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The Indiana Pacers blew it again. And the Boston Celtics are headed back to the NBA Finals for the second time in the past three years.
Derrick White’s three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining gave the Celtics a 105-102 lead they wouldn’t relinquish in the final moments, as the Pacers blew yet another fourth-quarter lead and didn’t score in the final three minutes and 33 seconds on Monday night.
That completed the sweep for Boston, and left Celtics fans and pundits alike impressed by their late-game execution:
Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops
Plenty of Celtics fans were worried about being able to win close games.
Wasn’t pretty, but this Celtics team had four guys all capable of taking and making the final shot — and may add Porzingis. https://t.co/yOX9ZOTvIl
Charles P. Pierce @CharlesPPierce
Well, that was as entertaining a four-game sweep as I ever saw. Send Porzingis to Lourdes and rest up. #NBAPlayoffs #celtics
The Pacers had a chance to tie the game on the ensuing possession but Andrew Nembhard missed a game-tying three-pointer. Jayson Tatum then missed a three of his own after the Celtics got the ball back with about eight seconds remaining but Boston pulled down the offensive board and ran out the clock, ending the series.
Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 29 points to go along with six rebounds, three steals and two assists, while Tatum chipped in with 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Nembhard led Indiana with 24 points and 10 assists.
The Pacers, without star point guard Tyrese Haliburton for the second straight game, led by as many as nine points in the fourth quarter. Yet again, however, they couldn’t close.
In Game 1, the Pacers had a disastrous final minute, blowing multiple chances to put the game away before Brown hit an epic, game-tying three in the waning moments. Boston would go on to win in overtime behind Tatum’s 10 points in the final frame.
The Pacers led by as many as 18 points in Game 3, but again couldn’t seal the deal. That inability to handle late-game situations ended their season.
It has also been reflected in the Western Conference Finals, where Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving have the Dallas Mavericks up 3-0 behind their clutch performances late in those contests. Clutch trumps all.
