Pretty much everyone watching the Celtics-Heat game Saturday night believed Miami was heading to the NBA Finals after Boston guard Marcus Smart missed a three-point shot in the final seconds of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.
So, when Derrick White put an offensive rebound in the basket with 0.1 seconds left, forcing a Game 7, it happened so quickly that it fooled many people, including TNT’s graphic specialists.
As time expired, TNT’s score bug showed Miami as a 103-102 winner, and included the phrase “MIA Wins Series 4-2.” However, the referees counted the basket and confirmed the result during a replay review, determining that White got the ball off in time. That led to the photo of the incorrect graphic becoming iconic and ironic.
Love this photo! Especially the “Mia wins series 4-2” chyron. pic.twitter.com/EMvziu6Psg
— Chuck M. (@McK_Chuck) May 28, 2023
After losing the first three games of the series, the Celtics became just the fourth such NBA team to force a Game 7 in 151 tries. None of the previous three won Game 7.
If Boston does become the first team to overcome a 3-0 series deficit, the shot of the incorrect TNT score bug likely will go down as a humorous footnote in Celtics lore.
Game 7 is scheduled for Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
