Derrick White put home Marcus Smart's missed three-pointer just before the final buzzer sounded to give the Boston Celtics a thrilling 104-103 victory over the Miami Heat to force Game 7 in the Eastern Conference finals.

After Jimmy Butler sank three free throws to give Miami a 103-102 lead with three seconds left, the Celtics inbounded to Smart, whose three-pointer rattled in and out.

But White grabbed the rebound and released it with 0.1 seconds on the clock to save Boston's season.

The Celtics are on the brink of the greatest comeback in NBA playoffs history, needing a win at home in Game 7 on Monday to become the first team to rally to win a series after losing the first three games.

Boston are only the fourth NBA team to erase a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series to force a deciding game.

Monday's winner will face the Denver Nuggets in a title series that will start on June 1.

Jayson Tatum had 31 points and 10 rebounds, Jaylen Brown added 26 and 10 boards and Smart finished with 21 points as the Celtics improved to 5-0 when facing elimination this season.

Butler scored 12 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to go with 11 rebounds and eight assists.

The Heat need a win Monday to become only the second number eight seed to make the NBA Finals and avoid the dubious distinction of being the first team to blow a 3-0 series lead.

Jimmy Butler is confident the Miami Heat will rediscover their form as they aim to clinch a place in the NBA Finals.

Miami lost 110-97 to the Boston Celtics on Thursday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, cutting their lead in the series to 3-2.

Boston head into Game 6 within two wins of making NBA history – no team has ever come from 3-0 down to win a seven-game series.

Butler, though, still has faith the Heat will join the Denver Nuggets in the Finals.

"The last two games are not who we are," he said. "It just happened to be that way.

"We stopped playing defense halfway because we didn't make shots that we want to make. But that's easily correctable.

"You just have to come out and play harder from the jump. Like I always say, it's going to be all smiles, and we are going to keep it very, very, very consistent, knowing that we are going to win next game.

"We've just got to play better. Start the game off better, on the starters, make it more difficult for them.

"They are in a rhythm since the beginning of the game. But we are always going to stay positive, knowing that we can and we will win this series. We'll just have to close it out at home."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, meanwhile, was in bullish form when he spoke to the media.

"Who cares about mood?" Spoelstra said.

"We have a gnarly group. I think so much of that is overrated. It's a competitive series. You always expect things to be challenging in the conference finals.

"One game doesn't lead to the next game. Based on all the experience that we've had, it doesn't matter in the playoffs. It doesn't matter if you lose by whatever.

"We beat them by whatever in Game 3. It just doesn't matter. It's about collectively preparing and putting together a great game. We'll play much better on Saturday. That's all we just have to focus on right now."

Jaylen Brown hailed the Boston Celtics' unity after they beat the Miami Heat 110-97 to force Game 6 in the Eastern Conference finals.

Having staved off elimination with a win in Game 4, the Celtics never trailed in Game 5 on Thursday as they cut Miami's lead to 3-2.

Boston will now aim to level the series in Miami on Saturday. Should they complete a remarkable turnaround, they will be the first team in NBA history to rally from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series, after 150 previous sides failed to do so.

Brown, who contributed 21 points to Celtics' total, explained the team could not have been at a lower ebb after losing the first three games of the series.

"Our back has been against the wall. Obviously, we didn't imagine being in this position, being down 3-0, but when adversity hits, you get to see what a team is really made of," he said.

"It couldn't get worse than being down 3-0, but we didn't look around, we didn't go in separate directions. We stayed together."

Only three teams have managed to take a series to Game 7 after losing the opening three games, the last of which was the Portland Trail Blazers in 2003.

"For some odd reason, even last year, we always seemed to make it a little bit tougher on ourselves," added Jayson Tatum, who had a double-double of 21 points and 11 assists.

"What I do know is that you can see the true character of a person, of a team, when things aren't going well, and our ability to come together, figure things out when it's not necessarily looking good for us.

