The Pacers left Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Celtics with a bitter taste in their mouths. Despite leading by three points with only 10 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, they ended up losing in overtime with a score of 133-128. The missed opportunity to steal the home court advantage was due to their 21 turnovers, including two crucial mistakes in the final moments of regulation. Forward Aaron Nesmith expressed the disappointment by saying, “We gave it away, we should’ve won the game.”
One of the critical turnovers happened when guard Tyrese Haliburton dribbled the ball off his foot with just 27 seconds remaining in regulation, giving Boston a chance to tie the game. Another costly mistake came from an errant inbound pass from Andrew Nembhard to Pascal Siakam, resulting in a turnover that allowed Jaylen Brown to sink a game-tying 3-pointer. Haliburton acknowledged the team’s responsibility by stating, “I think it’s on us. We got to clean that up.”
The Pacers missed a crucial opportunity to foul before Brown’s game-tying shot, showing their inexperience under pressure. Coach Rick Carlisle admitted that turning the ball over was uncharacteristic for the team, which had one of the lowest turnover rates among playoff teams. The final minutes of the game saw the Pacers committing more turnovers than field goals, showing their lack of composure in crunch time.
Despite the disappointing loss, the Pacers did not leave TD Garden with their heads down. Haliburton remained encouraged by the team’s performance, acknowledging that they can compete with the Celtics. He highlighted the improvement from previous Game 1s and expressed confidence in bouncing back in the following games. The team’s ability to fight back from deficits throughout the game showed resilience and determination.
Coach Carlisle emphasized the importance of learning from the mistakes made in Game 1 and moving forward. He commended the team’s effort and resilience but stressed the need to execute better in crucial moments. The Pacers have a history of losing Game 1 in playoff series and coming back to win, giving them hope for the rest of the Eastern Conference finals.
Despite the disappointing loss in Game 1, the Pacers are focused on Game 2 and are determined to make adjustments. The team’s ability to compete with the Celtics for the majority of the game gives them confidence moving forward. They understand the importance of executing in tight situations and are ready to bounce back in the upcoming games of the Eastern Conference finals.
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