The Boston Celtics secured a dramatic 133-128 overtime victory against the Indiana Pacers in game one of the Eastern Conference Finals. With six seconds left on the clock, Jaylen Brown’s crucial three-pointer tied the game at 117-117, pushing the contest into overtime at the TD Garden in Boston.
Jayson Tatum, who led the Celtics with 36 points, nailed a pivotal three-pointer, followed by a lay-up from Derrick White in the final minute of overtime to seal the win for the top-seeded Celtics.
“Welcome to the NBA playoffs. Anything can happen,” said Brown, who scored 26 points in the match, which was broadcast live on BBC One. “It’s not over until the final buzzer sounds. We found a way to win the game at the very end.”
The Pacers struggled with turnovers, giving up 21, including a critical one just before Brown’s game-tying shot. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle accepted responsibility for the loss, citing his failure to call a timeout before Brown’s decisive three-pointer.
Game two of the series will also be held at TD Garden on Thursday. The winner of the best-of-seven series will advance to the NBA Finals to face either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Dallas Mavericks, who are competing in the Western Conference Finals. Game one of the NBA Finals will be broadcast live on BBC One at 01:30 BST on Wednesday, 7 June.