"It's unlike any team I've been on this year and last year, just the core group of guys being able to respond.

"I think that's just a testament to our togetherness, obviously how bad we want it, and we've got a room full of determined, tough guys that push comes to shove, you look to the left and the right of you, believe that the guy next to you is going to do whatever it takes and go down fighting if it doesn't work out."

Looking ahead to Game 6, Brown is under no illusions of the scale of the task at hand.

"It's going to take everything," he said.

"It's going to be a dogfight. I imagine those guys will play better than they played tonight, and they're going to come out aggressive. We've got to be ready to take their punch at home. We've got to be ready to be resilient and come out and do what we're supposed to do."

Derrick White led with 24 points and the Boston Celtics never trailed in a 110-97 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday to stave off elimination and force Game 6 in the Eastern Conference finals.

Boston scored 20 of the game's first 25 points and held a comfortable lead the rest of the way to cut the series deficit to 3-2.

The Celtics will try to prolong their season again when the series moves back to Miami for Game 6 on Saturday.

They are two wins away from becoming the first team in NBA history to rally from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series after 150 previous teams failed to do so.

Marcus Smart had 23 points and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown added 21 apiece in Boston's second consecutive strong shooting performance.

The Celtics shot over 50 percent from the field and were 16 of 39 from 3-point range, including White going 6 of 8.

Boston are 34 of 84 from deep the past two games after going 31 for 106 in the first three games of the series.

Duncan Robinson led Miami with 18 points off the bench, while Jimmy Butler was held to 14 - his lowest total of the postseason.

The Heat committed 10 first-half turnovers and trailed 61-44 at the break.

Miami point guard Gabe Vincent sat out with a sprained left ankle and was replaced in the starting lineup by Kyle Lowry, who had five points and four turnovers in 30 minutes.

The Miami Heat’s mission to reach the NBA Finals has become a bit tougher, as starting guard Gabe Vincent has been ruled out for Thursday’s Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics because of a sprained left ankle.

Vincent was injured with just over eight minutes left in Miami’s Game 4 loss when he landed awkwardly and rolled his ankle while catching the ball after Jayson Tatum blocked his shot.

He then went to the locker room and got his ankle taped and was able to return with just under five minutes to play.

Thursday morning, Vincent went through a workout but Heat coach Eric Spoelstra said he's not healthy enough to take the court in Boston.

The four-year veteran finished with 17 points in Tuesday’s 116-99 loss after leading the Heat with a playoff career-high 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting in Sunday’s 128-102 victory that gave Miami a 3-0 lead in the conference finals.

Vincent has started each of Miami’s first 15 playoff games and is third on the Heat in postseason scoring at 13.1 points per game behind Jimmy Butler (29.9) and Bam Adebayo (17.6).

His 36 3-pointers this postseason are the most among all Heat players and he’s been solid from the foul line, making 25 of 28 free throws (89.3 per cent).

With Vincent out, 37-year-old Kyle Lowry is expected to move into the starting lineup.

The 17-year-veteran is averaging 9.2 points, 4.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds off the bench for Miami this postseason.

Tennessee police administered a welfare check on Ja Morant on Wednesday following a cryptic message the embattled Memphis Grizzlies star posted on Instagram, according to a report from TMZ Sports.

A spokesperson for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged to TMZ that officers were called to Morant’s home to check on the All-Star’s well-being after he made references to his parents and young daughter before ending a social media post with the word “Bye.”

Morant told the officers he wrote the post to indicate he will be taking a break from social media, the spokesperson told TMZ.

“He is fine,” the spokesperson added.

Morant began the message by writing “Love ya Ma” followed by a blue heart emoji, which was also attached to a statement that read “Love ya pops.” He then wrote, “You da greatest baby girl [blue heart emoji] love ya” before abruptly signing off.

The 23-year-old was suspended indefinitely by the Grizzlies last week after a video of him holding a handgun circulated on social media earlier this month.

