BOSTON-. Los Celtics They began the playoffs with the hope that all their members would contribute their best.
They suffered, but the top seeds in the East survived an extremely difficult game to open the conference finals.
Jayson Tatum scored 36 points, including 10 in overtime, and Jaylen Brown hit a tying 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left in regulation. Bostonwho barely came back to beat the 133-128 Indiana Pacers.
Jrue Holiday added a season-high 28 points, and Brown finished with 26 points.
“Welcome to the NBA playoffs. You simply have to manage your emotions. Anything can happen,” Brown said of the three-pointer with which he tied the score. “This isn’t over until the final horn sounds… It’s not over until it’s over. “We found a way to win the game at the end.”
Brown gave his team new life and helped it retain its home-field advantage. The second meeting will take place on Thursday in Boston.
But guarding against complacency was also on Tatum’s mind. The Celtics have lost Game 2 in each of their previous two series.
“This proves nothing,” Tatum said. “We won an important game, but the series is far from over.”
Tyrese Haliburton had 25 points and 10 assists for the Pacers, who hit 13 three-pointers and scored 56 points in the paint against the Celtics who are still without 7-foot-3 forward Kristaps Porzingis.
Pascal Siakam added 24 points and 12 rebounds. Myles Turner finished with 23 points and 10 boards for the Pacers, who turned the ball over twice with a three-point lead in the final 30 seconds.
Brown made them pay for the second and hit a three-pointer from the corner off Siakam to tie it at 117 at the end of regulation.
Indiana regained the lead 123-121 on three Haliburton free throws with 1:46 left. Tatum made a layup off a TJ McConnell foul and completed the three-point play to give Boston the lead.
The Pacers again lost the ball in front of Tatum, who took it and ran past the defense before launching a three-pointer to make it 127-123 with 43 seconds left.
Derrick White and Siakam exchanged layups. Holiday was fouled and hit both of his three-pointers to give Boston a comfortable 131-125 lead.
Source: AP
