Bennett William
- Pacers missed chance to foul with a 3-point lead, leading to game-tying shot by Celtics’ Jaylen Brown.
- LeBron James emphasizes importance of fouling up 3 late in the game to prevent a 3-pointer in a critical social media post.
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle takes blame for not executing fouling strategy, calls loss to Celtics in Game 1 ‘totally on me’.
- Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals saw the Boston Celtics snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against the Indiana Pacers.
(NicePlay Sports) –
The Indiana Pacers faced a heartbreaking overtime loss against the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, despite leading with just 10 seconds left in regulation. The decision not to foul, which would have potentially secured the win, became a critical point of discussion. Pacers’ coach Rick Carlisle and star player Tyrese Haliburton both shouldered the blame, promising adjustments in Game 2. This incident highlights the razor-thin margins in NBA playoff basketball, where a single decision can pivot the direction of a series.
Exploring Game 1’s Dramatic Conclusion
With just 10 seconds left in regulation, the Pacers led 117–114, and with possession, looked to be in complete control of the game. But after a turnover on the inbounds pass, the Celtics suddenly had a bit of life. At that moment, the Pacers had the opportunity to foul the Celtics as soon as they got the ball in play, sending a Boston player to the line for two free throws, rather than giving them a shot at tying the game with a three-pointer. It didn’t happen, and after getting the ball in the corner, star swing-man Jaylen Brown hesitated to fool his defender, and drilled the game-tying shot. Indiana couldn’t score on their final possession, and the Celtics went on to win in overtime by a final score of 133–128.
LeBron James Weighs In on Pacers’ Late-Game Strategy
As soon as Brown hit his shot, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James weighed in on the play, emphasizing that it was always best to foul when up three points in a late-game situation. James knows a thing or two about late-game strategy, and the finish between the Pacers and Celtics underlined what he sees as an easy decision when leading by three late.
Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Said Later That the Plan Was to Foul
A heads-up play by the Celtics prevented the Pacers from playing the possession the way they had planned. After the game, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle took the blame for the loss, adding that the plan was to foul, but they just didn’t get the chance to execute. ‘[Brown] caught the ball. He was face-up, so Pascal just decided to lay off, which was … I understand that’s probably the right decision. You don’t want to give up a four-point play. A lot of things had to go wrong for us and right for them. They did.’
Looking Ahead to Game 2
It was a brutal loss for the underdog Pacers to take early in the series. Heading into the conference finals, the Celtics were heavily favored to move on to the NBA Finals representing the East, but had Indiana stolen Game 1 and flipped home-court advantage, their chances of reaching the title round would have jumped by several measures. Instead, the Pacers will have to regroup after losing a game they would have won 99 times out of 100, and try to do it all over again in order to avoid falling in a 2–0 hole in the series. Game 2 tips off in Boston on Thursday night.
