BOSTON, MA — Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has seen a lot go down over the course of his lengthy postseason career. But, the Celtics' 133-128 overtime win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals was arguably the craziest playoff game he's been a part of.
“That sh** was chaos. That sh** was wild,” he said with a smile in his postgame remarks.
Down three with 10 seconds to go, the Celtics looked well on their way to a brutal loss. Indiana had possession and was lighting it up down the stretch. Meanwhile, Tatum was struggling to get any kind of shot to fall in the fourth quarter, going 2-for-7 in the final 12 minutes of regulation.
So, how did Tatum and company end up taking a 1-0 series lead on Tuesday night?
What exactly happened at the end of Game 1 between the Celtics and Pacers?
Although Indiana had the ball and lead with just 10 ticks remaining in the fourth quarter, that quickly changed.
When the Pacers tried to inbound the ball, 2024 All-Star Jaylen Brown helped force a turnover which gave the C's possession and an opportunity for a quick timeout.
This break in the action allowed Boston to dial up a play, and Brown delivered with a clutch 3-pointer in the corner, tying the game 117-117 with 5.7 seconds on the clock.
“I was just talking to myself, ‘if I get this shot, it's going in,'” Brown, who finished with 26 points, revealed in his postgame press conference. “I was telling myself the whole time, ‘If you get it, it's going up, and it's going in.' I can create some space on their backside, and was able to make a big-time play.”
Despite Brown's massive triple, the Pacers still had a chance to redeem themselves in regulation with one final possession. Yet, Tatum forced a tough shot attempt from Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton that was way off the mark.
Heading into overtime, the Celtics had the momentum in their favor and a chance to steal Game 1.
“It really just felt like we had a second chance,” Tatum said. “We didn’t necessarily play well enough where we may have deserved the win … JB gave us a second chance by hitting that shot. And we just talked about it in the huddle. ‘We got a second chance. Let’s take advantage of it. Let’s not mess around. And let’s figure out a way to win this game.'”
Tatum made the most of the five extra minutes of play. In overtime, he scored 10 of Boston's 16 points, going 2-for-4 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. The five-time All-Star recorded 36 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and three steals on the evening.
“It’s as simple as just believing that the next one is going in,” Tatum described when asked how he keeps his confidence up amidst shooting struggles. “I always feel like I’m just, I’m one make away from being hot or being in a great rhythm. So, taking the right shots, playing within the flow of the game, and doing all the other necessary things to impact the game.”
Even though the C's went an underwhelming 2-4 in overtime games during the regular season, they outscored Indiana 16-11 in extra time. When Boston led 124-123 with under 50 seconds to go in overtime, Tatum drained a pivotal 3-pointer to give his team a massive two-possession advantage. From there, the Celtics made their free throws to clinch the narrow victory.
This rollercoaster of a game was very different from the Celtics' previous outings in the 2024 playoffs, which featured nine contests decided by double digits. However, the wild ending didn't seem too unfamiliar for Tatum, who's played in over 100 postseason games.
“As long as the time is still on the clock and the game is in reach, we feel like we have a chance,” Tatum declared. “This core group has been in so many big-time games, big-time moments where we’ve had a lead and lost it and still won or been down a lot and figured out a way to win. I’ve had a lot of crazy endings in [TD Garden]. So, in a weird way, we’ve been there before, and we always believe, in the sense.”
Boston's experience helped it weather the storm against an Indiana team that hasn't been to the Eastern Conference Finals in over a decade. Past history aside, the Celtics know they have to be better in order to curb the Pacers' blistering offense.
“Series is far from over. We gotta come back and play well enough to win again on Thursday,” Tatum said. “I know the ultimate goal is to try and win a championship. But one step at a time. This was a big-time win tonight. And come back and get ready for Thursday.”
Game 2, in Boston, will tip off on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
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