Boston, however manhandled, found the resources to overthrow Indiana 114-111 on its floor on Saturday in order to lead 3-0 and seriously foresee the NBA final.
No team has ever won a series after such a start in the NBA playoffs.
A statistic that risks haunting the minds of the Pacers, who have long believed they could revive an opposition that is off to a bad start after two inaugural defeats in Boston.
Thanks to its offensive and aggressive play, Indiana managed to take control of the match on Saturday, having a lead of up to 18 points in the second and third quarters, in the wake of Pascal Siakam (22 points) and the amazing Andrew Nembhard (32 points and 9 assists).
Nembhard was then perfectly successful in his interim role as starting leader, following the withdrawal of Tyrese Haliburton, injured in the left hamstring during the previous match.
But the 24-year-old Canadian ended up paying for his inexperience at this level, suffering the decisive interception of Jrue Holiday (33) a few seconds before the siren.
After two long-range shots from Jayson Tatum and Al Horford, Holiday had already managed to put Boston in the lead thanks to a lay-up followed by a free throw 38 seconds from time, before pulling off a high-class defensive action to fold the game on the throw line.
“Jrue is a competitor who has already won an NBA title (in 2021 with Milwaukee), plus he was sick this morning“, greeted Tatum, the greens’ top scorer with 36 points (12 out of 23 shooting, 5 out of 10 from long distance).
“No lead is definitive now in the NBA. We kept believing we still had a chance in this game, we kept fighting“, added the leader of the “C’s” at the microphone of the broadcaster ABC.
Tatum was perfectly replaced by Jaylen Brown (24 points) and Al Horford (23 points).
Historic NBA franchise (17 titles, joint record with the Los Angeles Lakers), Boston, which has been chasing a championship ring since 2008, is getting closer to the final.
THE “C’s” had been defeated by the Golden State Warriors in the NBA final in 2022, before experiencing disappointment in the Eastern Conference final last year against Miami.
But the Massachusetts franchise was strengthened last summer with Jrue Holiday and Latvian pivot Kristaps Porzingis, in the stands because he was injured in a calf since the first round, but who could soon return to his team.
. NBA Conference Finals Summary
WEST: Dallas leads 2-0 against Minnesota, Game 3 Sunday in Dallas
EST: Boston beats Indiana 114-111 to lead 3-0, Game 4 Monday in Indianapolis
2024-05-26 10:58:51
#NBA #Boston #overthrows #Indiana #leads #close #final
