I hoped I wouldn’t be again, however I’m again. It’s time for one more “Cardiac Celtics” coronary heart monitor recap, due to the sheer quantity of chaos all of us simply witnessed.
The Boston Celtics had been wanting like they had been about to drop their fourth-straight Recreation 1 in as many Japanese Convention Finals appearances till the right storm hit.
Boston escaped the jaws of defeat and shocked the Indiana Pacers with a 133-128 additional time victory.
It was an consequence so unlikely, that their obituaries had already been written on the timeline.
Indiana is on the verge of profitable this sport. What a 48 hours for this Pacers staff. Completely outstanding.
Units the one sport FG% report Sunday in a highway Recreation 7, then shoots 66% from 2-pt vary tonight to, with one profitable inbounds and FTs, go up 1-0 on the highway in Boston.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 22, 2024
Right here’s the way it occurred, and right here’s how my coronary heart took it.
The Celtics received off to a dream begin on this one, very like they did in Recreation 1 of their first-round collection towards the Miami Warmth. They ripped off a 12-0 run that had the TD Backyard leaping within the opening minutes, whereas I relaxed at a price of 58 beats per minute.
As the result of this sport would let you know, Indiana didn’t keep down for lengthy.
By the top of the primary quarter, that they had lower the Boston lead down to only three. Each groups battled backwards and forwards till the half, which had me residing within the excessive 50s and low 60s bpm. The opening 24 minutes concluded when the primary of two Tyrese Haliburton heaves tied issues up on the buzzer and despatched me into the intermission at 63 bpm.
A protracted fifteen minutes of watching Chris Paul and the gang on ESPN’s halftime present was sufficient to shoot me as much as 70 bpm by the point play received again underway.
Although they didn’t precisely begin off on the suitable foot, the Cs managed to construct a pleasant 13-point lead with somewhat over 4 minutes to play within the third quarter. I used to be again to being semi-relaxed however the pleasure had me at a crisp 64 bpm.
This 13-point lead was the Recreation 1 equal to the bar being locked in if you’re strapping into your seat on a rollercoaster. From right here, issues received INTENSE.
Indiana all however erased the deficit by the top of the body, capping it off with the second Haliburton bomb.
I imply, have a look at this. That is “spike your TV distant (for those who nonetheless use one)” kind stuff.
Anyway, the fourth received off to a pendulum begin. Each side exchanged runs because the minutes ticked away and my coronary heart ticked as much as 73 bpm. The Pacers had been capable of prolong their result in 4 factors with 4:34 left and I used to be FEELING it. I hit a (tied for) game-high 90 bpm.
There was some extra jockeying over the subsequent minute or so. Derrick White sank a giant three, Indiana matched, after which Al Horford hit a triple of his personal. Indy responded by pushing the lead again to 5 behind a pair of mid-range soar pictures from Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard.
It was right here that I declared it to be “over” and reported a dejected 72 bpm.
It seems that I’m an fool and am usually improper.
Boston responded with a Jrue Vacation bucket, adopted by a cease, after which a stone-cold 2-for-2 journey to the free-throw line from Jaylen Brown.
The newfound hope spiked me again to 82 bpm. Indiana got here down and Nembhard sank his staff’s remaining basket of regulation, bringing the rating to 117-114.
This sport was removed from over. The Celtics had the ball and an opportunity to tie.
I regarded on with my coronary heart racing at 86 bpm and boy was I disillusioned.
Boston created an excellent look as Jayson Tatum out-muscled Aaron Nesmith on an inbounds catch and located himself WIDE OPEN for the tie.
He missed.
Happily, the Cs received a second likelihood to even the rating because the Pacers fumbled away possession with slightly below 30 seconds to play.
Their subsequent strive at placing factors on the board got here off of a White drive. His floater didn’t discover the underside of the web. It did, nevertheless, discover Tatum’s fingers for the offensive rebound, however he missed a rushed fadeaway within the lane.
I then started to think about how insufferable the “The Celtics can’t win shut video games” chatter could be within the time earlier than Recreation 2 and clocked in at 86 bpm. As I used to be stewing, the Pacers turned it over AGAIN.
Regardless of their third likelihood to attempt to tie the sport, I wasn’t shopping for into any false hope. I’d seen this film earlier than. The one Celtic to sink a giant shot with lower than 10 seconds left in a sport this 12 months was Xavier Tillman, who was inactive tonight. These guys had been chalked.
Nicely, not likely.
The Celtics did their model of “The Undertaker” sitting up, which was Brown sinking a TOUGH nook three for the tie and incomes a “Double Bang” from ESPN’s Mike Breen.
The stress wasn’t over, although. The Pacers nonetheless had 5.7 seconds to tear my coronary heart straight out of my chest.
It seems, Haliburton had used up all of his heaves for the day and his end-of-regulation try bounced off of the rim, sealing the sport’s additional time destiny.
The additional interval was fairly ugly. Indiana had managed to seek out their manner out of “the zone” and eventually missed some pictures, making simply two of their eight OT makes an attempt.
Boston had some gross moments, too. Tatum and Vacation had a miscommunication on a decide play, leading to a straightforward steal for the Pacers. The turnover shot me again as much as 85 bpm.
JT wound up amending that mistake, as he scored six straight factors to assist seal the sport, together with this BOMB.
After weeks, months, perhaps years, of “Celtics can’t win shut playoff video games” discuss, they really did it. They stole a sport that that they had no enterprise profitable (besides they in all probability simply shouldn’t have made it so arduous on themselves within the first place) in a trend that Larry Chook and the boys would typically do again within the Nineteen Eighties (so I’ve been advised). This Recreation 1 victory over the Pacers definitely looks like one thing particular and the rollercoaster path definitely has a giant half in it.
I’ve been rolling with the center monitor threads over on Twitter all through the playoffs. So, for those who thought this was humorous, comply with me over there @SamLaFranceNBA for the most recent on my ticker.
Let’s hope I don’t see you multi function of those articles for a short time, although.