Derrick White owned that final moment.

White scored on a putback as time expired and the Boston Celtics moved to the brink of the greatest comeback in NBA playoffs history, holding off the Miami Heat 104-103 in Miami on Saturday night to force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference finals.

He knew it was good. Referees reviewed it, but it didn't take long to give the official word.

Elation for Boston. Devastation for Miami.

"Just happy we won," White said. "Whatever it takes."

Jayson Tatum scored 31 points, Jaylen Brown scored 26 and Marcus Smart added 21 for the Celtics, who became only the fourth NBA team to erase a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series and force a deciding game.

The others in that club - the 1951 New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, the 1994 Denver Nuggets in the second round and the 2003 Portland Trail Blazers in the first round - all lost Game 7, all on the road.

Boston, however, are going home for their shot at history. Game 7 is Monday night on the Celtics' floor, a matchup that'll decide who meets Western Conference champions the Denver Nuggets in the title series.

"It's a seven-game series," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "There's nothing better than Game 7s."

Jimmy Butler made three free throws with 3.0 seconds left for a one-point Heat lead, capping a Miami rally from 10 points down with less than four minutes remaining.

The Celtics had White inbound the ball on the final possession, and he passed to Smart - who missed a 3-pointer. But White sprinted to the rim, the ball fell for him and he got the lay-in away just before time ran out.

"Just resiliency from the guys," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. "That's it."

Butler scored 24 points and Caleb Martin had 21 for the Heat, who are trying to pull off their own improbable trek to the title series by being only the second No. seed to make the NBA Finals.

They've now lost as many games this week - three - as they had in their first 14 playoff games combined on the way to ousting No.1 Milwaukee, then No.5 New York and taking what was supposed to be an insurmountable 3-0 lead over the second-seeded Celtics.

The Celtics have now won five of their last six East finals games in Miami - a stretch that includes a Game 7 over the Heat last season to reach the NBA Finals.

At least this time, Miami still have a chance.

The Heat are the 151st team to grab a 3-0 series lead in a best-of-seven. All 150 of the previous clubs finished the job.

"I don't know how we're going to get this done, but we're going to go out there and get it done," Spoelstra said.

"And that's what the next 48 hours is about. There's been nothing easy about this season for our group, and so we just have to do it the hard way."

Australian Associated Press