The Miami Heat made a strategic decision not to guard Boston Celtics guard Derrick White as time expired at the end of Game 6 of the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals.
White made them pay. He crash the basket as a 3-point shot from Marcus Smart caromed off the rim in a miss that could have ended the Celtics season. His rebound and tip in kept the Celtics alive for at least one more game.
For ESPN’s Tim Legler, the victory should be credited not only to White’s surreal buzzer-beater but also to Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla, whose outstanding job on the sidelines helped make that shot possible in the first place.
The analyst noted how the Celtics coach took responsibility for the team’s early struggles and rallied the players, leading them to three consecutive wins and the opportunity to make NBA history with a Game 7 win.
To hear more of Legler’s analysis of Mazzulla’s job in Game 6 from a recent episode of “Sports Center,” take a look at the clip embedded above.
Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ
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