Thursday, Could 23 at 8:00 PM ET at TD Backyard
Sport Preview
The Pacers have been seconds away from successful Sport 1 of the Jap Convention Finals on Tuesday evening at TD Backyard, however finally got here up simply quick. They may have a shot at redemption on Thursday, as they return for Sport 2 towards the Boston Celtics.
Regardless of falling behind 12-0 at the beginning of Tuesday’s sport and trailing by double digits halfway by the third quarter, the Pacers confirmed their trademark resilience in Sport 1, rallying to take a five-point lead with below two minutes to play.
They led 117-114 and had the ball with 10 seconds to play, however turned it over on an inbounds go in their very own backcourt. On the following possession, Celtics ahead Jaylen Brown hit a nook three over Pascal Siakam to tie the sport. Tyrese Haliburton missed a possible game-winning shot on the opposite finish and Boston finally prevailed in time beyond regulation, 133-128.
PLAYOFF CENTRAL: Comply with Indiana’s Postseason Run at Pacers.com/Playoffs >>
The Pacers have been annoyed with the way in which they let Sport 1 slip away, but additionally knew that they’d carried out a variety of issues proper to place themselves in place to steal a sport on the highway towards the East’s prime seed.
“We did so many good issues on this sport that it got here down to some errors on the finish,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle stated.
“As we speak we performed nice for about 47 minutes,” Haliburton added. “Simply didn’t maintain for 48. We’ll return, watch some movie, and there might be good and there might be unhealthy. We’ll study from it and might be lots higher in Sport 2.”
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The largest difficulty for Indiana on Tuesday was caring for the basketball. The Pacers had an uncharacteristic 22 turnovers, resulting in 32 factors for the Celtics on the opposite finish. Two turnovers within the ultimate minute of regulation loomed massive, however it was a problem your complete evening. Aaron Nesmith had a go intercepted by Jayson Tatum resulting in a fastbreak dunk for Brown on the opening possession of the sport and the Blue & Gold had three giveaways in time beyond regulation.
Whereas the frustration from Sport 1 stings, the Pacers vowed to not let it linger. They’ve bounced again nicely from losses all season. In reality, they dropped Sport 1 in each of their two earlier playoff collection, however got here again to win each collection.
“We’ve been a tough-minded, resilient staff actually for nearly your complete second half of the 12 months,” Carlisle stated. “We’ve got to proceed with that and are available again in right here on Thursday evening.”
Projected Starters
Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Andrew Nembhard, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Myles Turner
Celtics: G – Jrue Vacation, G – Derrick White, F – Jaylen Brown, F – Jayson Tatum, C – Al Horford
Harm Report
Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin – out (proper shoulder labral tear)
Celtics: Xavier Tillman – questionable (private causes), Kristaps Porzingis – out (proper soleus pressure)
Final Assembly
Could 21, 2024: Jaylen Brown’s nook three with 5.7 seconds remaining pressured time beyond regulation, the place the Celtics used an 8-0 run to return away with a 133-128 win in Sport 1.
Tyrese Haliburton (25 factors, 10 assists, and three steals), Pascal Siakam (24 factors, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists), and Myles Turner (23 factors, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) all recorded double-doubles for Indiana within the loss.
Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 36 factors to go together with 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and three steals. Jrue Vacation added 28 factors, seven boards, eight assists, and three steals for Boston, whereas Brown completed with 26 factors, seven boards, 5 assists, and three steals.
