On June 4th in sports history, one significant event took place in 1974 during the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks. In Game 6 of the series, the Celtics were trailing the Bucks 3-2 and facing elimination on their home court at the Boston Garden.
The game was a closely contested affair, with both teams trading leads throughout. However, in the final seconds of regulation, with the Celtics down by two points, center Dave Cowens made a crucial play that would go down in NBA lore.
With just four seconds left on the clock, Cowens intentionally missed the second of two free throws. As the ball bounced off the rim, Cowens managed to outmaneuver the Bucks players and tip the ball to his teammate, John Havlicek. Havlicek quickly passed the ball back to Cowens, who had positioned himself near the basket. Cowens then laid the ball in, tying the game at 86-86 and sending it into overtime.
In the overtime period, the Celtics, fueled by the momentum of Cowens' clutch play, dominated the Bucks and won the game 102-87. This victory forced a decisive Game 7, which the Celtics would go on to win in Milwaukee, clinching their 12th NBA championship.
Dave Cowens' quick thinking and athletic prowess in those final seconds of Game 6 exemplified the never-say-die attitude of the Celtics team and cemented his status as one of the greatest players in franchise history. The play has since been dubbed "The Miracle of the Garden" and remains a beloved moment for Celtics fans everywhere.
