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The NBA playoffs are nearing the final stages, and the Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics Eastern Conference finals matchup will determine who will land a spot in the NBA Finals. The Pacers overcame the New York Knicks in seven games, while the Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, also in seven games, to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
The Boston Celtics opened the game with a strong 12-0 run, but the Indiana Pacers quickly responded, tightening the game by the middle of the first quarter.
Obi Toppin emerged as the unexpected hero for the Pacers in the first quarter, scoring 11 points and reducing Boston's lead to three by the end of the period, with the score at 34-31.
The Celtics extended their lead to double digits again, but the Pacers fought back, with a three-pointer from Tyrese Haliburton tying the game at halftime, 64-64.
Myles Turner led all scorers at halftime with 18 points, along with four rebounds, four assists and two 3-pointers in 18 minutes of play. Tyrese Haliburton contributed 11 points and four assists.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics in the first half with 14 points, while Jayson Tatum and Derrick White added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Pacers' 3-point shooting was crucial in the first half, hitting 8-of-15 attempts for a 53.3% success rate. In contrast, the Celtics shot 31.8% from beyond the arc, making only 7-of-22 attempts.
The Celtics maintained the lead for most of the game but had to outlast the Pacers in overtime to secure the victory. They built a double-digit lead in the third quarter, but the Pacers rallied to trim the lead to just one by the end of the quarter.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Pacers gained momentum thanks to plays by Andrew Nembhard and Tyrese Haliburton, building a five-point lead, their largest of the game.
However, turnovers allowed the Celtics to catch up, with a Jaylen Brown three-pointer sending the game to overtime.
In overtime, the Celtics outscored the Pacers 16-11 to secure the victory.
Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 36 points, along with 12 rebounds and three steals. Jrue Holiday had a season-high 28 points, while Brown finished with 26 points. Al Horford and Derrick White each added 15 points.
For the Pacers, Haliburton scored 25 points, Pascal Siakam had 24, Myles Turner added 23, and Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith, TJ McConnell, and Nembhard contributed 15, 14, 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Below are the box scores for the Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics game.
Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics player stats and box scores for Game 1
Indiana Pacers Player Stats and Box Score
Boston Celtics Player Stats and Box Score
