The Boston Celtics have once again lived up to their role as favorites. A strong final spurt secures a sweep of the Indiana Pacers and a ticket to the NBA Finals
Game 4 was also exciting, but the Celtics also came out on top in the end. A 15:4 run secured the NBA record champions a decisive 105:102 victory in a real thriller in Indianapolis, which was unable to avoid the sweep.
Which, as announced by Head Coach Rick Carlisle, gave its opponent a tough fight – despite the continued absence of its mastermind Tyrese Haliburton. The injured point guard was once again sorely missed, although others stepped into the breach.
The 24-year-old point guard Andrew Nembhard played his way into the spotlight in the absence of the top dog, scoring 24 points, ten assists and six rebounds, but missed a crucial three-pointer in crunch time that would have tied the game once more. After the missed shot, the Pacers were unable to get the ball until the final buzzer
White sinks the decisive shot
Among the winners. Jaylen Brown once again stood out and was subsequently crowned MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals. The shooting guard scored 29 points in the box score – plus the assist to Derrick White, who sank the decisive shot from downtown with 43 seconds left. Brown 29, Jayson Tatum 26 (with 13 rebounds and eight assists), White 16. The trio ensured that Boston was able to overturn the nine-point deficit in the second half.
“They fought to the end, that’s a team that has a lot of pride,” said Tatum, praising the opponents, who have drawn level in three of the four games in this series. Carlisle, for his part, returned the compliment to the Celtics: “They pulled it out at the end in the last two games and simply had more successful actions. “
Dallas still need a win – Will Kleber be back?
The Celtics now have a ten-day break and are waiting for their final opponent. At the moment, everything looks as if it will come from Texas. The Dallas Mavericks have taken the first three games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and it smells like a sweep here too. And here, too, the two top players Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving and their team-mates would certainly be delighted with a longer rest. Their German teammate Maxi Kleber obviously has a chance of celebrating his comeback after his shoulder injury. The defensively strong forward has been removed from the Mavs’ list of certain absentees and placed on “doubtful”.
