The Boston Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum’s 36 factors, overcame an 18-point deficit to defeat the Indiana Pacers 114-111 on Saturday, taking a commanding 3-0 lead within the NBA Eastern Conference finals.
But the shift got here when the Celtics discovered a strategy to decelerate Indiana’s high-octane offense within the second half to grab the win in Indianapolis, the place they’re going to attempt to shut out the sequence Monday.
“Closeout games are the hardest,” Tatum stated, cautioning that the Celtics cannot afford to loosen up although no NBA workforce has rallied from 0-3 all the way down to win a playoff sequence.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle definitely wasn’t able to wave the white flag.
“We’re going to be undeterred, we’re going to be back here Monday night looking to extend the series and we’re going to come at them even harder,” vowed Carlisle, who stated the Pacers performed “a courageous game.”
Indiana, who had been unbeaten in six prior dwelling video games this post-season, got here out decided to keep away from the 0-3 gap regardless of the absence of All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who aggravated the left hamstring pressure that troubled him this season in sport two.
Andrew Nembhard, taking on at level guard, scored 32 factors and handed out 9 assists and Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner scored 22 apiece for the Pacers, who pushed their result in 18 within the second quarter and once more within the third.
But a 3-point play by Jrue Holiday, who was fouled on a driving layup and made the free throw, put the Celtics up 112-111 with 38.9 seconds to play.
It was their first lead for the reason that first moments of the second quarter and so they made it rise up, Holiday developing with a decisive steal from Nembhard and making a pair of free throws to seal it.
“I think the and-one I just saw the opportunity,” stated Holiday, who was questionable to begin due to sickness till shortly earlier than the sport. “I think Siakam was on his heels so I just attacked him and got the and-one.”
Despite the absence of Haliburton, the Pacers received their offense firing and erased an early nine-point deficit, exploding within the second quarter to construct their first 18-point lead of the competition.
Another degree
Nembhard scored 17 factors within the second quarter and the Pacers related on 15 of their 22 shot makes an attempt to surge previous the Celtics.
With 21 factors by half time Nembhard had already surpassed his profession playoff excessive.
He drilled a protracted 3-pointer with lower than 5 seconds left within the first half to offer the Pacers a 69-57 lead on the break.
Indiana had been up by 18 once more halfway by way of the third, however Boston bore down defensively and reeled them in.
It remained to be seen if Haliburton shall be accessible for sport 4 on Monday.
“It was determined that tonight was not an option,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle stated earlier than the sport, saying Haliburton could be reassessed earlier than sport 4.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla stated the absence of Haliburton had left Boston struggling to regulate to early on.
“It took us a little while to figure out how we were going to match up with them in order to slow them down,” he stated. “I felt like it was our defense, and I thought we took it to another level in the second half.”
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