Morant was previously suspended eight games by the Grizzlies and the NBA in March for a different video that showed him carrying a gun as he conducted an Instagram Live session from a Denver-area strip club.

The standout point guard entered a counseling program in Florida following the first incident and issued a statement expressing responsibility for the most recent video.

“I know I’ve disappointed a lot of people who have supported me,” Morant said afterward. “This is a journey and I recognize there is more work to do. My words may not mean much right now, but I take full accountability for my actions. I’m committed to continuing to work on myself.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he was surprised when informed of the second video and said the league is taking a further look at the matter.

“Honestly, I was shocked when I saw [it] this weekend,” Silver told ESPN at the NBA Draft Lottery on May 16. “We’re in the process of investigating it. We’ll figure out exactly what happened to the best we can … But I’m assuming the worst.”

Morant earned his second career All-Star nod this past season after averaging 26.2 points and 8.1 assists per game while helping Memphis to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies were ousted by the Los Angles Lakers in the first round, however, with Morant going 3 for 16 from the field in the Lakers’ Game 6 win that clinched the series.

Jimmy Butler says the Miami Heat must play with more energy and like their backs are against the wall when they next face the Boston Celtics.

The Heat missed the chance to progress to the NBA Finals as they lost 116-99 to the Celtics on Tuesday.

Miami now hold a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals, ahead of Game 5 in Boston on Thursday.

But for Butler, who scored 29 points and added nine rebounds and five assists, there is no reason to be downhearted.

"If anything, it will build momentum for us knowing that we have to play with a lot more energy," Butler said.

"We've got to play like our backs are against the wall.

"I think all year long, we've been better when we've had to do things the hard way.

"We'll be OK. Let's get back to doing what we've always done to get us to this point, continually have belief in one another, knowing that we are going to win, and we will. We've just got to play harder.

"There's not too much to say with this group because we already know. So we've just got to go out there and execute."

Butler's sentiment was echoed by Miami coach Erik Spoelstra.

"At some point, this is great competition. You know, sometimes it can get skewed, because, whatever, the 3-0," he said.

"But we have great respect for Boston, what they are capable of. They are a dynamic offensive team that takes extraordinary efforts and commitment to get the job done. Our guys really want this.

"A lot of what we've done this year has been the hard way. We've been able to figure out ways to win, even if teams are playing well, if we are not in a perfect flow.

"They got us tonight. You have to give them credit for that."

"It's definitely disappointing," said Heat guard Caleb Martin.

"That would have been a perfect world, perfect situation. But as we know and everybody else knows, we don't typically get things the easy way over here.

"So like I said, this is right up our alley. This is the way it goes for us and guys like us. Again, I think it's only going to prepare us for the long run. This could be good for us."

Jayson Tatum had 33 points and 11 rebounds as the Boston Celtics kept their season alive for at least one more game with a 116-99 win over the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Derrick White and Jaylen Brown each added 16 points and Grant Williams had 14 Boston, which trails the best-of-seven series 3-1 and will try to avoid elimination again in Game 5 on Thursday in Boston.

No team in NBA history has ever successfully rallied from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series.

The Celtics trailed by nine early in the second half before reeling off 18 straight points for a 70-61 lead. Tatum ignited the run with consecutive 3-pointers, White followed with another, and Marcus Smart also connected from deep.

Boston maintained the lead the rest of the way, though the Heat got within four late in the third. The Celtics responded to score the next seven points and led 88-79 heading to the fourth quarter.

After shooting 11 for 42 from long range in Game 3, the Celtics regained their stroke in this one by going 19 of 45 and limited the Heat to 8 for 32.

Jimmy Butler had 29 points for Miami, which was outscored 48-22 during a 14-minute stretch across the third and fourth quarters.

LeBron James paid tribute to the Denver Nuggets after the Los Angeles Lakers were swept in the Western Conference finals.

