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, with White managing to crash the bucket as a 3-point shot from Marcus Smart caromed off of the rim in a miss that could have otherwise ended the Celtics season.
But for ESPN’s Tim Legler, the victory should also 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.
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