing out the obvious is not disloyalty. It is supporting the team. I doubt that we will make yesterday's mistakes again and will close out better. Too bad Malcolm is not there to help, and I hope Jaylen's hand heals asap. Still, overall we played good D depite the lapses at the end. Being an Amherst grad I am so glad that Duncan Robinson learned how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at Williams!

RosalieTCeltics wrote:too many negative vibes on this site.  I thought you guys were die hards,   all you do is look for the bad, never the good.  Man oh man, we would have kicked you all in the rear in the '60s    look on the bright side.............GAME 7 AT HOME IN BOSTON TD GARDEN.......

This is not negative at all, it is reality if you watched the game. I am rooting hard for us to win and was a miracle we did it, despite ourselves.

worcester wrote:I am a diehard which is why I want the Celts to be in a position to win. Rob in there for the last 3 minutes when we are up 10 solidifies our D and helps our O. Pointing out the obvious is not disloyalty. It is supporting the team. I doubt that we will make yesterday's mistakes again and will close out better. Too bad Malcolm is not there to help, and I hope Jaylen's hand heals asap. Still, overall we played good D depite the lapses at the end. Being an Amherst grad I am so glad that Duncan Robinson learned how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at Williams!

+1

Exactly

Sorry I’m not gonna sugarcoat anything and I always root for us to win

Last night, really yesterday before the game, I learned to embrace this team - not the team I wish they were. They’re winning these games because they went back to their best selves - they’re defensive identity; didn’t Al stuff Bam in the restricted area in one of the biggest stops of the game in crunch time? yes, he did. The Celts won a classic!!! warts and all

My biggest shining light from the game (no glimmer, it was a Win) was Jaylen taking over the game and putting the team on his back. I honestly didn’t know if he had that in him in this big a game. If he can keep doing this they can win the Championship because Tatum can do that too but  just not all 7 games of a series.

Wow! I agree with Cowens on incredible luck, with Worcester that RW is key (I like the 2-Williams lineup), and with Rosalie, that when we post tomorrow, it will be to say bring on Denver. Five more wins for a special place in the NBA annals. hawk

hawksnestbeach wrote:Wow! I agree with Cowens on incredible luck, with Worcester that RW is key (I like the 2-Williams lineup), and with Rosalie, that when we post tomorrow, it will be to say bring on Denver. Five more wins for a special place in the NBA annals. hawk

Hey I’m crazy, but not stupid. I will gladly take all the warts and the incredible luck to pull out the win. Thank you Brad for acquiring DWhite!!!

Another guy that really pisses me off is that little bug Lowry!! See him smacking Jaylens forearms full force, he’s obviously not going for the ball!! That could lead to a Brogdon type injury and he got away last game with a huge wind up and full force open hand strike right a GWill’s face that he also got away with. No flagrant. Do me a favor Grant run over him, clothesline him for me and the team sometime. Thanks

Gyso my exact same scenario too pretty much, this team drives me crazy. I know Heckler feels the same way….