Derrick White Has Boston One Win Away From History

By / May 29, 2023

After finding themselves down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics are now miraculously one home win away from making NBA history, and advancing to their second consecutive NBA Finals.

A team who is often ridiculed for their lack of effort, and fight throughout playoff series, has now shown more effort and fight than 147 of the 150 teams who came before them in this same 3-0 hole. 

Only the fourth team in the history of the NBA to force a game seven after starting down 3-0, and the first to have game seven on their own home court.

Home court, while always an advantage, has been less than kind to this current team as they are 11-11 in their last 22 playoff games at home, but 2-0 in their last two home game sevens.

The Celtics don’t get to this spot without having true faith and belief in one another, and of course not without some luck too.

Derrick White and Game Six

0.1 seconds was the difference between playing a game seven or going home. And depending on the outcome of this season, could be the difference between history, a championship, both, or just a moment that will be forgotten with a game 7 loss.

A moment that can possibly go down in history as one of the biggest sports moments ever, and the man who delivered it, is one who has only been a part of this team for 145 games.

Derrick White, who most NBA fans don’t know much about, has been key to the Celtics success since the opening tip off of game one back in October, and he showed that again by saving the Celtics season in one of the most unlikely finishes to a basketball game you’ll ever see. 

But to get that point, we have to rewind just under a year, to a battle in the same playoff round, between the same two teams.

Last Years Game Seven

With a trip to the finals on the line, the Celtics found themselves up 13 with 3:35 left. A spot most fan bases feel comfortable in.

But not the Celtics fanbase, as we’ve seen leads come and go far too often to ever be comfortable. 

And before you know it, we were watching a collapse you can only wish you’d never see, but are not surprised to be seeing.

The Heat went on a 11-0 run in just three minutes to give themselves a chance to steal a trip to the finals with one shot.

Thankfully it fell short and the Celtics survived.

Game Six Continued

It’s important to know that, because just like one year ago, last night the Celtics found themselves up 10, with under five to go in Miami’s building.

And just like one year ago, a collapse was brewing. 

See, the thing about Celtic fans is, we have the utmost confidence that this team can achieve anything, while also having the understanding that this team can also blow, just about anything.

It’s an interesting dynamic to truly believe your team can be the first team to comeback from a 3-0 deficit, while also being one heartbeat away from a heart attack when you see that same team is up double digit points with less than five to go. 

And as it would be, the Heat went on a 15-3 run in just four minutes to take the lead back with only three seconds left. 

Doing so by JImmy Butler hitting three free throws after being fouled by Al Horford. 

Now you remember last year right? Jimmy Butler missed the three to win it with Al Horford guarding him after clawing back from 13 down with less four to go.

For a second, it truly felt like the Heat were getting their revenge, in a literal sequel to last year’s game seven.

And that’s when Derrick White did the unthinkable. 

Marcus Smart heaved a turn around three for the win that rimmed out, seemingly ending the once promising Boston Celtics season just two wins shy of history and six shy of their 18th championship. 

But before you can even blink Derrick White was soaring in for a putback layup that would save the Celtics season, and go down in history as one of the most improbable game winners ever. 

If that situation played out one thousand times, the outcome would be a Celtics win just one time.

It’s not necessarily destiny, but to make history you need a couple breaks to go your way, and the Celtics got theirs in the form of a White putback with 0.1 on the clock. 

And even still, history has yet to be made as that was just game six. 

Next Up

The significance of this series, and season somehow manages to become larger day by day, game by game. 

We miraculously now find ourselves with a game seven that feels like it will directly impact the immediate and distant future of this team, and organization. And it’s not even the NBA Finals. 

It’s impossible to put into words what it felt like watching the last five minutes of that game as a Celtics fan. 

And it’s even more insane to think that the Derrick White game winner could end up meaning nothing with a loss in game seven.

But that’s sports, and in sports you sometimes witness magical moments, and the Celtics now find themselves one way away from magic, and five away from the most unimaginable and unprecedented title run the sport has ever seen.

And it all starts, or ends with one, do or die, game seven at the Garden.

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