On Monday night at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics won against the Indiana Pacers with a final score of 103 – 95 after coming back from a large, early deficit. The Pacers aggressively opened the game and took a 35 – 26 lead after the first quarter. By halftime, they built a strong 61 – 43 lead. The Pacers’ early attack put Boston in a pinch that required a strong response.
Fortunately, the Celtics cut the margin to only 2 points by outscoring Indiana 31 – 21 in the third quarter. The Celtics then closed the game by scoring 29 points while holding the Pacers to just 13. The game had a very dominant outcome for the Celtics.
Several Celtics are forced to step up without Jayson Tatum available, due to his ruptured Achilles tendon, if they want to continue being a dominant team. Monday night, Jaylen Brown particularly had to lead Boston to their victory with 31 points and 9 rebounds. Derrick White also consistently had 19 points and made significant baskets during the third-quarter comeback. Rising star and fan-favorite Payton Pritchard provided steady play with 11 points and 5 assists, while new addition Luka Garza and valuable Neemias Queta made useful contributions on the boards with 17 rebounds combined.
Similar to Jayson Tatum, star player Tyrese Haliburton on the Pacers was also out due to a torn Achilles tendon. Both athletes were injured during the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Nevertheless, the Pacers had strong player performances of their own. 2024 Eastern Conference finals MVP Pascal Siakam scored 25 points and gave the Pacers reliable scoring throughout the first half. Andrew Nembhard also helped build the early lead with 20 points and 7 assists. Benedict Mathurin finished with 16 points, while Ethan Thompson added 13 points.
The shift in momentum after halftime drew strong reactions from fans at the famous arena. Junior William Watts attended the game and said the energy inside TD Garden changed when Boston tightened up on defense. “The crowd got insanely loud the moment the Celtics started getting stops and turning the flow of the game around. That energy pushed them through the third quarter.”
Senior Gabe Tesler pointed to leadership and execution later in the game. “They trusted the system and trusted each other,” Gabe said. “It showed in the way they closed the game.”
Even though the Celtics let up 61 points in the first half, they only allowed 34 points in the second half of the game. This comeback highlighted the Celtics’ depth in defensive adjustments, turning a tough start into a smooth victory at home.
