Celtics Sweep Pacers, Advance to NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers four games to none in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 105-102 win on Monday evening. The top-seeded Celtics are on their way back to the NBA Finals for the first time since losing to the Golden State Warriors in 2022.

It's a GREAT day to be a Celtic ☘️ pic.twitter.com/tRBRdU0FgP

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 28, 2024

Tight Series

Despite getting swept, the Pacers kept the Celtics on their toes throughout the entire series.

Celtics shooting guard Jaylen Brown sent game one to overtime after hitting a three-point shot with just six seconds left on the clock. Boston subsequently came away with a 133-128 victory.

Game two was the largest margin of victory for the Celtics, as they cruised to a 126-110 win.

In game three, Indiana’s first home game of the series, the Celtics charged back from an 18-point deficit to win 114-111. Boston forward Jayson Tatum led his squad with 36 points. Fighting through illness, Celtics starting point guard Jrue Holiday played 38 minutes and secured the game-winning steal to push his team to victory. This also marked the first time the Pacers had lost at home in the 2024 postseason.

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Game four was a close matchup from the start. After leading by six points at one point in the first quarter, Boston’s lead was cut to 29-27 by the end of the period. The second quarter saw several lead changes, as the two teams went back and forth for all 12 minutes. Going into halftime, the Celtics led 58-57.

Early in the third, Indiana snatched the lead and held it for the rest of the quarter. Down 83-80, Boston had to make another late surge to victory. The Pacers led by as many as nine points during the fourth quarter. However, the Celtics fought back once again to take the win 105-102. After scoring a game-high 29 points in the series finale, Brown was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.

Gators on the Big Stage

Two former Florida Gators played crucial roles for each squad in this year’s conference finals.

Boston center Al Horford helped the Gators secure back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. The 17-year NBA veteran and Gators basketball legend knocked down seven three-pointers in game three, finishing with 23 points. Horford also played 40 minutes in game four, collecting eight rebounds along the way.

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Indiana guard Andrew Nembhard also started his collegiate career with the Gators before transferring to Gonzaga University in 2020. The 24-year-old led the Pacers in points and assists in each of their last two games.

Up Next

The Eastern Conference champion Celtics now advance to the Finals, where they await the winner of the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Dallas currently holds a 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals. Game one of the NBA Finals tips off June 6 at 8:30 p.m. EDT, with coverage airing on ABC.