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Pacers players ‘give credit’ to Celtics after Eastern Conference Finals sweep
"You want to give credit to the other team because they took advantage of every mistake that we made. They did well."
Pacers players reflect after Celtics win Eastern Conference Finals: In the end, the injuries, the squandered late leads, and the collective lack of experience doomed the Pacers as Indiana fell 4-0 to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Pacers players, speaking after the sweep had been completed on Monday night, reflected on the end of their season.
“It’s still very fresh for all of us,” Indiana center Myles Turner said, per ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “Very frustrating to have all these games in your grasp and let it slip through.”
Boston overcame fourth quarter deficits in three of the four wins, exploiting several crucial Indiana mistakes.
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“I can tell you we’re going to learn from it and it’s going to happen, but it’s not guaranteed,” Pascal Siakam said of the Pacers potentially getting back to such a stage. “I know how hard it is to get to this point. It’s unfortunate.
“You want to give credit to the other team because they took advantage of every mistake that we made. They did well,” Siakam admitted of the Celtics. “But for us, it’s been hard, like heartbreaking losses after heartbreaking losses. Yeah, you’re going to be encouraged by it and you hope to put the right amount of work to continue to get better. Because we need to be a lot better if you want to compete with those teams. And understand it doesn’t matter how good we played, we didn’t get it done.”
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For several players on Indiana’s roster, it was the first time being in such an intense playoff moment.
Echoing comments of Celtics players from several years ago, a few Pacers expressed their reactions to the unexpected aspects of managing nerves during a postseason run.
“The playoffs, everyone thinks it’s so physically daunting. Yes it is, but it’s also mentally daunting,” added Turner, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “It’s daunting on your spirit. Mentally, physically and spiritually, you have to be prepared for these moments. You’re the only show on TV. Everybody’s going to constantly have something to say about your performance. One little mistake in the first quarter can cost you the game in the fourth. It’s a possession game.”
Still, in full view of Indiana’s accomplishments in 2024 — pulling off upsets in multiple rounds and reaching a conference finals for the first time since 2000 — there’s plenty of reason for Pacers fans to feel optimistic.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, despite his own disappointment, managed to take a more positive view of the team’s season overall.
“I don’t really know where to start but I first want to just tell you that we thanked our players a few moments ago for an amazing season, a magical season,” Carlisle began during his postgame remarks. “The level of fight was just tremendous all the way through this. Circumstance never fazed them one way or the other. They were in this to win every possession that they could in any game that they could.”
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Trivia: Tanner Houck lowered his ERA to a remarkable 1.90 in the Red Sox 2-1 win over the weekend on Sunday. According to Red Sox game notes, it’s the lowest by any Boston starter through 11 starts since 2013, when another Red Sox pitcher held a 1.62 ERA. Name that pitcher.
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He was selected in the 2005 MLB Draft using a compensation pick Boston had been awarded due to Pedro Martinez’s free agent departure.
Scores and schedules:
The Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals with a 105-102 Game 4 win over the Pacers to complete the Eastern Conference Finals sweep on Monday night.
Boston will play the winner of the current Mavericks-Timberwolves Western Conference Finals matchup (with Dallas currently leading the series 3-0) starting with Game 1 on June 6 at TD Garden.
Elsewhere, the Red Sox lost 11-3 to the Orioles on Monday, with the two teams set to play again this evening starting at 6:35 p.m.
On Wednesday, PWHL Boston will face Minnesota at the Tsongas Center in the decisive Game 5 of the Walter Cup Finals at 7 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
- Celtics punch ticket back to NBA Finals after sweeping Pacers in ECF
- Celtics complete sweep of Pacers to win Eastern Conference finals: 10 takeaways
- When will Celtics play in NBA Finals? Here is the full schedule.
- Jaylen Brown wins Larry Bird Trophy for ECF MVP by one vote in Celtics’ sweep
- Jaylen Brown channels criticism into motivation en route to conference finals MVP honors
- Al Horford, Jayson Tatum remark on what’s different for Celtics in this year’s Finals run
- Kevin Garnett believes it’s the Celtics’ ‘time’ to win a title, doesn’t think they need to breakup core if they lose
- Former Celtic, Hall of Famer Bill Walton dies of cancer at 71
- Read the Celtics’ team statement on the death of Bill Walton
- Of the 515 men to play for the Celtics, Bill Walton will forever be remembered as one of one
- ‘He was the best of us’: Basketball world pays tribute to Bill Walton on social media
- Read Larry Bird’s statement on the death of his ‘childhood idol,’ Bill Walton
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle cherishes relationship forged with former Celtics teammate Bill Walton
- Red Sox’ Kenley Jansen reacts to recent trade rumors surrounding him
- Boston College lacrosse outlasts Northwestern, 14-13, to capture 2nd national title in 4 years
Dave Pasch’s tribute to Bill Walton: The legendary Walton’s former broadcast partner shared his thoughts on their friendship, and the loss of an icon.
Speaking of which, here’s one of the most Bill Walton moments from 2019:
On this day: In 2022, the Celtics grabbed a 125-119 Game 3 win over the Nets in a first-round playoff matchup thanks to Jayson Tatum dropping an astonishing 50 points.
Daily highlight: Jaylen Brown, true to his Conference Finals MVP distinction, made multiple clutch plays to help the Celtics win Game 4 on Monday. First, he provided an impressive block on the defensive side, and followed it by drawing the defense before finding Derrick White for what proved to be the game-winner.
Trivia answer: Clay Buchholz
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