MASSACHUSETTS – Miami Heat rode on a strong showing by Jimmy Butler to defeat Boston Celtics, 111-103, in Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday at the TD Garden in Boston.
Down 94-97 after a triple by Celtics’ Derrick White, the Heat got five straight points from Kyle Lowry to take a 99-97 lead. But two free throws by Boston’s Marcus Smart tied the score for the last time at 99-all.
Butler responded with a three-point play to give Miami back the lead at 102-99. Three free throws by P.J. Tucker widened the Heat’s lead further at 105-99.
Boston trimmed the deficit to 101-105 with over a minute left following a basket by Jayson Tatum but Butler restored a six-point edge for Miami with a basket with 48 seconds left.
The Celtics made its last push at 103-107 on two free throws by Tatum but four free throw hits from Butler and Gabe Vincent sealed the victory for the Heat.
Butler finished the game with career playoffs-high 47 points, including a perfect 11-of-11 free throw shooting, to go with nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals for the Heat.
Lowry had double-double 18 points and 10 assists, while Max Strus and Tucker also hit double-digits on offense with 13 and 10 markers, respectively, for the Heat.
The victory allowed the Heat to tie the best-of-seven conference finals series at 3-3. The do-or-die game is set on Sunday (today in the Philippines) at the FTX Arena in Miami, Florida.
“This is the way it should be with these two teams Game 7, the best two words in sports,” said Heat head coach Eric Spoelstra.
Tatum finished the game with 30 points and nine rebounds but also had seven turnovers, while White and Jaylen Brown added 22 and 20 markers, respectively, for the Celtics.
BOX SCORE:
MIAMI 111 — Butler 47, Lowry 18, Strus 13, Tucker 11, Oladipo 9, Adebayo 6, Martin 5, Vincent 2, Robinson 0.
BOSTON 103 — Tatum 30, White 22, Brown 20, Smart 14, R. Williams 12, Horford 3, G. Williams 2, Pritchard 0, Nesmith 0.
Quarterscores: 29-22; 48-46; 82-75; 111-103./PN
