The Indiana Pacers appeared to have a Game 1 upset on their hands.
Jaylen Brown had other ideas.
The Boston Celtics All-Star stunned the Pacers with a three-pointer in the final seconds of regulation time, tying Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals at 117-117 on Tuesday. The game then went into overtime, where the Celtics prevailed, 132–128, to take a 1–0 series lead.
The Pacers were ahead, 115-110 late, and appeared to have control of the ball and a 117-114 lead with 10 seconds left in regulation. But they turned the ball over on a sloppy inbounds pass to revive the Celtics. Brown took full advantage.
With Pascal Siakam in his face, Brown launched a three-pointer from the left corner that found the bottom of the net as the clock showed 5.7 seconds to secure the extra session.
There, Jayson Tatum scored 10 points, including a 3-pointer with 42.8 seconds left, extending Boston’s lead to 127-123. From then on, the Celtics controlled the game, which saw dramatic swings for both sides from the game’s opening tip. Boston is running with the early advantage in a series they are a heavy favorite to win.
Indiana leaves with a bitter taste after getting a golden opportunity to take a 1-0 lead over the NBA’s best regular-season team as the No. 6 seed in the East. On a night where they shot 53.5% from the field and 37.1% from 3, the late turnover that set the stage for Brown’s 3-point heroics was Indiana’s defining play of the night.
Indiana had possession of the ball in the backcourt on an inbounds play with 10 seconds left. Andrew Nembhard was the incoming man and first looked at Tyrese Haliburton on the baseline. As Jrue Holiday choked Haliburton, Nembhard then looked at a cutting Siakam. But Brown was on his heels and made a play on Nembhard’s soft pass. The ball bounced off Siakam’s hands out of bounds, setting up Brown’s ill-fated three-pointer.
The turnover was one of 21 that night for Indiana on a night when their offense was otherwise great. But the giveaways ultimately cost the Pacers the game. They turned the ball over three more times in overtime, including twice in the final 1:02.
This story will be updated.
