The Celtics entered the playoffs anticipating to get everybody’s greatest shot.
The East’s high seed barely survived a tricky one to open the Eastern Conference finals.
Jayson Tatum scored 36 factors, together with 10 in extra time after Jaylen Brown’s tying 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds remaining in regulation, and Boston rallied simply in time for a 133-128 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday evening.
Jrue Holiday added a season-high 28 factors and Brown completed with 26.
“Welcome to the NBA playoffs. You’ve just got to manage your emotions. Anything can happen,” Brown mentioned of his tying 3. “It’s not over until the final buzzer sounds. … It’s not over until it’s over. We found a way to win the game at the very end.”
It gave his workforce a brand new life and helped it dangle on to home-court benefit with Game 2 set for Thursday in Boston.
Tyrese Haliburton had 25 factors and 10 assists for the Pacers, who knocked down 13 3-pointers and scored 56 factors within the paint in opposition to a Celtics workforce nonetheless enjoying with out 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis.
But Boston dialed up its protection, ending with 11 steals — three every by Brown, Tatum and Holiday. The Celtics grow to be the primary workforce in NBA playoff historical past to have three gamers file 25 factors and three steals in a sport.
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The Celtics had been chilly for a lot of the sport from 3-point vary, however ended the evening 15 of 45 from past the arc.
“We keep talking about protecting home court,” Celtics ahead Al Horford mentioned. “It’s whatever it takes.”
Pascal Siakam added 24 factors and 12 rebounds. Myles Turner completed with 23 factors and 10 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who twice turned it over with a three-point lead within the closing 30 seconds of regulation.
Brown made them pay for the second, hitting a 3 from the nook with Siakam proper in his face to tie it at 117.
“Jrue made a good pass, (Derrick White) set a great screen and the rest is history,” Brown mentioned.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla just like the poise Brown confirmed.
“Jaylen had great balance,” he mentioned. “Great pass, great shot.”
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle mentioned the loss was “totally on me” for not calling a timeout to advance the ball earlier than their turnover that arrange Brown’s shot.
Asked in regards to the 21 turnovers Indiana dedicated, Haliburton mentioned a lot of them had been preventable.
“I think it’s more on us,” he mentioned. “I just felt like more of them were probably on us than them forcing turnovers.”
The Celtics are actually 2-2 when their opponent scores 100 or extra factors.
Holiday mentioned the Celtics by no means panicked after falling behind late in regulation
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after lacking a 3 level try in opposition to the Boston Celtics within the fourth quarter throughout sport one of many jap convention finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs.
| Photo Credit:
DAVID BUTLER II/ Reuters
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after lacking a 3 level try in opposition to the Boston Celtics within the fourth quarter throughout sport one of many jap convention finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs.
| Photo Credit:
DAVID BUTLER II/ Reuters
“I think we always knew that there’s always a chance. We’ve seen crazy stuff happen all the time,” Holiday mentioned. “I don’t think that we think we lost the game until we actually lost the game and that’s part of the reason why we were so resilient.”
Indiana went again forward 123-121 when Haliburton hit all three free throws after being fouled with 1:46 remaining. Tatum then muscled in a layup and was fouled by T.J. McConnell. He accomplished the three-point play to place Boston forward for good.
The Pacers turned it over once more, this time by Haliburton. The ball discovered its solution to Tatum on the high of key. He pumped, sidestepped a defender and sunk a 3 to make it 127-123 with 43 seconds left.
White and Siakam traded layups. Holiday was fouled and hit two free throws to provide Boston a 131-125 cushion.
“It’s unfortunate we did so many good things in this game that it came down to a couple of mistakes at the end, but it’s the NBA playoffs,” Carlisle mentioned. “We’ve got to learn from it and we’ve got to bounce back.”
