By RotoWire

Despite actually being ahead for about 30 seconds the entire game, Celtics Crossover Gaming will challenge 76ers GC for the 2019 THE TIPOFF crown, powered by AT&T, thanks to a stunning 46-44 semifinal win Saturday over Heat Check Gaming.

There’s too many adages that could be applied to the resilient, and often times, ugly moments of Boston’s improbable comeback, but the end result will see Celtics Crossover Gaming challenge last year’s THE TIPOFF winners for the top prize of the $125,000 pool.

It’s a bit ironic to suggest ProFusion, who uncharacteristically went 4-of-14 from the field, had one of his best games of the tournament, but that’s in large part thanks to his two critical three pointers, the latter of which put the Celtics up by two points with 30 seconds remaining. Despite missing all but one shot entering the fourth quarter, ProFusion drilled an open look to bring the Celtics within one late in the game, and then had the confidence to connect on a tricky shot towards the left of the key to give his team an advantage they’d never relinquish. The small forward would finish with a tournament-low 11 points and just 3-of-9 from downtown.

ProFusion never would have been able to make those heroic moments without the help of 2018 first-round-pick, oFAB, who scored 12 points in the second half, including six in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t just the scoring that made oFAB’s performance stick out, as the point guard also dished out four assists in the final frame to erase Heat Check Gaming’s nine-point lead.

While the boys from South Beach will hardly be happy with the result, it’s hard to pick apart what was an otherwise stellar defensive gameplan through three quarters, as Celtics Crossover Gaming scored just 16 points in the first half, and finished with the lowest amount of points in a win thus far in the young 2019 campaign.

Led by yet another double-double from center HotShot (14 points, 14 rebounds) and a whopping 21 points combined from their unheralded backcourt, Heat Check Gaming certainly appear to be one of the better teams in the NBA 2K League at the moment despite the unfortunate semifinal loss.