The Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers clashed on July 28, 2024, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, in a thrilling playoff matchup. Both teams displayed remarkable skill and determination, keeping fans on the edge of their seats throughout the game. The Celtics, demonstrating their resilience and strategic prowess, managed to outscore the Pacers in a nail-biting finish, with a final score of 114-111.
This victory marked the Celtics’ third consecutive win in the series, giving them a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Pacers now face elimination as the series shifts back to Boston for Game 4. The close margin of the win underscored the intense competition between the two teams, but it was the Celtics who ultimately prevailed behind Jayson Tatum’s 36-point masterpiece.
Key Game Highlights
- Tatum’s 10-point 4th quarter explosion
- Nembhard’s career-high 32 points for Indiana
- Horford’s 7/12 three-point shooting (58.3%)
- Crucial block by Derrick White with 1:12 remaining
Celtics vs Pacers Match Player Stats:
Star Performers: Jayson Tatum (36 pts, 10 reb, 8 ast) and Andrew Nembhard (32 pts, 9 ast) delivered standout performances, while Al Horford’s hot shooting (7/12 from three) proved decisive.
Indiana Pacers Player Statistics
| PLAYER | MIN | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Nesmith | 34:09 | 2 | 4 | 50.0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | -6 |
| Pascal Siakam | 36:16 | 9 | 18 | 50.0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 4 | 4 | 100.0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 22 | -13 |
| Myles Turner | 38:40 | 9 | 16 | 56.3 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 4 | 4 | 100.0 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 22 | -2 |
| Ben Sheppard | 25:34 | 0 | 4 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | -8 |
| Andrew Nembhard | 39:24 | 12 | 21 | 57.1 | 4 | 7 | 57.1 | 4 | 4 | 100.0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 32 | -4 |
| Obi Toppin | 23:17 | 2 | 6 | 33.3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| T.J. McConnell | 29:22 | 10 | 17 | 58.8 | 1 | 4 | 25.0 | 2 | 2 | 100.0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 23 | -1 |
| Isaiah Jackson | 9:20 | 1 | 4 | 25.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 |
| Doug McDermott | 3:58 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| Kendall Brown | DNP – Coach’s Decision | |||||||||||||||||||
| James Johnson | DNP – Coach’s Decision | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jalen Smith | DNP – Coach’s Decision | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jarace Walker | DNP – Coach’s Decision | |||||||||||||||||||
Pacers Performance Analysis
Despite the loss, Indiana saw breakout games from two players:
- Andrew Nembhard: Career-high 32 points on 12/21 shooting (57.1%)
- T.J. McConnell: Efficient 23 points off the bench (10/17 FG)
Boston Celtics Player Statistics
| PLAYER | MIN | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Brown | 38:02 | 10 | 18 | 55.6 | 1 | 5 | 20.0 | 3 | 4 | 75.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 24 | -1 |
| Jayson Tatum | 43:57 | 12 | 23 | 52.2 | 5 | 10 | 50.0 | 7 | 11 | 63.6 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 9 |
| Al Horford | 34:49 | 8 | 14 | 57.1 | 7 | 12 | 58.3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 23 | 5 |
| Derrick White | 35:29 | 3 | 11 | 27.3 | 2 | 8 | 25.0 | 5 | 6 | 83.3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 4 |
| Jrue Holiday | 38:07 | 4 | 10 | 40.0 | 1 | 6 | 16.7 | 5 | 5 | 100.0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
| Payton Pritchard | 14:28 | 1 | 3 | 33.3 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -8 |
| Sam Hauser | 13:26 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -6 |
| Oshae Brissett | 8:44 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -6 |
| Xavier Tillman | 12:58 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| Svi Mykhailiuk | DNP – Coach’s Decision | |||||||||||||||||||
| Neemias Queta | DNP – Coach’s Decision | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jaden Springer | DNP – Coach’s Decision | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jordan Walsh | DNP – Coach’s Decision | |||||||||||||||||||
Celtics Performance Analysis
Boston’s balanced attack featured:
- Jayson Tatum: Near triple-double (36/10/8) with 5 threes
- Al Horford: Season-high 7 three-pointers
- Defensive stand: Combined 11 blocks (White 4, Horford 3)
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Stat | Celtics | Pacers |
| Points in Paint | 42 | 58 |
| Three Point % | 40.5% | 22.2% |
| Fast Break Pts | 12 | 21 |
| Bench Points | 18 | 29 |
Source: https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-ind-0042300303/box-score
What’s Next?
Game 4 tips off Tuesday, July 30 at TD Garden (8:30 PM ET). The Celtics look to complete the sweep while the Pacers fight to extend their season. Key matchup to watch: Haliburton (expected to return) vs Holiday defensive battle.
