After a fast cease again at dwelling leading to an enormous win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, the Celtics (4-0) received again on the highway, using a 4-game successful streak to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to face off in opposition to the Indiana Pacers (1-3) in an Japanese Convention Finals rematch. That is the primary time the Celtics are enjoying in Indiana since Sport 4 the place they defeated the Pacers in a sweep to advance to the NBA Finals.
The Pacers would get their revenge nonetheless, defeating the Celtics 135-132 in an additional time thriller.
Whereas the Pacers could be with out their huge man Myles Turner, the Celtics received again Sam Hauser after lacking the final three video games with a again damage. Isaiah Jackson changed Turner within the beginning lineup for the Pacers alongside stars in Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, Celtics killer Andrew Nembhard, and former Celtic Aaron Nesmith.
1st Quarter
It wasn’t an excellent begin for the Celtics as off the opening tip, Andrew Nembhard beat Derrick White to the ball and scored a layup. Jaylen Brown opened the scoring for the Celtics with a dunk on a powerful cross from Jrue Vacation on the quick break. Brown was on fireplace to begin, attending to the basket at will and scoring 8 factors within the first 6 minutes.
There was a scary second for the Celtics as Jayson Tatum was hit within the face by Andrew Nembhard’s chest as he was attempting to catch a cross beneath the basket. Tatum was shaken up slightly bit however stayed within the sport.
The Pacers received out to a 7-point lead early, making a concerted effort to assault Boston on the rim on the offensive aspect of the ball. In the meantime, the Celtics have been sloppy, turning the ball over 4 occasions and lacking at the least 4 broad open layups. The Celtics have been struggling to generate three pointers because the usually porous Indiana protection, held them to solely 3-10 taking pictures from past the arc.
Derrick White would do his finest Payton Pritchard impression, hitting a buzzer beater of a Pacers layup to finish the quarter, however Indiana held a 35-31 lead on the finish of the first quarter. The Celtics completed the quarter taking pictures 11-26 (42.3%) from the sector as Brown completed because the main scorer and Pascal Siakam had 9 factors, main the Pacers.
2nd Quarter
The Celtics bench actually saved Boston within the sport to start the 2nd Quarter as we received a Slam Hauser look in his first sport again from damage and Payton Pritchard persevering with his scorching taking pictures begin with two threes that resulted in a Pacers timeout.
Boston’s sloppy play continued nonetheless, because the Pacers received out to a 13 level lead together with a 16-4 run off of extra missed layups, unhealthy turnovers and 0 rim safety. Pascal Siakam continued to prepare dinner, scoring 8 factors, hitting 2 threes and organising his teammates for straightforward baskets. The Pacers have been doing something they wished on offense. Each missed shot from the Celtics ended with somebody from Indiana instantly working out and getting a straightforward shot in transition.
The Celtics continued to wrestle from past the arc, lacking 6 straight threes. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been the principle catalysts of those struggles, going a mixed 2-13 from three within the half. Tyrese Haliburton wasn’t a lot better as he scored solely 3 factors on 1-6 taking pictures within the first half. On a constructive notice, Luke Kornet was dominating on the offensive glass with 6 of his 7 rebounds within the first half approaching that aspect of the ball. Derrick White made one other nice play on the finish of the half, blocking a half courtroom shot from Tyrese Haliburton on the buzzer, however that was possibly one of the best spotlight for Boston within the quarter because the Pacers took a 67-57 lead into halftime.
Total, this was the worst first half of the season by far for the Celtics. The Pacers put up 40 factors IN THE PAINT in opposition to Boston, solely the third time that has ever occurred beneath Joe Mazzulla. Indiana shot 27-50 (54%) from the sector and there was no effort on the defensive finish for the Celtics.
Tonight is simply the third time {that a} Joe Mazzulla group has allowed 40+ factors within the paint in the course of the first half. That features 42 in Sport 3 final spring.
— Dick Lipe (@DickLipe) October 31, 2024
Not solely was the protection unhealthy, Boston had horrible execution on offense, ending the half taking pictures 19-51 (37.3%) from the sector and 8-24 (33.3%) from three. Tatum struggled however nonetheless led the Celtics with 15 factors on 5-12 taking pictures from the sector and 2-8 from three. Siakam continued to be the main scorer for the Pacers with 17.
third Quarter
Pascal Siakam wouldn’t go away, hitting back-to-back threes for the Pacers to open the second half. Bennedict Mathurin additionally began to warmth up, scoring 11 straight factors for Indiana on, you guessed it, easier layups. Jrue Vacation scored 7 factors to begin the quarter, however Mathurin’s 14 factors and a 12-4 run pushed the Pacers lead as much as 22 factors (90-68), their greatest lead of the night time.
