The Celtics mainly pressed the snooze button throughout Game 7, with the exception of Game 6 hero Derrick White,
who scored 18 points and single-handedly brought the Celtics within 7 in the third quarter.
Not the new coach, though. And not the core group of players, who have far more experience in important games than their erratic efforts in front of the brightest lights would lead one to believe.
The Celtics' season came to a disappointing and all-too-familiar end on Monday night as their worst tendencies surfaced just when they needed to be at their best.
Jimmy Butler had 28 points and was a series annoyance. Game 7 of the Eastern Conference playoffs featured Caleb Martin scoring 26 points as the Heat defeated the Celtics 103-84.
The Celtics, especially second-team All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown, who shot 8 of 23 and had eight turnovers, one more than the entire Heat starting lineup, mostly hit the snooze button throughout the game,
with the exception of Game 6 hero Derrick White, who scored 18 points and single-handedly brought the Celtics within seven in the third quarter.