For the 3rd time in 4 video games, the Indiana Pacers held a late fourth-quarter lead.
For the 3rd time in 4 video games, the Boston Celtics eliminated it. Boston rallied from an 89-82 fourth-quarter deficit Monday night to protect a 105-102 win over the Pacers for a 2nd return in 2 video games in Indianapolis.
The win protects a 4-0 Eastern Conference finals win for the Celtics and an area in the NBA Finals. Boston will handle the winner in between the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves for the NBA champion. The Mavericks hold a 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference finals and have a possibility to protect their own series sweep in the house Tuesday night.
Derrick White dagger finishes Celtics rally
Boston tracked for the majority of the 4th quarter before connecting the video game at 102-102 on a Jaylen Brown floater. Derrick White protected the very first Celtics lead of the quarter on a 3-pointer with 43.9 seconds staying.
It showed to be the last container of the video game and the series as the Celtics stunned the Indiana crowd for a 2nd straight video game. Boston beat Indiana as the Pacers played a 2nd successive video game without All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton, who sat Games 3 and 4 with a hamstring pressure.
The Pacers seemed in control and predestined to require a Game 5 till the video game’s last minutes. With the Celtics closing the space, Pascal Siakam struck a layup in traffic to extend Indiana’s result in 102-98 with 3:32 staying. It was the last time the Pacers scored.
Pacers offense closes down late– once again
Over the last 3:32, the Pacers went 0-4 from the field and turned the ball over two times. Andrew Nembhard’s last-gasp 3-point effort to match White’s fizzled with 32.1 seconds staying. Jayson Tatum protected the rebound for the Celtics, and Indiana never ever had the ball once again.
For the Pacers, the conclusion signified supreme heartbreak in a series filled with aggravation. They led Game 1 in Boston 115-110 in the last 2 minutes before losing in overtime. They led Saturday’s Game 3 in the house by 18 points, however blew a nine-point fourth-quarter lead in a 114-11 Celtics win.
Monday’s loss was more of the exact same. Indiana was an ownership far from winning any among those 3 video games. The Celtics made the plays down the stretch each time to protect the series success.
Jaylen Brown and the Celtics are NBA Finals-bound. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Brown paced the Celtics in another marvelous effort while publishing 29 points, 6 rebounds, 3 takes and 2 helps. He shot 11 of 22 from the field and 4 of 8 from 3-point range. He balanced 29.8 points per video game in the series and struck the clutch Game 1 3-pointer that sent out the video game to overtime. He made ECF MVP for his efforts.
Officiating debate on obvious ostentatious nasty that wasn’t
Like much of the postseason,
