Kofi Inkoom
The Boston Celtics gave the Indiana Pacers a rough start to the Eastern Conference finals in a tightly contested game.
Boston quickly took a 12-point lead in the first three minutes, sending a strong message to the Pacers.
Despite the setback, the Pacers remained unfazed, accustomed to tough environments after their recent Game 7 win against the Knicks at MSG.
Indiana’s relentless offense brought them back into the game, leading by 3 points with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter. However, costly turnovers cost them the lead.
A clutch corner 3-pointer ( video link ) by Boston’s Jaylen Brown with 6.1 seconds left forced overtime, where the Celtics ultimately secured a 133-128 victory in Game 1.
LeBron James took to X(formerly twitter) after the game, expressing his opinion that fouling Brown to send him to the free-throw line might have been a better strategy than allowing him to attempt the shot. Pascal Siakam had a similar opportunity but chose not to take the risk.
And yall still wanna know why I would foul up 3 EVERY SINGLE TIME?? 🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 22, 2024
Tatum led the game with 36 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals, supported by strong performances from Brown and Jrue Holiday.
Game 2 will take place at the TD Garden on Thursday, where the Pacers may adopt a more aggressive approach.