In a gripping start to the Eastern Conference finals, the Boston Celtics narrowly escaped with a victory over the Indiana Pacers in overtime, prevailing 133-128. This win gave the Celtics a 1-0 lead in the series, via Fox News.
“The Boston Celtics All-Star stunned the Pacers with a 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation to tie Tuesday’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals at 117-117. The game then went into overtime, where the Celtics prevailed, 133-128 to take a 1-0 series lead.
Late in the game, the Pacers seemed poised to clinch the win with a 115-110 lead. They maintained a 117-114 edge with just 10 seconds left on the clock. However, a costly error on an inbounds pass allowed the Celtics a lifeline. Brown capitalized on this opportunity magnificently.
Facing Pascal Siakam, Brown fired a decisive 3-pointer from the left corner that swished through as the clock showed only 5.7 seconds remaining, forcing the game into overtime. In the additional period, Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 10 points, including a crucial three-pointer with 42.8 seconds left, pushing Boston ahead 127-123. The Celtics managed to hold onto this lead, overcoming dramatic shifts in momentum throughout the game.
Indiana must now grapple with the disappointment of losing a significant chance to take an early lead in the series against the regular season’s top NBA team, despite being the No. 6 seed. Despite shooting impressively from the field and beyond the arc, Indiana’s defining moment was the unfortunate turnover that led to Brown’s game-tying three-pointer.
Throughout the game, turnovers haunted Indiana, with 21 in total, including three critical ones in overtime. Despite an early setback, going down 12-0 within the first three minutes, Indiana’s league-leading offense rallied to tie the score at 64 by halftime, sparked by a logo three from Tyrese Haliburton at the buzzer.
The Celtics responded to every Pacers’ challenge, notably with a 13-0 run in the third quarter to capture an 87-75 lead. However, Indiana was resilient, narrowing the gap to one point by the end of the third. The tense fourth quarter set the stage for the climactic overtime.
In overtime, the Celtics ultimately secured their victory, largely due to Tatum’s 36 points and the team’s overall solid performance, including significant contributions from the free-throw line. In contrast, the Pacers struggled with free throws, which could have tilted the game in their favor.
While the Celtics played without forward Kristaps Porzingis due to a calf injury, they demonstrated their depth and resilience, stepping up when it mattered most. Porzingis is expected to possibly return by Game 4, adding another layer of anticipation to the series.