Payton Pritchard would finish a 13-0 Pacers run with a 3 however the Celtics effort was at all-time low. Vacation smoked one other straightforward layup and Brown would get a steal however instantly flip it over in simply an embarrassing play general. Sam Hauser hit a powerful shot with a 26-foot three on the quick break and it was good to see him wanting like himself in his first sport again.
The Celtics have been lastly beginning to assault the basket when the lineup of Jayson Tatum and the bench have been collectively, leading to a 14-4 run for the Celtics within the closing 3:35 of the quarter. Tatum was driving to the rim with aggression, leading to a troublesome put again two and a buzzer beating layup to chop the Celtics deficit to 100-86 on the finish of the third.
After three quarters, the Celtics completed taking pictures 30-77 (39%) from the sector and 12-37 (32.4%) from three. Tatum had 24 factors to steer the Celtics as Siakam and Mathurin had 23 to steer the Pacers.
4th Quarter
TJ McConnell primarily ended the sport for the Celtics, diming up Mathurin for runs on the rim and capped off by an Obi Toppin dunk that despatched the Indiana crowd right into a frenzy. McConnell was gesturing in direction of the gang and dapped up Tyrese Haliburton’s dad because the Celtics referred to as a timeout with 8:55 to go, down 112-91.
The Celtics put in a lineup of Jaylen Brown and the bench out of the timeout. Neemias Queta instantly caught an alley-oop and Brown would hit a 3, resulting in a Pacers timeout after solely 40 seconds of sport time and Celtics being down 16 with a sliver of hope for a comeback.
Down 15 with 5:17 to go, the Celtics put in Tatum and White to associate with Pritchard and Queta. After a Nesmith three, White would hit a 3 and Brown would get a dunk to chop the deficit to 11. Tatum hit a nasty step again three over Nesmith to chop it 10, Isaiah Jackson made 2 free throws, then White hit a 3 to chop it to 9. After a Siakam traveled, White would hit a layup, get a steal off the inbound cross and Tatum hit 2 free throws to chop the deficit to five. Jaylen Brown would steal the ball from Mathurin within the subsequent possession to make it a 3 level sport with 1:04 to go.
Out of the Pacers timeout, Queta made an unbelievable block on a Sheppard layup and Haliburton would miss a 3 that result in a Tatum quick break drive and get fouled, made two free throws, and minimize it to a 1-point deficit with 34.3 left. Haliburton hit a floater with 20.8 to return up 3 however Jayson Tatum stepped up and splashed an insane three in between the eyes of Haliburton to tie the sport with 14.4 to go. Haliburton missed the final shot of regulation and the Celtics, down 24 within the sport, got here all the best way again to drive additional time. A fully unbelievable 14-2 run to finish the quarter. What a comeback.
Extra time
At 4:23, Haliburton scored the primary factors of additional time with a 3 however Tatum missed a 3 to reply. Mathurin missed a large open three, Tatum missed one other three, however Queta tipped it to Brown who received fouled. Brown would proceed to overlook BOTH free throws, however Siakam couldn’t captilize, lacking a 3 of his personal.
Derrick White, the proper human he’s, would tie the sport with a 3 with 2:51 to go. Mathurin missed a 3, Toppin received the rebound, and because the shot clock was expiring, possibly with .1 second left, Siakam was fouled by Derrick White. Siakam proceeded to 1-2 on the line and Tatum would drive to rim, get fouled, and went 1-2 on the line to tie the sport. McConnell missed a shot however the Pacers received one other rebound and Mathurin made a layup.
One other big offensive rebound off two misses by Queta led to Pritchard hitting 2 free throws to tie the sport with 1:09 left. Toppin missed a 3 within the nook after which dedicated a goaltending penalty on a Derrick White layup to offer the Celtics their first lead for the reason that first quarter at 132-130 with 39.7 seconds to go.
Out of the Pacers timeout, Haliburton inbounded to Siakam and he would tied the sport with a fairly fadeaway over Brown with 36 seconds to go. Out of the Celtics timeout, Pritchard inbounded to Tatum who missed a 3 however Pritchard would battle with Sheppard beneath the rim to drive a bounce ball with 27.3 to go. Sheppard gained the tip, Haliburton bled the clock, Siakam set a ghost display screen, slipped out, and nailed a 3, giving the Pacers the lead with 6 seconds to go.
Within the Celtics closing possession, White inbounded to Jaylen Brown who air balled the sport tying three and ending the Celtics probabilities at a win. It was the Celtics’ first lack of the season.
Jayson Tatum completed the sport main the Celtics in scoring with 37 factors and eight rebounds on 10-25 from the sector and 5-18 from three. Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 30 factors, however Pascal Siakam was the true MVP for Indiana, dropping 29 factors and 11 rebounds, taking pictures 11-20 from the sector and 6-8 from three, together with the sport winner.
The Celtics subsequent sport is Friday in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets as Boston appears to bounce again from the loss.
