Instead of winning Game 1 against the Boston Celtics, the Indiana Pacers collapsed under pressure. This prompted both head coach Rick Carlisle and All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton to reveal the real reason for their loss.
Just recently, the Celtics went home with the 133-128 victory over Indiana to get the early lead in the series. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 36 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists. Jrue Holiday tallied 28 points and seven assists while anchoring the team’s defense. Jaylen Brown added 26 points, including a three-pointer that forced the game to overtime.
For his part, Haliburton posted 25 points and 10 assists to lead the Pacers’ Game 1 effort. Pascal Siakam finished the game with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, while Myles Turner contributed 23 points on 75 percent shooting from deep and 10 rebounds. Moreover, T.J. McConnell and Obi Topping combined for 28 points from the bench.
Although Indiana put on a stellar performance for most of the game, their collapse towards the end gave Boston the opening to win. Thanks to a couple of turnovers, choosing not to call a timeout, and the Celtics’ superior playoff experience than them, the Pacers took the L in the first match of this series,
Rick Carlisle and Tyrese Haliburton Speak Out On Indiana Pacers’ Game 1 Loss To Boston Celtics
After the game, both Carlisle and Haliburton spoke to the media and each individual owned up to the Pacers’ loss. In a pair of videos posted by NBA TV on X:
Haliburton: “That’s not on him. … I had two bad turnovers that I feel like cost us the game. … I understand he’s protecting us… but I’ll take that more than he should.” https://t.co/BnBkgZfK2t pic.twitter.com/qwvQhj5WWB
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 22, 2024
Although Indiana shot the ball better in Game 1, they committed more turnovers, grabbed fewer offensive rebounds, and didn’t go to the free throw line as much as Boston. As a result, they’re now down one game to the team with the best regular season record in the NBA.
It remains to be seen how the Pacers will respond to their recent collapse. In any case, the Boston Celtics will be ready to adapt to whatever they’re going to face in Game 2.
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