The 38-year-old said he and teammate Anthony Davis are in agreement that Denver was the best team they had faced while playing together with the Lakers.

Despite 40 points from James, 31 of which came before halftime for his highest scoring total in a half in a playoff game in his illustrious career, the Lakers lost a close Game 4 contest.

Denver prevailed 113-111 with Nikola Jokic having 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists and Jamal Murray adding 25 points as they clinched an historic 4-0 series win.

The Nuggets claimed their first Western Conference title in the team’s 47-year existence and will face either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics for the league championship

"Me and AD were just talking in the locker room and we came to the consensus this is one of the best teams, if not the best team, we’ve played together for all four years," James said about the Nuggets.

"Just well-orchestrated, well put together. They have scoring. They have shooting. They have playmaking. They have smarts. They have length. They have depth. 

"And one thing about their team, when you have a guy like Jokic, who as big as he is but also as cerebral as he is, you can’t really make many mistakes versus a guy like that."

James, who was 15-of-25 shooting, prompted a wave of coverage after Game 4 by suggesting he was considering basketball retirement.

After saying he had a lot to think about in the post-game news conference, he was asked to clarify his comments by ESPN.

Asked what he would be thinking about, James replied: "If I want to continue to play. I got to think about it.

"It was a very challenging season for me, for our ballclub, and obviously we know whatever went on early on [the Lakers started 2-10 start]. It was cool, a pretty cool ride.

"We'll see what happens going forward. I don't know. I don't like to say it's a successful year, because I don't play for anything besides winning championships. I don't get a kick out of making a conference [finals] appearance.

"I've done it a lot, and it's not fun to me to not be able to be a part of getting to the [NBA] Finals."

Davis had 21 points for the Lakers and all five starters reached double figures, but a seemingly comfortable 73-58 halftime lead swiftly evaporated as Denver outscored them 28-10 to start the second half.

Jokic’s eighth triple-double of this year’s playoffs broke a tie he shared with Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain for the most in a single postseason.

Denver will face either Miami or Boston in the Finals. The eighth-seeded Heat own a 3-0 lead in the East finals ahead of Game 4 on Tuesday.

Lebron James cast doubt on his future with the Los Angeles Lakers after their season-ending defeat by the Denver Nuggets.

The 38-year-old, the top scorer in NBA history, even sparked rumours of retirement following the 113-111 loss in game four of the Western Conference finals.

“We’ll see what happens going forward,” James said at his post-game press conference.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about.

“It was a very challenging season for me, for our club. It was a pretty cool ride, but I don’t know.

“I don’t get a kick out of making a Conference appearance. I’ve done it a lot and it’s not fun to me to not be a part of getting to the (NBA) finals.”

James scored 40 points against the Nuggets but missed two shots to tie the game in the dying seconds.

He has previously revealed a desire to play alongside his son Bronny, 18, who currently plays college basketball for the University of Southern California and will be eligible for the NBA next year.

Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists as the Denver Nuggets advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history with a 113-111 comeback win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday to complete a four-game sweep of the Western Conference finals.

Top-seeded Denver overcame a 15-point halftime deficit to claim its first Western Conference title in its 47-year existence and will face either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics for the league championship. The eighth-seeded Heat own a 3-0 lead in the East finals.

Jokic made history as well by recording his eighth triple-double of this year’s playoffs to break a tie he shared with Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain for the most in a single postseason. The two-time NBA MVP also hit the eventual game-winning shot when his layup with 52 seconds remaining snapped a 111-111 tie.

The Lakers had built a seemingly comfortable 73-58 halftime lead behind 31 points from LeBron James, his highest scoring total in a half in a playoff game in his illustrious career.

Los Angeles came out cold in the third quarter, however, making just one field goal over the first 4-and-a-half minutes as the Nuggets steadily cut into their deficit. Denver outscored the Lakers 28-10 to start the second half and grabbed an 86-83 lead on Michael Porter’s tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3:34 remaining in the period.

