The Boston Celtics They defeated this Monday 105-102 the Indiana Pacerscompleting a 4-0 sweep, and qualified for their second Finals of the NBA in the last three years.
Bostonas a representative of the Eastern Conferencewill fight for the ring against the winner of the Finals of the Westin which Dallas Mavericks they dominate 3-0 Minnesota Timberwolves.
Jaylen Brown (29 points) and Jayson Tatum (26) commanded the final victory in Indianapolis with another comeback in the final minutes against some Pacers weighed down by the loss of their leader, Tyrese Haliburton.
“We had to win in any way. It was very hard, they didn’t want to give up but we found a way”he stressed tatum.
tatum and Brownelected the best player of the series, now face their second Finals as leaders of the Celtics after the defeat of 2022 in front of the Golden State Warriors.
“We have a great team and now we want to take it to the next level”he stressed Brownwho commanded the Celtics in the second half with 19 points.
The Pacersthe great revelation of the playoffsthey resisted elimination in front of their audience until the end at the hands of Andrew Nembhard (24 points and 10 assists) and Pascal Siakam (19 points and 10 rebounds).
The locals entered the last six minutes with a 90-98 advantage but, as in other games in the series, they ended up paying for the vertigo of the final moments against the experienced Celtics.
The base Jrue Holiday (17 points), champion in 2021 with the bucksand the Dominican center Al Horford (7 points and 8 rebounds), who was playing in his sixth conference finals at the age of 37, had key actions in the final stretch on both sides of the court.
“They didn’t want the series to last longer. You have to give them credit”he acknowledged Rick Carlislethe technician Indiana.
“Nobody likes to lose four games in a row, but there was not a single resignation from my players”said the coach in recognition of a team that this season was also a finalist in the first Cup tournament and that started these playoffs as sixth seed This.
The options of the Pacerswho were playing in their first conference final in a decade, were diminished by the hamstring injury suffered in the second game by Haliburtonhis young base All-Star.
After being the best team in the regular phase, Boston will start as favorite to achieve his first title since 2008 in the Finals that start the June 6thfor which he hopes to recover the injured Kristaps Porzingisdown from the first round.
In case of victory, the Celtics They will add 18 titles and break their current tie with Los Angeles Lakers as the most winning franchises in the NBA.
Before the start of the game, the Gainbridge Fieldhouse public observed a minute of silence for the death this Monday of Bill Waltonone of the best centers in history, who won his second championship ring in 1986 with the Celtics.
Boston started the duel by exploiting its dominance in outside shooting, converting four triples in a row that gave them early dominance on the scoreboard.
Through Indiana, the entrance from the bank of T.J. McConnell worked again to diversify its attack, the best of the campaign in the NBA: the point guard scored a basket at the buzzer of the first quarter and Nembhard another just before halftime to bring Indiana within one point (58-57).
Two triples from the center Myles Turner Upon returning from the locker room they gave the team a 57-63 lead. Pacers in a match that was growing in intensity.
Own Turner and Jaylen Brown They received technicals for pushing each other midway through the third quarter.
Amid local nervousness, Celtics They gradually made ground and the game was tied at the last minute, when Brown put a plug on Nembhard and Derrick White He nailed the winning triple with 45 seconds left.
Source: Ambito
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