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The Boston Celtics nearly secured a trip to Las Vegas during their NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinal matchup against the Indiana Pacers on Monday. However, Boston came up short, getting upset 122-112 after a late 9-0 Indiana run that left Celtics superstar forward Jayson Tatum frustrated.
After the game, Tatum was asked whether the loss was particularly disappointing given that it came on the national stage with a trip to Las Vegas at stake. The four-time All-Star didn’t mince words, as he touched on his extreme disappointment to miss out on the semifinals.
“Yeah, I wanted to f**king go to Vegas,” Tatum said. “I ain’t wanna go home. I wanted to go to Vegas. So yeah, man. Next year, I guess.”
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Most would have a difficult time faulting Tatum, as he led Boston with 32 points, 12 rebounds and six assists on 50.0% shooting. Meanwhile, his co-star Jaylen Brown added 30 points and nine rebounds on 60.9% shooting.
However, despite strong performances from their stars, the Celtics were unable to survive a late-game onslaught from the Pacers’ top-ranked offense (123.6 offensive rating).
Indiana was led by star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who recorded his first-ever triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists on 55.6% shooting.
Haliburton also converted on a clutch four-point play which put the Pacers ahead by four (109-105) with 1:33 remaining. The shot proved to be the biggest of the game, as Indiana held on for the surprise victory.
Joe Mazzulla on Boston’s difficulty slowing down the Pacers
After Boston’s tough loss to Indiana on Monday, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla touched on his team’s difficulty slowing down Haliburton and the Pacers.
“He played well. The whole team played well,” Mazzulla said. “[Brown] did the best he could [defensively].”
The Pacers shot a blistering 47.5% from deep (19-for-40) as they continue to be one of the NBA’s most lethal teams from beyond the arc. Through 19 games, Indiana ranks fourth in 3s per game (15.2) and third in 3-point percentage (38.8%).
The Pacers now head to Las Vegas, where they will await the winner of Tuesday’s quarterfinal matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks.
Pacers Fan? Check out the latest Indiana Pacers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.