Jokic’s 3-pointer with 2:50 left to play extended Denver’s advantage to 110-104, but the Lakers’ Austin Reaves answered with a triple on the ensuing possession to spark a 7-1 run that tied the game at 111-111 entering the final minute.

After Jokic’s layup put the Nuggets back in front, James missed a 20-footer and had his final attempt blocked by Aaron Gordon right before time expired.

James finished with 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists but shot just 4 of 12 from the field in the second half.

Carmelo Anthony – a 10-time All-Star and the NBA’s ninth all-time leading scorer – has officially announced his retirement from the league.

He revealed the decision on Monday via social media, saying in a video filled with his career highlights that "the time has come to say goodbye."

The third overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets, Anthony scored 28,289 points over 19 seasons. He didn’t play this past season, last playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-22.

One of the most prolific scorers in league history, Anthony led the NBA in scoring in 2012-13 with an average of 28.7 points per game, and finished in the top 10 in scoring in nine seasons.

Anthony, who turns 39 years old next Monday, was selected to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, and was named to the All-NBA second team twice and All-NBA third team four times.

He spent his first seven seasons in Denver, helping the Nuggets to the playoffs each year – including a berth in the Western Conference finals in 2009.

During the 2010-11 season, he was traded to the New York Knicks, and helped guide them to three playoff berths during his six-plus seasons there.

Following his last season with the Knicks in 2016-17, Anthony bounced around from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers before finishing up with the Lakers.

He concludes his NBA career with averages of 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 1,260 games.

"It’s a bittersweet goodbye to the NBA," Anthony said. "I am excited about what the future holds for me."

In addition to his success in the NBA, Anthony also led Syracuse to an NCAA championship as a freshman in 2003 and helped USA Basketball win three Olympic gold medals – at Beijing in 2008, at London in 2012 and at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

His 31 Olympic basketball games played are the most for any American man, and his 37 points scored in a 2012 game against Nigeria are also a USA Basketball men’s Olympic record.

"People ask what I believe my legacy is," Anthony said. "It’s not my feats on the court that come to mind, all the awards or praise. Because my story has always been more than basketball.

"My legacy, my son ... I will forever continue through you. The time has come for you to carry this torch."

Jaylen Brown described the Boston Celtics as "embarrassing" after they were blown out by the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who has faced criticism throughout the series, blamed himself for the 128-102 loss, as Boston fell to the eighth-seeded Heat for a third straight game.

No team in NBA history has recovered to win a seven-game playoff series when trailing 3-0 and Miami has its first chance to wrap up the series at home on Tuesday.

In a road game the Celtics felt they had to win after two shock home losses, Miami's lead grew to as much as 33 points in the third quarter.

Jayson Tatum led Boston with just 14 points while finishing 6 of 18 from the field and Brown was held to 12 points on 6-of-17 shooting. The two All-Stars were a combined 1 of 14 from 3-point range.

"I don't even know where to start," said Brown after the game, per ESPN. "It's an obvious letdown. I feel like we let our fan base, organization down. 

"We let ourselves down. And it was collective. We can point fingers, but in reality, it was just embarrassing.

"To their credit, they’re playing well above their means.They’re ballin’ right now and I’ve got to give them respect.

"Gabe Vincent, Martin, Strus, Duncan Robinson, guys that we should be able to keep under control are playing their [butt] off.

"The series isn't over yet. It's looking bad, but you come out, have some pride about yourself."

The Celtics were favourites to win the NBA Championship before the series began but now look like a team in crisis just seven days on from their big Game 7 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in round two.

"I just didn’t have them ready to play," said Mazzulla, who is in his first season as head coach.

"Whatever it was, whether it was the starting lineup or an adjustment, I have to get them in a better place, ready to play. That’s on me.

"I think some of the defensive identity has been lost and we have to get that back."

