It’s a whole new chapter in the history of the NBA playoffs that opened last night at Miami, at the end of an epic Game 6. On the floor of Heatthe club of Boston effectively became the fourth to post a 3-3 comeback after being down 3-0 previously in a series. And the first to win a Game 7 at home. THE Celtics came back from hell, and are now in a position to join the Finals for a second time in a row! An incredible turnaround.
But without the decisive intervention of Derrick Whiteauthor of a siren tap on an offensive rebound from an award-winning shot from Marcus Smartthe outcome would have been different, and we would speak here of a terrible collapse of the players of Boston, rather than of their exploit.
Because five minutes from the end of the match, the Celtics were still leading by 10 points (98-88), before collapsing against the impressive “takeover” of Jimmy Butler, who scored 13 of the Heat’s last 15 points, including 8 from the free-throw line. More fear than harm in the end for the C’s, thanks to the former Spurs who came to cool the humid Florida with this “tap-in” which came to accompany the final buzzer…
All eyes are now on Monday night’s Game 7 in Boston. A seventh round which promises to be electric, at the end of which the Celtics can write a little more history.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Boston, historical “reassembled”. Never in NBA history has a team won a series after being down 3-0. The Celtics can always be the first to do it, and that’s obviously all we remember from this Game 6. The hardest part is over, but there is one last hurdle to climb: winning this Game 7, to punctuate what should be the most important comeback of all time in the playoffs. In front of their public which should ensure an epic atmosphere, the Celtics have reason to be confident…
– Jimmy Butler’s unfinished money-time masterpiece. Five minutes from the end of the match, “Jimmy Buckets” was only 11 points scored, at 4/20. Five minutes later, he finished the game with 24 points, having scored 13 of the Heat’s last 15 points, including 8 free throws! The Heat winger delivered a mind-blowing end to the game, and he was one tap away from Derrick White to take down the Celtics and qualify the Heat for the Finals almost single-handedly. A truly unfinished money-time masterpiece.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. It’s rare enough to be highlighted in this series: the two “Jay’s” both delivered a great match, and we were the main architects of the success of theirs. Very prominent during the first three quarters, they were more discreet in the fourth act, during which they did not score a shot but ensured on the free throw line, when the Celtics faltered severely against the Heat comeback.
✅ Marcus Smart and Derrick White. The pair of backs of the Celtics was ultra precious, in relay of the “Jay’s”. Defense, offensive and defensive playmaking and rebounding: Marcus Smart (21 points and 4 rebounds) and Derrick White (11 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 blocks) did it all. In particular, and especially finally, the “game-winner” for the second.
✅ Caleb Martin. Once again the titular strong winger in this series in place of Kevin Love, for his defensive qualities against the pair Jayson Tatum – Jaylen Brown, the Heat soldier took out the warm-up blue in this Game 6: 21 points and 15 bounces! His best career outing in the playoffs, clearly, despite the loss in the end. He gave everything.
✅⛔ Bam Adebayo. Mixed impression on this Game 6 of the pivot of the Heat, always of good will and productive, like a rather satisfactory “boxscore” (11 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists), but appeared embarrassed by the physical and athletic dimension brought in his painting duel against Al Horford and Robert Williams III, respectively, like his 4/16 on shots for “only” 4 free throws collected.
THE FOLLOWING
– Game 7: in the night from Monday to Tuesday (2:30 a.m.), in Boston.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D= defensive rebound; T = Total Bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
