NBA: Haliburton's errors cost Pacers in Game 1 loss to Celtics

NBA: Haliburton’s errors cost Pacers late in Game 1 loss to Celtics

/ 01:17 PM May 22, 2024

Tyrese Haliburton Indiana Pacers vs Boston Celtics NBA playoffs

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after missing a shot against the Boston Celtics to end regulation time in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference basketball finals, Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON — The Indiana Pacers kept turning the ball over, and just like that they handed a victory to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Tyrese Haliburton had two key turnovers – one at the end of regulation, and another in overtime – to help Boston recover from a five-point deficit in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter and win 133-128 on Tuesday night.

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“Just turnovers. Turnovers,” Haliburton began. “I had two bad turnovers that I feel cost us the game.”

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The Pacers arrived in Boston after upsetting the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and the New York Knicks in the second – both times after losing Game 1. The Celtics are the NBA’s top-seeded team, seven wins ahead of their closest competition and 17 wins better than the Pacers.

And when Boston opened a 12-0 lead on Tuesday night, it looked like the series might not even be competitive. But Indiana tied it by halftime, led 115-110 with 1:57 left in regulation and even had a three-point lead with 40 seconds left.

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READ: Celtics escape Pacers in OT in NBA East finals

“We know we can play with these guys,” Haliburton said. There’s a lot of people out here saying we don’t belong here. We don’t really care. We know we belong.”

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It was turnovers – 22 of them for 32 points, and several in key spots – that cost them. In addition to Haliburton dribbling off his foot with 28 seconds left in a three-point game when he wasn’t being closely guarded, he also lost the ball out of bounds with 1:02 left in overtime.

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“Big-time turnovers,” Pacers center Myles Turner said. “We showed our age a little bit tonight, being a youthful team in this high stakes of a game. We made some mistakes. A lot of uncharacteristic turnovers.”

The Pacers led 117-114 with the ball after Jayson Tatum missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 37 seconds left. But Haliburton dribbled off his foot, giving Boston two more looks at the basket before Turner grabbed a rebound and was fouled with 10 seconds remaining.

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That’s when Andrew Nembhard threw away the inbounds pass, handing the Celtics yet another chance. Jrue Holiday found Jaylen Brown in the left corner; Pascal Siakam was supposed to foul him but hesitated, fearful of giving up three free throws.

READ: Title favorite Celtics meet proud underdog Pacers in NBA East finals

Brown drained the 3, tying the score 117-all. Haliburton got the ball with a decent look at the basket, but he went looking for a better one and wound up tossing up a heavily contested, off-balance shot at the buzzer.

“That’s replayed a bunch of times in my head already,” Haliburton said. “That was probably the look for me to shoot.”

Game 2 is Thursday night before the series shifts to Indianapolis. The Pacers will need to win at least once in Boston, and they aren’t likely to get a better chance.

“This loss is totally on me,” coach Rick Carlisle said, blaming himself for not calling a timeout to advance the ball with 10 seconds left. “We made some other mistakes. … We’ve got to own it, and we’ve got to get ready for Thursday.”

Carlisle, who was fined $35,000 for complaining about the officiating in the second-round series against the Knicks, declined to comment on a 30-10 free throw differential – 23-3 in regulation.

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“My daughter’s already going to sit out one semester of college,” he said. “I can’t have her take a whole year off.”

TAGS: Boston Celtics, Tyrese Haliburton

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