The Indiana Pacers faced a tough night as they lost to the Boston Celtics 133-128 in overtime during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Pacers were up by three points with just 27.1 seconds left in regulation, but a couple of costly mistakes turned the game around.
Key Takeaways from Pacers vs. Celtics Game 1
- Costly Turnovers: Haliburton and Nembhard‘s crucial mistakes led to a 133-128 OT loss.
- Defensive Struggles: Pacers couldn’t contain Tatum and Brown, committing 23 fouls.
- Resilience: Despite setbacks, the Pacers showed strong determination and resilience.
Crucial Mistakes at the End
Tyrese Haliburton, who had been a key player throughout the playoffs, made a rare error by dribbling the ball off his foot, giving possession back to the Celtics.
This was unexpected since Haliburton usually handles the ball well, averaging just 2.3 turnovers per game during the season.
“It’s a tough one to swallow,” Haliburton said after the game. “I pride myself on taking care of the ball, and to have those two costly turnovers at the end is inexcusable. I let my team down.”
Shortly after, Andrew Nembhard’s inbound pass to Pascal Siakam went astray, leading to another turnover.
This allowed Jaylen Brown to nail a game-tying three-pointer with just seconds left.
The Pacers struggled with turnovers throughout the game, committing a total of 22, which led to 32 points for the Celtics.
“It’s on us. We gave it away,” Haliburton admitted. “I had two bad turnovers that I feel cost us the game, one in the fourth and one in overtime. I know he’s protecting us, but I’ll take that on me. I gotta be better, and I will be better in Game 2.”
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Coaching Decisions Under Scrutiny
Head coach Rick Carlisle admitted he should have called a timeout during the final possession of regulation.
“This loss is totally on me. With 10 seconds of regulation, we should have just taken the timeout, advanced the ball, and found a way to get it in,” Carlisle said. He regretted not calling a timeout as the Pacers had planned to intentionally foul to prevent a game-tying shot, but Siakam hesitated, fearing a potential four-point play.
“I take full responsibility for that final possession,” Carlisle said. “I should have called a timeout and set up a play. That’s on me, and I’ll learn from it.”
Resilience and Determination
Despite the loss, the Pacers showed incredible resilience and determination. They bounced back from double-digit deficits multiple times to take the lead late in the fourth quarter.
“We know we can play with these guys. We know we belong,” Haliburton said. “It’s discouraging just because of the plays that happened down the stretch, but we had been struggling in Game 1s for the first and second series.”
Myles Turner echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of staying united and fighting on.
“We’re not going to let one loss discourage us,” he declared. “This team has shown time and time again that we don’t quit.”
Turnovers and Defensive Issues
Turnovers were a major issue for the Pacers. Along with the critical errors at the end, they committed 22 turnovers throughout the game, resulting in 32 points for the Celtics.
Haliburton and Turner acknowledged that most mistakes were self-inflicted rather than due to Celtics’ pressure.
“We just made too many careless mistakes,” Haliburton said. “We have to value the ball better if we want to win this series.”
Defensively, the Pacers had trouble containing Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who scored a combined 62 points.
Brown’s game-tying three-pointer in regulation was particularly painful. Additionally, the Pacers committed 23 fouls, leading to 30 free throws for the Celtics, compared to just 10 for the Pacers.
Looking Ahead
Despite the loss, the Pacers remain positive and focused on the series ahead.
“We did a lot of good things. I loved the way we fought,” Carlisle noted. The team’s ability to learn from their mistakes and adjust will be key as they aim to bounce back in Game 2.
The Pacers’ resilience and determination will be tested, but their confidence remains unshaken. Haliburton summed it up well:
“We know we belong here. We’re not going to let anyone tell us otherwise.”
The Pacers are set to regroup and bring their best game for the next battle in the Eastern Conference Finals.
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