Indiana Pacers Media Availability | Could 22, 2024
You Can Quote Me On That
“Simply actually inspired with how onerous we fought to get again into the sport and to get a lead on the finish. It was very unlucky that we weren’t in a position to shut it out. However there’s a distinction between being disillusioned and being dismayed. We’re disillusioned, however we’re not dismayed. We’ve bought to be prepared to leap again on this factor tomorrow evening.” -Carlisle on takeaways from Sport 1
“I really feel like we’ve been in conditions like this. It’s the third collection of this 12 months that we’ve been in. I don’t know really feel just like the collection is received in a single sport. We’ve simply bought to study from it and proper our errors.” -Pacers ahead Obi Toppin on the response to Sport 1
“I used to be pissed yesterday. Very annoyed at myself simply because I felt I like that one get away, I really feel like I used to be a giant motive for that getting away from us as a bunch. However I feel what I’ve discovered over this playoff run is that you just’ve simply bought to maneuver on. The minute you begin dwelling on issues that occurred previously, issues can get unhealthy. We perceive we nonetheless have one other sport right here. We may go residence with the collection tied and we like our probabilities at residence towards anybody. It’s simply transferring on and understanding that that’s one sport. You’re taking the nice with the nice, the unhealthy with the unhealthy, and you progress on.” -Haliburton on his takeaways from Sport 1
“I really like this staff, I really like these guys. They’ve fought tooth and nail all 12 months lengthy. The issues that they did to simply qualify for one of many top-six spots to keep away from the Play-In. We needed to win high-pressure video games down the stretch of the season. Wanting again, you can have a look at it as a really daunting factor, however there was a large amount of development. We’ve walked into three collection as an underdog and on the highway. You’ve simply bought to rally, you’ve bought to take these challenges, you’ve bought to rise above a number of the challenges that occur, issues that occur with officiating calls you don’t agree with throughout a sport, this that or the opposite, and hold transferring on the following play.” -Carlisle on the Pacers’ resilience
“I feel that’s what we do. I feel that’s who we’re and a part of our id as a bunch. We do a very good job of transferring on when issues don’t go nicely. The place we are able to get higher is transferring on when issues do go nicely. On this occasion, clearly felt like that’s one which bought away from us and also you lose. Really feel like we’ve carried out a very good job of responding all 12 months. Even in that sport, we began down 12-0, within the third quarter they bought up like 10, we simply saved responding. And so they know we’re not going wherever. We’ve simply bought to proceed to maintain taking part in the correct method for 48 minutes.” -Haliburton on the staff’s resilience
“Our guys know they will compete with any staff within the NBA. Boston simply occurs to be exceptionally higher based mostly upon their document and the statistical issues that they’ve carried out this 12 months and all that stuff. We respect them and we all know that we’re going to should play at an excessive excessive stage to win video games on this collection.” -Carlisle on competing with the Celtics
“Not getting too excessive and never getting too low, that’s actually the most important factor for me. All through the course of a collection, you’re going to have good video games, you’re going to have unhealthy video games…All through this playoff run, I’ve had some actually good video games, a few of my (worst) video games of the entire season, to be sincere. I feel simply understanding that that occurs by the course of this and win, lose, good sport, unhealthy sport, they’re all classes. It’s my first playoff run. I’m studying lots. Yesterday, truthfully it sucks that it occurred, however it’s good for me. It’s actually one of many first playoff video games that I actually really feel like, man, I f—d it up, it’s on me. It’s good to study. I’m 24, I’ve bought a variety of time, however I’m attempting to win proper now. Simply attempting to study every single day, study from each sport.” -Haliburton on how he’s discovered to deal with the psychological challenges of the playoffs
“We’ve gotten up to now by combating for each centimeter and millimeter of the courtroom for 48 minutes a sport. And that’s the way it’s bought to be. Going into Sport 2, we’re simply going to should be extra defiant about it and we’re going to should be higher.” -Carlisle on the staff’s mentality heading into Sport 2
Noteworthy
- The Pacers and Celtics have met within the postseason six occasions, however all of their earlier conferences occurred within the first spherical. Indiana received in 2004 and 2005, whereas Boston took the opposite 4 collection in 1991, 1992, 2003, and 2019.
- That is Indiana’s ninth look within the Jap Convention Finals, with all these look coming within the final 30 years. Solely 4 groups have extra convention finals appearances over that span: the Spurs with 11 and the Lakers, Warmth, and Celtics with 10 every.
- Celtics guards Jrue Vacation and Derrick White have been named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Workforce on Tuesday.
- Celtics ahead Oshae Brissett signed with Boston final summer time after spending two-and-a-half seasons in Indiana from 2021-23. The 6-7 ahead out of Syracuse averaged 8.1 factors and 4.5 rebounds in 153 video games (43 begins) with the Blue & Gold. He averaged 3.7 factors and a pair of.9 rebounds in 55 video games (one begin) this season for the Celtics and has appeared in 5 video games within the playoffs.
Broadcast Info (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), Jeremiah Johnson (studio host)
Tickets
The Jap Convention Finals will shift to Indianapolis when the Pacers host the Celtics for Sport 3 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday, Could 25 at 8:30 PM ET. Discover Tickets >>