In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night, Jayson Tatum scored 36 points, including 10 in overtime following Jaylen Brown’s game-winning 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left in regulation. The Boston Celtics came back just in time to defeat the Indiana Pacers 133-128.

Brown finished with 26 points, and Jrue Holiday scored a season-high 28.

Boston will host Game 2 on Thursday night.

The Pacers defeated the Celtics, who were still without seven-foot center Kristaps Porzingis, by making thirteen 3-pointers and scoring fifty-six points in the paint behind Tyrese Haliburton’s twenty-five points and ten assists.

However, Boston tightened up on defense, recording 11 steals overall, with three coming from Brown, Tatum, and Holiday. In the history of the NBA Playoffs, the Celtics are the only team to have three players record 25 points and three steals in the same contest.

Al Horford, a forward with the Celtics, said, “keep talking about protecting home court.” “It’s whatever it takes.”

12 rebounds and 24 points were added by Pascal Siakam. The sixth-seeded Pacers, led by Myles Turner, who finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, twice turned the ball over while holding a three-point advantage in the last 30 seconds of regulation.

With Siakam squarely in his face, Brown made them pay for the second one by tying the score at 117 with a three-pointer from the corner.

Jaylen’s balance was excellent, according to Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. “Great pass, great shot.”

Coach Rick Carlisle of the Pacers remarked that he was “totally on me” for the defeat since he did not use a timeout to move the ball forward prior to their error, which allowed Brown to score.

When asked how many of Indiana’s 21 turnovers were avoidable, Haliburton responded.

He remarked, “I think it’s more on us.” “I just felt like more of them were probably on us than them forcing turnovers.”

When an opponent scores 100 points or more, the Celtics are now 2-2.

“I believe we’ve always understood that there’s a possibility. Crazy things happen all the time, “said Holiday. “I don’t think that we think we lost the game until we actually lost the game, and that’s part of the reason why we were so resilient.”

With 1:46 left, Haliburton made all three of his free throws after being fouled, giving Indiana the lead again, 123–121. Tatum then used his strength to make a layup, but T.J. McConnell fouled him. With his final three-pointer, he gave Boston a decisive lead.

The Pacers passed it over to Haliburton once more. Tatum was the recipient of the ball at the top of the key. With 43 seconds remaining, he pumped, sidestepped a defender, and sank a three-pointer to make it 127-123.

Siakam and Derrick White exchanged layups. After being fouled, Holiday made two free throws to give Boston a 131-125 lead.

“It’s unfortunate we did so many good things in this game that it came down to a couple of mistakes at the end, but it’s the NBA playoffs,” Carlisle stated. “We’ve got to learn from it and we’ve got to bounce back”