Derrick White made the play of his NBA career, which saved the Boston Celtics season from ending in disappointing fashion.
With three seconds remaining, the Celtics in-bounded the basketball to Marcus Smart who took a contested three. White was able to sneak in for an incredible tip-in barely before time expired. The original call on the court was no good yet after review it was overturned.
Boston has done the unthinkable after losing the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Miami Heat, forced a game seven. Still it almost did not happen. Al Horford fouled Jimmy Butler on a three-point attempt and he made the subsequent three free throws for a 103-102 lead.
Still it is only fitting that a game with such a great ending was also marred in controversy from the officiating. Seemingly more time got put on the clock, after Butler got fouled. Nearly a full second got put back on from 2.1 seconds to 3.
Yet what makes it even worse is the fact that Butler should have never been given the three free throws. Though one can make the argument that in that situation a reach-in from Horford with such minimal contact is not going to get called. If that foul is called though it is only two free throws.
So if Horford was not going to get whistled for the reach-in, the next call is even easier. Butler clearly double dribbles, which means the Celtics get the basketball and a chance to add to the lead from the free throw line as the Heat would have fouled immediately to stop the clock.
Somehow it is not surprising that the officiating went with the worst call imaginable. Of course now the Last Two-Minute report by the NBA is certainly going to become much more interesting especially after the Celtics season nearly ended.