Washington: The Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers 105-102 in the Eastern Conference championship on Monday, winning the series 4-0 and entering the NBA Finals.
The Celtics will meet the Western Conference Finals champion, where the Dallas Mavericks hold a 3-0 lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves before Tuesday’s four-game series.
Jaylen Brown proved decisive once again.
He tied the score at 102-102 with 2:40 left in the fourth, then rose to block Andrew Nembhardt’s layup.
With 45 seconds left, Brown found Derrick White in the corner to tie the game and the series at three points.
Nembhard, who had 24 points, 10 assists and six rebounds for the Bears, missed a three-pointer with 33 seconds left to tie the game.
Brown led Boston with 29 points, while Jayson Tatum had 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.
“It’s not just confidence, we’ve just stepped up throughout the season,” said Brown, who was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP after averaging 30 points in the series.
Our coaching staff is great, our front office is great, and now we’re going to take the next step,” he said.
Boston is 12-2 in the postseason as they beat the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Warriors to reach the 23rd NBA Finals in franchise history.
“Look at all the talent, look at the players that are there. It’s really about them, they let us coach. They let us push, they listen to us and they set the temperature of the organization every day,” he said.
“The biggest gift you get as a coach is a group of guys who believe in you and let you coach them,” he said.
For the third time in the four-game series, Indiana lost after either taking the lead or faltering in the final minutes of the game.
Bears led by nine with 8:28 left in the fourth, but they could not see the game out without the impressive Haliburton.
“It’s been a good season, a magical season. The level of fighting so far has been good,” he said.
“The situation was never in their favor.
“There’s a lot of work to be done this year. Next year the expectations will be higher, which is good,” Carlisle said.
