The Indiana Pacers faced a tough loss against the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, with the Celtics emerging victorious in overtime with a score of 128-133. Despite holding a 3-point lead with only 10 seconds left in regulation, the Pacers couldn’t secure the win as Jaylen Brown from the Celtics sank a crucial triple to force the game into an extra session.

Following the game, Pacers’ head coach Rick Carlisle took full responsibility for the defeat, acknowledging that crucial decisions could have been made differently to secure the win. Carlisle admitted, ‘This loss is totally on me. With 10 seconds in regulation, we should have just taken the timeout, advanced the ball, and found a way to secure the win by making a free throw or two.’

Star player Tyrese Haliburton from the Indiana Pacers also acknowledged his role in the loss, taking accountability for the errors he made late in the game. Despite scoring an impressive 25 points and providing 10 assists, Haliburton recognized his two crucial turnovers that he believes cost the team the game. He stated, ‘That’s not on him… I had two bad turnovers that I feel like cost us the game. I understand he’s protecting us… but I’ll take that more than he should. I gotta be better – I will be better in Game 2.’

Looking ahead, the Pacers and the Celtics will face off in Game 2 of the series in Boston. Fans are eagerly awaiting the rematch between these two competitive teams as they strive for victory in the Eastern Conference Finals.