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The Boston Celtics forced Game 7 against the Miami Heat in a dramatic manner after claiming a 104-103 win in Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics have come all the way back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the series. The two heavyweights will face for the series-deciding Game 7 in Boston on Monday.
Game 6 ended with plenty of controversial calls questioned by critics, especially down the stretch. A couple of calls could've gone either way. Meanwhile, Derrick White's buzzer-beater also got questioned by many, though the referees added three seconds to the clock instead of 2.1 when Jimmy Butler got a whistle for a 3-point foul committed on him by Al Horford.
Butler sank those free throws and gave the Heat a one-point lead with 2.1 seconds left, which was extended to 3.0 seconds by the referees, giving the Celtics 0.9 seconds more. White tipped his game-winner with 0.1 seconds left, making the Game 6 ending controversial.
According to the NBA's last two-minute report for this game, there were two incorrect non-calls in the last minute alone. The first was a lane violation by Caleb Marin with 1:01 left on the clock when Jaylen Brown made a free throw attempt. The Heat forward was in the lane before Brown released his shot, preventing the Celtics from getting a rebound off the miss. The referees didn't call that.
The second incorrect non-call was at the 33.5-second mark when Gabe Vincent fouled Jayson Tatum on a drive and didn't get called for it. The most controversial decision of the night was the referees resetting the shot clock from 2.1 to 3.0 seconds for Boston's final possession.
Horford's foul on Butler was a correct call. However, the NBA's last two-minute report states that the contact was initiated by Horford at the 3.0-second mark. Meanwhile, other angles show the foul was committed with 2.6 to 2.9 seconds left.
The officials were correct to add more time, but it's not clear if they should've reset it to 3.0 seconds instead of between 2.6 and 2.9 seconds.
Celtics will have a chance to make history against Heat in Game 7 of 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals
The noise surrounding controversial calls in the 2023 NBA Conference Finals Game 6 will be settled once Game 7 tips off on Monday at TD Garden. The night will be all about new history in the making coming from the Boston Celtics if they win the contest and advance to the finals.
The Celtics, down 3-0, were given little to no chance to bounce back, but they've somehow forced a Game 7, in which they will be the favorites due to homecourt advantage. Teams trailing 3-0 are 0-150 in playoffs history, but the Celtics could change that in front of their home fans.
They have outplayed the Heat in the last three games, so the Celtics are in a good position to become the first team to come back from a 3-0 deficit. The Celtics cannot get too complacent, though.
The Heat have performed as well as anyone when their backs have been against the wall. Erik Spoelstra has outcoached his peers more often than not in such situations in the NBA playoffs, while Jimmy Butler, despite his recent struggles, is still a threat in such high-volume games.
Guess the Lakers players!
