If Jayson Tatum and his team were looking for a challenge of their size, they found it Tuesday night at TD Garden. Opposed to a surprising Indiana team in the Eastern Conference final, victorious over New York in the previous round (4-3), the Celtics suffered throughout the match, equalizing 5”7 from the end of regulation time, before making the decision in overtime (final victory 133-128).
Best team of the regular season, Boston came into their match very well, inflicting a quick 12-0 on their opponent. Nothing to worry about Indiana, whose characteristic collective play took shape over the minutes (9 assists in the first quarter, until coming back to within three lengths of the locals at the end of the first act (34 -31).
The second quarter was a carbon copy of the first, with the Celtics initially aggressive near the basket, like the two “Jay’s”, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, authors of 25 points between them before the break. But the Pacers held on, carried by an insolent address from afar (53.3%), until equalizing just before halftime on a very long distance shot from Tyrese Haliburton (score 64-64).
Brown equalizes, Tatum finishes the job
Author of a double-double Tuesday evening (25 points, 10 assists), the 24-year-old leader did it again 12 minutes later, bringing his team to one point on another improbable winning shot (94-93). Indiana took the lead in the last quarter and thought they had done the hard part by leading by three points with 5”7 remaining. Moment chosen by Jaylen Brown to equalize on a difficult long shot in front of Pascal Siakam (score 117-117).
Excellent Tuesday evening, Jayson Tatum finished the job in overtime, where he scored 10 of his 36 points of the evening. His last winning shot 43 seconds from time destroyed Indiana’s last hopes (score 127-123). Jrue Holiday added 28 points and 8 assists, for a sluggish final victory for the Celtics (133-128).
“Am I happy? There is no reason to be. We are not going to celebrate work that is not finished,” commented Jayson Tatum after the match. Tyrese Haliburton was much more positive. ” It’s encouraging. We were lousy in the first matches of the previous two series, while tonight we played very well for about 47 minutes. » Boston will host Indiana again at TD Garden on Thursday for Game 2 of the series.
