The Miami Heat faced one of the most devastating defeats imaginable when they lost to the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday. But that didn’t stop one of their players from trying to start the recovery quickly and reminding his teammates that life goes on.
“The disbelief in that room was palpable,” said ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “That was one of the quietest locker rooms I’ve ever been in after a game. Now, you have to understand, Jimmy Butler usually has that speaker bumping in that room, win or lose. It was silent. And after about 10 or 15 minutes Gabe Vincent walks over to his locker, and he hits play on his phone, and he plays ‘Life Goes On’ by Ed Sheeran. And certainly, that’s the mantra the Heat wanna have going into Game 7 tonight.”
Miami lost 104-103 on a buzzer-beating putback by Derrick White in Game 6, failing for a third straight game to advance to the NBA Finals. The result forced a Game 7 in Boston on Monday.
Butler had given the Heat the lead in Game 6 by making three free throws with a few seconds left. At that point, it looked like they were on their way to the NBA Finals to face the Denver Nuggets. But now, Miami is back in Boston to play what could be a legacy-deciding game.
NBA analyst Eddie Johnson said Heat culture will be “eviscerated” if they let this series get away. Miami is trying to avoid becoming the first NBA team to lose a best-of-seven series after taking a 3-0 lead. Only three other teams have ever been forced to play a Game 7 after winning the first three games.
The winner will advance to the NBA Finals to face the Nuggets, who have not played since last Monday after completing a sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is Thursday.
Vincent is questionable for Game 7 after playing more than 41 minutes in Game 6. The guard injured his ankle in Game 4 and was unable to play in Game 5.
The Celtics’ confidence has continued to grow with each victory, but maybe Vincent’s musical choice after Game 6 will help the Heat respond with the clinching victory that has eluded them so far.