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‘3 WINS AWAY FROM FINALS’ – Fans react as Boston Celtics beat Indiana Pacers in Eastern Conference Finals Game 1

Basketball: Boston Celtics recovered just in time to defeat Indiana Pacers 133-128 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

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Varun Sarwate
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Jayson Tatum scored 36 points, including 10 in overtime following Jaylen Brown's tying 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left in regulation, and Boston Celtics recovered just in time to defeat Indiana Pacers 133-128 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Jrue Holiday scored a season-high 28 points, while his teammate Brown finished with 26.

Tyrese Haliburton had 25 points and 10 assists for Indiana Pacers, who hit 13 3-pointers and scored 56 points in the paint against a Celtics club still missing 7-footer Kristaps Porzingis. Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Myles Turner ended with 23 points and 10 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who committed two turnovers in the last 30 seconds of regulation while leading by three points. 

Jaylen Brown made them pay for the second one, nailing a three from the corner with Siakam right in front of him to level the game at 117. With 1:46 left, Haliburton made all three of his free throws after being fouled, giving Indiana the lead again, 123–121. Tatum then used his strength to make a layup, but T.J. McConnell fouled him. With his final three-pointer, he gave Boston a decisive lead. 

Jrue Holiday made two free throws to give Boston

The Pacers had a bad start, falling behind 12-0 less than 3 minutes into the first quarter. However, Indiana's league-leading offence rallied to tie the game at 64-64 at halftime, due in part to a logo 3 from Haliburton in the waning seconds of the second quarter. Indiana Pacers passed it over to Haliburton once more. Jayson Tatum was the receiver of the ball at the top of the key. With 43 seconds remaining, he pumped, sidestepped a defender, and sank a three-pointer to make it 127-123. 

Siakam and Derrick White exchanged layups. After being fouled, Jrue Holiday made two free throws to give Boston a 131-125 lead. The fourth quarter was therefore tense until the critical closing seconds, which clinched the Boston Celtics victory. Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final will take place Thursday night in Boston. 

Here are twitter reaction to the news:

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