The Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers are competing in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals, and the top-seeded Celtics are just one win away from the NBA Finals. Boston, which won 64 games in the regular season, took care of business at home to start the series and just became the first team to beat the Pacers in Indiana – they had won their previous six home games – in time after this season. The Celtics will sweep Monday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indiana All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton missed Game 3 with a hamstring injury as his status for Monday was unknown. Haliburton, the catalyst for the Pacers’ high-powered offense, injured his hamstring in Thursday’s Game 2 loss.
Boston’s all-out effort on Saturday was punctuated by Jrue Holiday’s layup with less than 40 seconds remaining. All five of Boston’s starters scored in double figures, led by Jayson Tatum’s 36 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
In Haliburton’s absence, Andrew Nembhard had the game of his career with a 32-point, nine-assist performance, making some clutch plays along the way. Pascal Siakam added 22 points and T.J. McConnell scored 23 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists off the bench.
Here’s everything you need to know as the Celtics and Pacers continue their streak:
Schedule, scores Celtics vs Pacers
All Time East | * If needed
- Game 1: Celtics 133, Pacers 128 (OT) — Boston leads 1-0
- Game 2: Celtics 126, Pacers 110 — Boston leads 2-0
- Game 3: Celtics 114-, Pacers 111 — Boston leads 3-0
- Game 4: Monday, May 27 – Celtics at Pacers, 8 p.m., ESPN/fubo
- Game 5: Wednesday, May 29 – Pacers at Celtics, 8 p.m., ESPN/fubo Game 6: Friday, May 31 – Celtics at Pacers, 8 p.m., ESPN/fubo
- Game 7*: Sunday, June 2 – Pacers at Celtics, 8 p.m., ESPN/fubo
- Celtics vs Pacers, Game 4
- See where
- Time: 8pm ET | Date: Monday, May 27
- Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse – Indianapolis
- TV channel: ABC | Stream: fubo (free trial)
Plot
Celtics: Perhaps the biggest question for the Celtics is when Kristaps Porzingis will return to action. Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the big man, who has been out since Game 4 of the first round due to a calf strain, could return immediately after Game 4 of this series, but there is still no official word from the team. Now that they’re up 3-0, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Celtics played cautiously.
Pacers: It appears the Pacers will once again be without All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who left Game 2 early with a hamstring injury and missed Game 3. Although they played admirably without him But it’s fair to wonder whether Andrew Nembhard can repeat the best performance of his career, in which he posted 32 points and nine assists in a loss in the Game 3 of them. If he can’t, it’s difficult to see how the Pacers can sustain their season.
