Kofi Inkoom
The Indiana Pacers fell short to the Boston Celtics in yet another close contest in Indiana, ending their unbeaten run on home court in the playoffs this postseason
Trailing 112-111 with just 7 seconds left, Andrew Nembhard found himself in possession of the ball as he brought it up the court following a defensive rebound, with a golden opportunity to snatch victory and revive the Pacers’ hopes of advancing to the ECF.
Instead of calling a timeout, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle opted to let the play unfold organically. Unfortunately, Nembhard had the ball stripped away by Jrue Holiday, ultimately sealing a 114-111 Game 3 victory for the Celtics and putting them in a commanding 3-0 series lead.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, Nembhard had a standout performance, particularly with star point guard Tyrese Haliburton sidelined due to a hamstring injury. He racked up an impressive 32 points on 12-of-21 shooting.
Carlisle explained his decision, saying, “With 8 or 9 seconds left and you’re in transition after a miss, I trust our players to be able to create a better shot than calling a timeout and them being able to set their defense.”
Carlisle, though visibly disappointed, remained optimistic about the Pacers’ chances of turning the series around. Addressing reporters at the post-game press conference,
he said, “Believe me when I tell you, we’re going after them.”
Rick Carlisle still confident his Pacers can turn the series around despite trailing 3-0 against the Boston Celtics
“ ….we are coming after them “pic.twitter.com/kWjJcgRnpi
— NBArepublic.com (@nba_republic) May 26, 2024
Despite the daunting 3-0 deficit, Carlisle and the Pacers are determined to fight back. However, they face an uphill battle, as no team in NBA history has ever overcome such a deficit to win a series. Adding to their challenge, reports suggest that point guard Tyrese Haliburton is likely to miss his second consecutive game in Game 4.
The Pacers will have their chance to claw back into the series in the next game, scheduled for Monday night. They’ll be aiming for a victory to kickstart their comeback bid, but the Celtics will be equally determined to secure a sweep and advance to the next round.