Celtics

Watch: Celtics’ Marcus Smart runs out of time before sinking potential buzzer-beating 3 in Game 4 against 76ers

Marcus Smart sank the potential game-winning 3-pointer, but the final seconds already ticked off the clock.

By Conor Ryan

May 7, 2023

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It was too little, too late for Marcus Smart and the Celtics in Philadelphia on Sunday evening.

With just seconds left on the clock in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Smart nearly sealed a dramatic win for Boston by sinking a 3-point buzzer-beater.

But even though the Celtics’ guard buried the attempt, he did not get the shot off in time — negating the trey ball and sealing a 116-115 overtime win for the Sixers.

It was a brutal lapse in execution for the Celtics, who scratched and clawed back from a double-digit deficit in regulation against Philly.

Boston held a 115-113 lead with 38 seconds left in overtime, but the Sixers regained a slim one-point advantage after James Harden buried his own corner three with 19 seconds to go.

Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics opted to not call a timeout on the subsequent possession. By the time Jayson Tatum drove to the paint and kicked it out to Smart, less than a second was left on the clock.

A similar sequence played out at the end of regulation. After Harden tied the game up at 107-107 with a floater, Mazzulla once again did not call time. The ball eventually landed in the hands of Smart at the buzzer, with his 3-point attempt failing to connect.

The Celtics and Sixers are now knotted up at 2-2 in their best-of-seven series. Game 5 will be Tuesday night at TD Garden. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.