INDIANAPOLIS – The Boston Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers 133-128 in overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday night at TD Garden.
Jaylen Brown made a three-pointer with six seconds left to force the overtime, then Jayson Tatum converted a three-point play to put Boston up 124-123 with a minute to play in OT. Tatum helped seal the game with a three-pointer to give the Celtics a 1-0 series lead.
Tatum led Boston with 36 points, while Jrue Holiday added 28. Tyrese Haliburton paced Indiana with 25 points with Pascal Siakam adding 24 and Myles Turner 23.
The Celtics raced out to 12-0 lead, forcing Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle to call a time out. Indiana responded with 11 points from Obi Toppin to cut the deficit to just three after the first quarter.
The Pacers kept pace with Boston in the second behind strong play from Turner, who scored 18 points in the first half. Indiana tied the game at 57 on an Aaron Nesmith dunk. Haliburton made a 35-foot three-pointer two seconds before halftime to tie the game at 64.
The Pacers had 22 assists in the first half.
Haliburton started the second half with a lay-up and three-pointer to put Indiana up five. The Pacers led 75-74 when the Celtics went on a 13-0 run. A Holiday three-pointer put Boston up by 13. Indiana responded with its own run. Haliburton banked in a three as time expired in the third to trim the deficit to just a point entering the final quarter.
The fourth quarter was back-and-forth before he Pacers took a four-point lead on a Siakam jumper and dunk. Andrew Nembhard put Indiana up three to set-up Brown’s clutch three.
Game 2 is set for Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. at the TD Garden in Boston.
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