Celtics on brink of historic NBA finals series comeback

The Boston Celtics were a tenth of a second away from elimination. The Miami Heat were a tenth of a second from the NBA Finals.

Derrick White owned that final moment. White scored on a putback as time expired and the Boston Celtics moved to the brink of the greatest comeback in NBA playoffs history, holding off the Miami Heat 104-103 on Saturday night to force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference finals.

He knew it was good. Referees reviewed it, but it didn’t take long to give the official word.

‘‘Derrick White, like a flash of lightning, just came out of nowhere and saved the day, man,’’ Boston’s Jaylen Brown said. ‘‘An incredible play.’’ Elation for Boston. Devastation for Miami. ‘‘Just happy we won,’’ White said. ‘‘Whatever it takes.’’

Jayson Tatum scored 31 points, Brown scored 26 and Marcus Smart added 21 for the Celtics, who became only the fourth NBA team to erase a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series and force a deciding game.

The others in that club — the 1951 New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, the 1994 Denver Nuggets in the second round and the 2003 Portland Trail Blazers in the first round — all lost game 7, all on the road.

Boston, however, are going home for their shot at history. Game 7 is tomorrow on the Celtics’ floor, a matchup that’ll decide who meets the Western Conference champion Denver Nuggets in a title series that will start Friday.

Jimmy Butler made three free throws with 3.0 seconds left for a one-point Heat lead. Smart missed a 3-pointer, but White grabbed the rebound and scored as time expired.

Butler scored 24 points and Caleb Martin had 21 for the Heat, who are trying to pull off their own improbable trek to the title series by being only the second No8 seed to make the NBA Finals. They’ve now lost as many games this week — three — as they had in their first 14 playoff games this spring combined on the way to ousting No1 Milwaukee, then No5 New York and taking what was supposed to be an insurmountable 3-0 lead over the secondseeded Celtics.

The Celtics have now won five of their last six East finals games in Miami — a stretch that includes a game 7 over the Heat last season to reach the NBA Finals.

That one, obviously, ended the Heat season. At least this time, Miami still has a chance.

The Heat are the 151st team to grab a 3-0 series lead in a best-of-seven. All 150 of the previous clubs finished the job. But the Celtics have made very clear that they have other ideas.