Pacers 135-132 Celtics (October 30, 2024) Match Summary

On By Littum

INDIANAPOLIS — — Pascal Siakam scored the last of his 29 points on a 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left in overtime to give the Indiana Pacers a 135-132 victory over the previously undefeated Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

Siakam tied his single-game career high with six 3s and grabbed 11 rebounds. Bennedict Mathurin scored 21 of his 30 points in the second half and Tyrese Haliburton had 17 points and 12 assists.

The win ended Indiana’s three-game losing streak.

Boston rallied from a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime and led 132-130 after Derrick White’s layup with 39.7 seconds left. But Indiana scored the final five points to win.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 37 points. Jaylen Brown added 25 points and had a chance to tie the game, but his 3 in the waning seconds was off the mark. White finished with 23 points in the first matchup between these teams since Boston swept Indiana in last season’s Eastern Conference finals.

Takeaways

Celtics: Through the first four games, Boston looked like the defending NBA champions – winning three times by double figures. They weren’t dominant on Wednesday, but they didn’t go down without a fight either, the true sign of a champion.

Pacers: Indiana’s high-scoring, fast-paced offense resurfaced. The result also looked familiar. The Pacers finished with a season-high point total — though they nearly threw the contest away with a rash of late turnovers.

Key moment

Siakam scored the final five points for Indiana, tying the game on a midrange jumper with 36 seconds left before giving the Pacers the lead for good. It wasn’t sealed until Brown’s 3s fluttered out of bounds.

Key statistics

Indiana produced season highs in rebounds (57) and 3-pointers (15).

Next

The Celtics will try to rebound Friday in Charlotte, while the Pacers make their only trip this season to New Orleans on Friday.

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AP NBA: