INDIANAPOLIS – Derrick White’s 3-pointer with 43 seconds left gave Boston the lead and the Celtics closed out a four-game victory over the Indiana Pacers 105-102 on Monday night to reach the NBA Finals for the second time in three years.
White finished with 16 points. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 29 points, while Jayson Tatum added 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to help erase a nine-point second-half deficit.
Boston defeated the Pacers after coming back from a 3-0 deficit in last year’s conference finals to force a seventh game.
“They fought hard against us, they are proud as a team. They didn’t want to give up,” Tatum said afterward. “We missed the rabbits all night. I knew we needed one. This was a big chance.
The Celtics will face the winner of the Dallas-Minnesota Series. The Mavericks are up 3-0 and have a chance to win the series on Tuesday night.
Indiana, which again played without two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, lost its second straight at home – both in the final minute after giving up the lead. Andrew Nembhard had 24 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, but missed a potential tying three-pointer in the final seconds and the Pacers never got the ball again.
Pascal Siakam added 19 points and 10 rebounds for Indiana, while TJ McConnell had 15 points and Aaron Nesmith had 14.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle promised his team would fight hard to extend the season – and, as always, this young squad did not disappoint. Tempers flared briefly in the third when Pacers center Myles Turner knocked guard White to the ground, Brown grabbed Turner’s shoulder and Turner pushed Brown away.
Turner was called for an offensive foul and he and Brown each committed technical fouls.
But this fight didn’t change the back and forth of this game – or this series.
Indiana lost three times despite holding the lead or being tied going into the final minute, and it happened again on Monday when Boston launched a 3 1/2-minute drive to rally.
“This game is the most difficult. It’s the most fun too,” Tatum said, referring to the elimination scenario.
The Celtics got within 102-100 on Tatum’s dunk with 3:12 left, tied the score with 2:40 left on Brown’s mid-range jumper and then took the lead on White’s 3.
In the meantime, Boston forced two turnovers and Brown blocked Nembhard’s short at the rim with 1:05 left. Indiana had one more chance when Tatum missed a 3 with 8 seconds remaining, but Jrue Holiday chased down the rebound and ran out the clock before Indiana could foul.
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