The Miami Heat were just a second away from their second trip to the NBA Finals in four seasons, but Boston Celtics guard Derrick White tipped in the go-ahead bucket at the buzzer in a stunning 104-103 loss in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The loss forced a Game 7 on Monday and pushed the Celtics to within one victory of becoming the first NBA team to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. Despite the heartbreak, the Heat remain defiant and confident heading into Game 7.
Spoelstra and Butler’s Belief
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and star forward Jimmy Butler were both defiant in their belief that they could still find a way to win the biggest game of the season on Monday night. Spoelstra called the final sequence a “shame” but said he has “no regrets.” He acknowledged that this season has been difficult, but that the team will find a way to get it done. Butler, who hit three clutch free throws with three seconds left to give the Heat a 103-102 lead, said he remains confident the Heat will find a way to win Game 7.
Heat’s Frustrations and Hope
Butler acknowledged frustration over his 5-for-21 shooting night, saying the Heat wouldn’t have been in position to lose on a buzzer-beater if he had been “better from jump street.” The Heat’s postgame locker room Saturday night was the quietest it has been in recent memory until guard Gabe Vincent turned on a song from his phone. The Heat are trying to hold the same mantra as they face a Celtics team that has found its confidence again over the past week and appears even stronger now, given how the final seconds played out in Game 6. The Heat are buoyed by the fact that they’ve played in several close games all season and have withstood every challenge that brought them to this point. Miami center Bam Adebayo, who struggled through a 4 for 16 shooting performance on Saturday, was quick with a response when asked how the Heat can emotionally recover from the defeat. He said that the team needs to go into Boston and get a win.
The Hard Way
The Heat are trying to generate hope from the idea that they have always played better when they’ve made things more difficult on themselves throughout this campaign. Getting over this type of letdown, however, would be one of the biggest accomplishments of Spoelstra’s Hall of Fame-worthy career. He set the tenor for his group while sitting behind the postgame podium late Saturday night. Spoelstra said, “There’s been nothing easy about this season for our group, and so we just have to do it the hard way. That’s just the way it’s got to be for our group. We wish we would tip this thing off right now. Right now, let’s tip this thing off, and let’s play another 48 minutes. But we’ll wait 48 hours and do this thing in Boston.”
The Miami Heat remain confident and defiant despite the heartbreak of their Game 6 loss to the Boston Celtics and are preparing to face them in Game 7. They acknowledge the frustration of the defeat but believe they have what it takes to get the job done in Boston. The Heat are determined to do it the hard way and believe that they can overcome the odds to make it to the NBA Finals.
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