by Wheat Hotchkiss
After losing a lead in the final minute in Game 3 on Saturday, the Pacers trail the Boston Celtics 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals and face a simple scenario heading into Game 4 on Monday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana must win on Monday to extend its season. If not, the Celtics will return to the NBA Finals for the second time in the last three years.
The Pacers are coming off a frustrating finish to Game 3, where they led by as many as 18 points in the second half, only to see the Celtics storm back and surge ahead in the final minute for a 114-111 victory.
It was especially frustrating given how well the Pacers played for the majority of the night despite missing All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton due to a left hamstring injury. In Haliburton’s absence, fellow point guards Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell stepped up, combining for 53 points, 13 rebounds, and 15 assists.
In the end, however, the Celtics out-executed Indiana in crunch time. Jrue Holiday scored the go-ahead basket in the final minute, then stripped the ball from Nembhard in the closing seconds to seal the win.
“Obviously this one stings, but there’s no guy in this locker room that’s packed it in,” McConnell vowed after the loss. “We’re going to try to get one here and extend this series and then go back to Boston and try to make things difficult. There’s no guy in this locker room that’s going to quit. I’ll tell you that much.”
The biggest question heading into Game 4 is the status of Haliburton. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said prior to Game 3 that the star guard really wanted to play on Saturday, but the decision “was taken out of his hands” as the team elected to sit him. Carlisle expressed hope that Haliburton could potentially be available on Monday, but that remains to be seen.
Whether or not Haliburton is available, the Pacers have been at their best all season when facing adversity. They dropped Game 1 of each of their first two playoff series and rallied to win each time and staved off elimination twice in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against New York. Coming back from a 3-0 deficit would be a historic achievement, but the first step is simple: find a way win a game at home on Monday night.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G – Andrew Nembhard, G – Ben Sheppard, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Myles Turner
Celtics: G – Jrue Holiday, G – Derrick White, F – Jaylen Brown, F – Jayson Tatum, C – Al Horford
Injury Report
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton – questionable (sore left hamstring), Bennedict Mathurin – out (right shoulder labral tear)
Celtics: Jrue Holiday – questionable (non-COVID illness), Luke Kornet – questionable (left wrist sprain), Kristaps Porzingis – out (right soleus strain)
Last Meeting
May 25, 2024: The Pacers led by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, but the Celtics rallied and ultimately closed Game 3 with a 13-2 run to steal a 114-111 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Nembhard scored 32 points on 12-of-21 shooting and dished out nine assists to lead Indiana in the loss. T.J. McConnell finished with 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting, nine rebounds, and six assists in 29 minutes off the bench for Indiana. Myles Turner recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Pascal Siakam had 22 and six assists.
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 36 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, going 12-for-23 from the field, 5-for-10 from 3-point range, and 7-for-11 from the free throw line. Jaylen Brown added 24 points and Al Horford scored 23 points while going 7-for-12 from beyond the arc.
“They just didn’t go away,” McConnell said of Boston’s comeback. “You’ve got to give credit where credit’s due. They kept chipping away and just made one more play than we did.”
Noteworthy
- The Pacers announced Monday morning that Game 4 will be a “Gold Out.” All fans in attendance receiving a gold t-shirt.
- Indiana outscored Boston 68-40 in points in the paint in Game 3, but the Celtics outscored the Pacers by 33 points from beyond the 3-point arc.
- Celtics backup center Luke Kornet missed the Game 3 due to a left wrist sprain he suffered in Game 2. Starting center Kristaps Porzingis was out once again on Saturday with a right soleus strain and has not played since Game 4 in the first round against Miami.
- The Pacers lost at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the first time this postseason and the first time since March 18 on Saturday. Prior to Game 3 against Boston, Indiana had gone 6-0 at home in the playoffs and won 11 straight home games dating back to the regular season.
- This is Indiana’s ninth appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals, with all those appearance coming in the last 30 years. Only four teams have more conference finals appearances over that span: the Spurs with 11 and the Lakers, Heat, and Celtics with 10 each.
- No team in NBA history has overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series. The Pacers have faced a 3-0 deficit four times. They lost in five games to Chicago in 2011 and were swept by Cleveland in 2017, by Boston in 2019, and by Miami in 2020.
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings)
TV: ESPN – Mike Breen (play-by-play), Doris Burke (analyst), JJ Redick (analyst), Lisa Salters (sideline reporter)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
Tickets
The Pacers and Celtics will meet again at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 4 on Monday, May 27 at 8:00 PM ET.
Originally posted on pacers.com