After a fast cease again at residence leading to an enormous win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, the Celtics (4-0) acquired again on the street, driving 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 time beyond regulation thriller.
Whereas the Pacers could be with out their massive man Myles Turner, the Celtics acquired again Sam Hauser after lacking the final three video games with a again harm. 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 a great 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 start out, 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 recreation.
The Pacers acquired out to a 7-point lead early, making a concerted effort to assault Boston on the rim on the offensive facet of the ball. In the meantime, the Celtics have been sloppy, turning the ball over 4 occasions and lacking a minimum of 4 extensive open layups. The Celtics have been struggling to generate three pointers because the usually porous Indiana protection, held them to solely 3-10 capturing from past the arc.
Derrick White would do his greatest 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 capturing 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 recreation to start the 2nd Quarter as we acquired a Slam Hauser look in his first recreation again from harm and Payton Pritchard persevering with his sizzling capturing begin with two threes that resulted in a Pacers timeout.
Boston’s sloppy play continued nonetheless, because the Pacers acquired 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 simple 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 simple shot in transition.
The Celtics continued to wrestle from past the arc, lacking 6 straight threes. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been the primary 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 capturing within the first half. On a optimistic notice, Luke Kornet was dominating on the offensive glass with 6 of his 7 rebounds within the first half approaching that facet of the ball. Derrick White made one other nice play on the finish of the half, blocking a half court docket shot from Tyrese Haliburton on the buzzer, however that was possibly the most effective spotlight for Boston within the quarter because the Pacers took a 67-57 lead into halftime.
General, 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 throughout 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 capturing 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 capturing 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, less difficult layups. Jrue Vacation scored 7 factors to start out 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 evening.
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 trying like himself in his first recreation 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 last 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 capturing 30-77 (39%) from the sector and 12-37 (32.4%) from three. Tatum had 24 factors to guide the Celtics as Siakam and Mathurin had 23 to guide the Pacers.
4th Quarter
TJ McConnell basically 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 known 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 recreation 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 recreation with 1:04 to go.
Out of the Pacers timeout, Queta made an unimaginable 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 lower 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 recreation, got here all the best way again to drive time beyond regulation. A fully unimaginable 14-2 run to finish the quarter. What a comeback.
Time beyond regulation
At 4:23, Haliburton scored the primary factors of time beyond regulation 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 acquired 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 acquired 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 acquired 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 leap ball with 27.3 to go. Sheppard received 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 last 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, capturing 11-20 from the sector and 6-8 from three, together with the sport winner.
The Celtics subsequent recreation is Friday in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets as Boston appears to bounce again from the loss.
