Jaylen Brown credited the Boston Celtics’ resilience and key plays in their 114-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite being down by 18 points, the Celtics mounted a remarkable comeback to take a 3-0 series lead.
The Pacers, missing star Tyrese Haliburton, were on fire early, with Andrew Nembhard scoring a career-high 32 points and T.J. McConnell adding 23. Indiana shot 63.6 percent in the first half, putting Boston on the ropes.
“I think Indiana played well,” Brown said. “We could say we didn’t play as well tonight, but they were just flying around…some of those guys turned into f—ing Michael Jordan.”
The Celtics, however, stayed focused. A pivotal moment came in the fourth quarter when Jayson Tatum’s behind-the-back pass set up Al Horford’s seventh 3-pointer, sparking Boston’s rally.
“We just kept with it,” Brown added. “We stayed within striking distance, and in the fourth quarter, we made some big-time plays. Jayson Tatum made some big-time plays…hang it in the f—ing Louvre.”
Boston’s perseverance was crucial in a game where the Pacers hadn’t lost at home since March 18. The Celtics aim to close out the series in Game 4 on Monday night.
