Derrick White's reaction to epic Game 6 buzzer-beater was on-brand originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
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Humbly, Derrick White saved the Boston Celtics' season Saturday night.
The Celtics trailed the Miami Heat by one point with three seconds left in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals after blowing a 10-point lead in the final five minutes at Kaseya Center. When Marcus Smart's desperation 3-point attempt rimmed out, it looked like Boston's collapse was complete.
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Then White swooped in for a put-back layup with 0.1 seconds on the clock, lifting the Celtics to an improbable 104-103 victory and forcing a Game 7 on Monday night, when the C's can become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit.
It was an insane ending to a wild game, and White's effort made him an instant folk hero in Boston. But even after rescuing his team at the death, the even-keeled guard found a way to downplay his heroics after the game.
"I mean, it don't do no good to stand in the corner there, whether he makes it or not," White said. "So I just was crashing the glass, and it came right to me."
What was actually the inbounder on Boston's final possession and managed to pass the ball to Smart, sprint to the left corner to give Smart an outlet option, then dive toward the hoop to complete the put-back, all in a span of three seconds.
White's incredible play sent the NBA world into a frenzy, and we'd imagine he's getting inundated with texts and calls after one of the wildest endings in recent NBA history.
But the 28-year-old father of a one-year-old son said he'll do his best to stay grounded.
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"Yeah, it's going to be a little crazy. My phone is already blowing up," White said of how he'll handle the next 48 hours. "Get home tomorrow, play with (my son) Hendrix. I'm sure he won't look at me any differently, so that'll be really cool."
Celtics Talk POSTGAME POD: Derrick White extends Celtics' season with epic Game 6 buzzer-beater | Listen & Subscribe
White has played an essential role in the East Finals outside of his heroic tip-in; he scored a game-high 24 points in Game 5 to help the series shift to Miami in the first place and is averaging 13.7 points and a team-high 1.5 blocks per game in this series.
Through it all, however, White has maintained his understated personality of internal confidence and outward humility.
"We're just happy we won," White added. "However we got to get it done, we got it done, and now it's on to Game 7."
