Celtics become fourth team in NBA history to fight back from 3-0 deficit after Game 6 win…

The Boston Celtics have become the fourth team ever in NBA history to overturn a 3-0 deficit after forcing a Game 7 with a 104-103 win over the Miami Heat in the Western Conference Finals. 

Celtics wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 57 points in Saturday night’s Game 6 at Kaseya Center in downtown Miami, with 31 and 26 respectively.

The Heat though they had moved onto the NBA Finals after star forward Jimmy Butler made all three of his free throw attempts after being fouled from behind the arc to give his team a 103-102 lead with three seconds left on the game clock.

However, after Celtics guard Marcus Smart missed a three-point attempt on the game’s last possession, teammate Derrick White grabbed the rebound and scored with 0.1 seconds left to keep Boston’s NBA title aspirations alive.

‘Whatever it takes… our backs against the wall, just happy we won,’ White, who was emotional postgame, said. ‘We’re a resilient group. We pick each other up, we fight for each other. Job isn’t done yet. We have a one tough game 7 and we gotta find a way to get one more win.’

Celtics guard Derrick White tips in the winning basket as the buzzer sounds late in the fourth 

White & teammates react after beating the Heat to force a Game 7 back in Boston on Monday

In the first half, the Celtics restricted the Heat to only making 7 of 27 shots in the paint, with star forward Jimmy Butler limited to nine points at halftime and until the fourth quarter. 

Smart shot lights out from behind the arc in the first hall, as he converted all three of his three-point attempts by the end of the game’s first two quarters. Overall, he was 7 of 15 from the field and ended the night with 21 points (4 of 11 from behind the arc).

By the end of Saturday’s contest, Jimmy ‘Buckets’ earned himself a double-double, with 24 points and 11 rebounds on 5-21 shooting. He and star center Bam Adebayo struggled to be as effective as they’ve been so far this postseason, converting 9 of 37 shots combined. 

Adebayo ended the game with 11 points and 13 rebounds on 4 of 16 shooting.

Game 7 will now be played at TD Garden on Monday. The Celtics will now have a shot at becoming the first team in NBA playoff history to ever come all the way back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.

The winner will take on the Western Conference champion Denver Nuggets in a title series that’ll start on June 1.

In the past, only the 1951 New York Knicks, 1994 Denver Nuggets, and 2003 Portland Trail Blazers have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0 in a series.

Celtics’ Marcus Smart shot lights out from 3-point range, converting all of his first half shots

Heat star Jimmy Butler struggled from the field with only nine points until the fourth quarter

Jaylen Brown had 26 points against the Heat as he and Tatum combined for 57 points total

Caleb Martin had 21 points for the Heat, who are trying to pull off an improbable trek to the championship series by being only the second No. 8 seed to make the NBA Finals. 

They’ve now lost as many games this week — three — as they had in their first 14 playoff games this spring combined on the way to ousting No. 1 Milwaukee, then No. 5 New York and taking what was supposed to be an insurmountable 3-0 lead over the second-seeded Celtics. 

The Celtics have now won five of their last six East finals games in Miami — a stretch that includes a Game 7 over the Heat last season to reach the NBA Finals. 

That one, obviously, ended the Heat season. At least this time, Miami still has a chance.

The Heat are the 151st team to grab a 3-0 series lead in a best-of-seven. All 150 of the previous clubs finished the job. But the Celtics have made very clear that they have other ideas.