The Boston Celtics came into the 2023-24 NBA season with one goal; win the Larry O’Brien Trophy. They moved one step closer to achieving that goal on Monday night when they eliminated the Indiana Pacers.
The Boston Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, moving to 12-2 this postseason. Boston has yet to lose a game on the road, showcasing their poise in crunch time to win games they had no business winning.
Game 4 was yet another example of that. Indiana led by as many as nine points in the fourth quarter, but without their All-Star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton crumbled down the stretch. Even when the Pacers had him in the mix they couldn’t close as he had costly turnovers in Game 1 that led to an improbable loss.
In Game 4, the outcome was similar. Late turnovers torpedoed any chance that the Indiana Pacers had to win the game. You cannot give a team as good as the Boston Celtics several chances to put you away, as they will eventually do it.
With 45 seconds remaining in the game, Derrick White knocked down what would be the game-winning 3-pointer. The Indiana Pacers got the stop they needed on the next possession, but could not secure the rebound. Jrue Holiday came down with the offensive board and the Celtics were able to kill the clock.
When the Boston Celtics needed to turn up their level of performance, they got the job done. They held Indiana scoreless for the final 3:33, as a short shot from Pascal Siakam off a miraculous pass from Obi Toppin was the last points of the season for them.
Boston ended the game on a 7-0 run. When they went down eight after an Aaron Nesmith short jumper, they closed the final 5:56 on an extended 15-4 run to eliminate the Pacers and advance to the NBA Finals.
Jaylen Brown was excellent once again, scoring 29 points with six rebounds, two assists, three steals and one block in 44 minutes of play. He was awarded the Larry Bird award as the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
The Boston Celtics will now await to see who their final opponent will be. The Dallas Mavericks currently lead the Western Conference Finals 3-0 over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Regardless of when that series ends, the NBA Finals will start on Thursday, June 6th.
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