Indianapolis, IN—–In the Eastern Conference finals, the Indiana Pacers put up a valiant fight against the Boston Celtics, keeping the games tight throughout.
However, despite their efforts, the Pacers fell short of clinching a victory, leaving them far from securing the series win. Boston ultimately swept Indiana, sealing their dominance with a 105-102 triumph in Game 4 on Monday.
This victory propelled the Celtics to their 23rd Finals appearance, as they aim to secure their 18th championship title. Notably, Boston’s last championship victory dates back to 2008, with their most recent Finals appearance occurring in 2022, where they were defeated by the Golden State Warriors.
“It’s special, right. Even though we’ve been there before, most of us have. We don’t take it for granted, we were excited,” Tatum said after the game. “It was a hell of a team we just played. They made us earn every single game and we’re extremely grateful to move on to the Finals.”
Game 4 mirrored the patterns of the series’ initial and third matchups. Although the Pacers held leads for significant stretches and even maintained an advantage late into the fourth quarter with a 98-90 lead and 5:56 remaining, the Celtics’ prowess in scoring and defense, underscored by their top-ranked offense and second-ranked defense during the regular season, proved decisive.
Indiana’s hopes were dashed by missed opportunities and turnovers, as Boston staged a late surge, outscoring the Pacers 15-4 to clinch the win. Jaylen Brown emerged as a pivotal figure, contributing a team-high 29 points along with critical defensive plays, while Jayson Tatum bolstered the Celtics’ effort with 26 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. Brown’s stellar performance earned him the Eastern Conference finals MVP accolade.
Various challenges compounded the Pacers’ plight, notably the absence of All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton due to a strained left hamstring in the final two games, along with Bennedict Mathurin’s anticipated non-participation following season-ending shoulder surgery in March.
These setbacks exposed the Pacers’ lack of depth against a formidable Celtics lineup. Despite Pacers coach Rick Carlisle’s assurances of making it arduous for the Celtics to secure a sweep, the team fell short in extending the series.
Andrew Nembhard, coming off a career-high 32 points in Game 3, continued to impress with 24 points and 10 assists in Game 4, while Pascal Siakam contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana.
Looking ahead, Boston awaits the outcome of the Minnesota Timberwolves-Dallas Mavericks series, gearing up to contest the NBA Finals commencing on June 6 in Boston.
