The pressure is still on the Celtics to win Game 7 on Monday Night, the pressure to be the first to four, the pressure to finish this chapter in their quest to finish their story of winning banner 18. I said this was going to 7 because people forget, the Miami Heat were the number 1 seed last season and just had a bad regular season for whatever the reasons. The Heat have proven to be a tough, well coached, defensive team. The Celtics still have moments of being a play when we feel like it, live or die by the make or miss three point team. We’re also watching the growth of a first year head coach, 34 year old, Joe Mazzulla, develop and learn, under the magnifying glass of national TV.

• The Derrick White put back is the greatest game ender since Tatum’s Game 1 winner against the Nets last year came at 0.7. I’m not sure it’ll ever reach Havlicek stole the Ball or Now there’s a steal by Bird, but it’s an important moment.

• I don’t love Marcus Smart taking the last shot at the end of the game but he was open. It’s the right basketball play. Looking deeper at the play, Al Horford is in the far corner by the Celtics bench covered, Tatum is getting double teamed as he’s trying to come to Derrick White who’s trying to inbound the basketball, Jaylen Brown is posting up on Bam Adebayo a step away from the free throw line, so the only real play is to pass to Smart for a turn around 3. Which almost went in. I was surprised to see Jimmy Butler not crash the basket for a rebound attempt, he just watched from the 3 point line after Marcus released the basketball.

• 

  Nov 23, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks with guard Marcus Smart (36) from the sideline as they take on the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

• In real time I yelled at the TV about what a dumb challenge Joe Mazzulla made on Horford fouling Jimmy Butler, maybe they go to the replay to see if it’s 3 free throws or only 2, I don’t know but the Mazzulla challenge forced the officials to say, yes, Horford fouled Butler, yes, Butler’s feet were behind the 3 point line and we need to ad time to the game clock. The game clock went from 2.1 seconds to 3.0 seconds. If that sequence of events doesn’t happen, the Celtics lose. That challenge and replay, helped the Celtics.

  I won’t mention that the NBA officials may have missed Jimmy Butler having a double dribble.

• 

  Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat is defended by Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics during Game 6 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

• Jimmy Butler before his game tying and go ahead free throws, he was looking to get fouled, he didn’t want to put up an actual shot. That’s veteran smarts. He knew he could hit free throws so that’s what he tried to do, get to the free throw line and tie or put the Heat ahead. Jimmy Butler finished the night 5 for 21 from the field but 12 of 14 from the free throw line.
  And may have had a double dribble at the end of the game. I promise, I won’t mention it again.

• The head coach for the Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra attends the press...

  The head coach for the Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra attends the press conference after the Game 1 of NBA second-round playoff basketball game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New... Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

• “I don’t know how we’re gonna get this done, but we’re gonna go up there and get it done” – Eric Spoelstra to the media post game 6.

  Erik Spoelstra and Jimmy Butler can take their guarantees before Game 7 and shove them.

   

• Jimmy Butler guarantees a Miami Heat Game 7 win 👀pic.twitter.com/ptFZGrmf5v

  — Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) May 28, 2023

• I do have concerns going into Game 7 on Monday night, it felt to me like the Heat started playing zone in the second half more than they did in the first half, which might explain Tatum shooting 1-9, 0-4 from three in the second half in 21 minutes.

  The Celtics defense, it felt to me like Boston was late in their switches and it got Miami more open looks. Duncan Robinson had the series close out shot on his hands twice and blew it.

  I thought Marcus Smart was behind in defending him.
  – 6:29 left in the 4th, Smart goes for a double team, leaving Robinson open from 26 feet away.
  – 1:28 left in the 4th, he’s standing wide open with 4 Boston defenders standing in the paint, Tatum open near half court and only 2 Miami Heat in the paint area. He missed the shot but if Robinson hits it, game is tied at 100.
  – 21 seconds left in the 4th, in transition, Horford and Tatum are backing up on defense along center court, pointing at Robinson, Smart pointing at Robinson, Smart starts a good hustle when he realizes that Robinson is about to take a 27 foot three pointer, which is the same shot Robinson made at the 8:41 mark of the 4th quarter. Robinson misses the shot that would have put Miami up 103-101. Tatum got the rebound and just missed stepping out of bounds.

• LISTEN: Sean Grande & Cedric Maxwell call the final seconds of the Celtics’ miraculous Game 6 win

• All year the Celtics were in the top 5 in the NBA of open and wide open three point attempts and percentage made.

  In this series, on 3 point field goal attempts and percentage, the Heat are 67-141 – 48% while the Celtics are 62-177 – 35% – that’s a big reason why the series is where it is, the Celtics are truly a make or miss team. That’s their identity.

  Wide Open shot – closets defender is 6 or more feet away
  Heat – 33-57 – 58%
  Celtics – 35-86 – 41%

  Open shot – closest defender is 4-6 feet away
  Heat – 34-84 – 41%
  Celtics 27-91 – 30%

  Celtics player breakdown:
  Jaylen Brown – 4-21 – 19%
  Jayson Tatum – 5-21 – 23%
  Marcus Smart – 13-29 – 45%
  Derrick White – 21-36 – 58%
  Al Horford – 6-23 – 26%
  Grant Williams – 7-17 – 41%
  Malcolm Brogdon – 2-15 – 13%

  In Game 6, the Celtics as a team, 7-25 on open / wide open threes:

  White – 3-6
  Smart – 4-7
  Horford – 0-2
  Grant Williams 0-3
  Tatum – 0-4
  Brown – 0-3

  Those open / wide open threes not going down is one reason why the series got to a game 7.

• Felger, Matt McCarthy and I will be from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. to get all of your reaction to Game 6, the entire Celtics – Heat series, what’s on the line and what you think happens on Monday night for Game 7.

  Grande and Max have the fastest thirty minutes in the NBA at 8:00 p.m with tip off for Game 7 at 8:30 p.m. – ish.

• The Celtics have proven over the course of this season to be better than the open and wide open shooting percentages they’ve put up in this series against the Miami Heat. I feel good about this coming out white hot and the Garden crowd supporting them to the very end. The Garden was as loud as I’ve ever heard it, I expect it to be louder for Monday night. I think the Celtics win Game 7 in a similar fashion as they won Game 6 on Saturday night. Close, grind it out, stress filled game.

  It’ll be fun.

  Fun for me at least.

  I love Game 7.

  See you at the Garden on Monday!

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