While a comeback to reach the Finals from here would be miraculous, Tatum insists Boston has to first and foremost recover some pride.

He said: "It was tough. From the beginning of the game, we were turning the ball over. We didn't shoot the ball well, they shot extremely well and it felt like we never recovered.

"As tough as tonight was, we just got to try to move on. Prepare, get ready, practice, film and stuff for tomorrow.

"Obviously we're in a tough position but we've got to have some pride, bounce back and just be better come Tuesday."

Jimmy Butler has proven inspirational for the Heat in the postseason far but in Game 3 Miami showcased its roster depth.

Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 29 points and Duncan Robinson added 22 off the bench, propelling the Heat to a lopsided victory that puts coach Erik Spoelstra on the brink of a sixth NBA Finals appearance with the team.

The Western Conference finals also look like they are set to reach an earlier than expected conclusion, with the Denver Nuggets enjoying a 3-0 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of Game 4 on Monday.

The Miami Heat are now one win away from the NBA Finals after routing the Boston Celtics 128-102 on Sunday to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 29 points and Duncan Robinson added 22 off the bench as the duo led a torrid shooting display that propelled the Heat to the lopsided victory.

Miami shot 54.3 percent (19 of 35) from 3-point range for the game, with Vincent going 6 of 9 from beyond the arc and Robinson 5 of 7.

After rallying in the second half to win Games 1 and 2 in Boston, the Heat led virtually from start to finish in this one to go on the verge of joining the 1999 New York Knicks as the only No. 8 seeds in league history to reach the Finals. Miami can wrap up the series at home on Tuesday.

No team in NBA history has lost a seven-game playoff series when leading 3-0.

Miami put together a 9-0 run late in the first quarter to build a 30-20 lead in the final minute of the period, then later outscored the Celtics 25-10 over a 5 1/2-minute stretch in the second quarter to extend the margin. Vincent scored the first five points of the surge, which Robinson capped with a 3-pointer that put the Heat up 59-37 with under four minutes left in the half.

The Celtics never got their deficit out of double digits the rest of the way as Miami’s lead grew to as much as 33 points in the third quarter.

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 14 points while finishing 6 of 18 from the field, while Jaylen Brown was held to 12 points on 6-of-17 shooting. The two All-Stars were a combined 1 of 14 from 3-point range.

Nikola Jokic remains "worried" about the Denver Nuggets' chances of reaching the NBA Finals despite Saturday's Game 3 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, warning LeBron James is "capable of everything".

Jokic combined with Jamal Murray to guide the top-seeded Nuggets to a 119-108 win at Crypto.com Arena, giving them a 3-0 series lead and putting them on the brink of a first NBA Finals appearance.

The two-time NBA MVP added 24 points to Murray's game-high 37, leaving Denver heavily fancied to advance ahead of another road game on Monday.

However, Jokic is unwilling to start the celebrations early, saying: "To be honest, I'm not going to say that I'm scared, but I'm worried.

"Because they have LeBron on the other side, and he is capable of doing everything. 

"We're going to come here with the same mindset, same focus, and I think that's going to put us in a situation to win a game.

"We never know. They're going to be aggressive. Of course, they're going to be extra physical. 

"They're going to run more, everything is going to be on a different level, more of anything. So, we will see."

Murray echoed his team-mate's cautious tone, stressing the importance of the Nuggets remaining grounded. 

"We're just keeping everybody in the moment, not letting it slip away," Murray said.

"You need 16 wins to win a championship and we've got five more to go and the Lakers are in our way, and they are going to do everything in their power to come back and fight."

James finished Game 3 with 23 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds but missed with 11 of his 19 shots, including four of six in the fourth quarter.

Despite the Lakers' season hanging by a thread, the four-time NBA champion is refusing to give up hope.

"We've got to get one, just get one at a time," James said. "Just focus on Game 4, that's all you can think about. 

"Obviously, this game is over with. We had some opportunities and we didn't come through. It's a one-game series for us."