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The Miami Heat's season was saved by an amazing Game 7 win over the Boston Celtics, securing them a place in the NBA Finals. The game showcased the Heat's resurgent confidence, and one player, Duncan Robinson, left a lasting impression with his taunting gesture towards Celtics fans.
Robinson, known for his sharpshooting from beyond the arc, surprised everyone when he maneuvered through the Boston defense for a layup in the fourth quarter, extending the Heat's lead to 94-73.
As the Celtics called a timeout and the Heat players ran down the court, Robinson cupped his hand to his ear, silencing the TD Garden crowd by saying:
"I can't hear you," a la wrestler Hulk Hogan.
On the "Old Man & the Three" podcast with JJ Redick and Tommy Alter, Duncan Robinson shed light on the reason behind his taunt.
“I don’t know how this happened – but maybe someone I went to high school with – but my number got put in a group chat somewhere,” Robinson said. "It was a massive group chat. So, after we lose Game 6, my phone is randomly blowing up from a bunch of random New England numbers. They are saying, ‘Get ‘F*****, Celtics in 7,' sending me memes of Curt Schilling’s bloody sock. It’s just all these random numbers, 70 texts.
“So, I’m like, what is going on, and I’m also pissed since I’m on the heels of this bone-crushing loss, not to mention I missed some shots down the stretch I’d like to have back. I’m, like, really worked up about it. So, then I’m, like, thinking, creating all these scenarios in my head, if I get the chance in the Garden, I’m going to do something.”
Duncan Robinson seizes the moment: Reflects on taunt with regrets and revelations
Following his taunt, Robinson experienced a mix of reactions from his New England friends. However, the gesture marked the culmination of a remarkable series for the undrafted forward. During every game he played against the Boston Celtics, Robinson showed off his accuracy by making an impressive 48.0% of his 3-point attempts.
“I wanted to do it,” Robinson said. “There was a little (bit) of internal conflict, because you are playing on the floor that you grew up being fortunate to go to some games on and grew up in Celtics country. You have this idea you want to do it, but I have to be relevant enough to warrant that, and I toed the line on that.”
Nevertheless, Duncan Robinson's only regret is not having scored more points before defiantly cupping his hand to his ear.
"It would have been nice if it was after my seventh 3, but I didn't have the luxury of that being the case. So, I was like, 'There's an opportunity. They just called a timeout. Place is absolutely silent. I'm gonna just jump on it." Duncan said.
Having triumphed over the Celtics, Duncan Robinson and his team are set to take on the Denver Nuggets in the NBA finals. With six trips to the finals since 2011, Miami's latest playoff run marks the second one after LeBron's exit.
With fans eagerly anticipating the matchup between these two formidable teams, the series is set to commence on Thursday in Denver.
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