The Indiana Pacers had an opportunity to secure a victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.
However, the Celtics clinched the win in overtime with a late three-pointer from Jaylen Brown, resulting in a 133-128 victory for the home team.
Following the game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle took responsibility for the loss, acknowledging that he should have handled the final seconds of the fourth quarter differently. He expressed regret over not calling a timeout, stating, “This loss is totally on me. With 10 seconds in regulation, we should’ve just taken the timeout, advanced the ball, found a way to get it in, made a free throw or two, and ended the game. It didn’t happen.”
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In contrast, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton refused to let his coach take the blame and instead shouldered the responsibility for the team’s late mistakes that led to the loss. This display of accountability reflects the 24-year-old guard’s sportsmanship and maturity.
Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday night in Boston.
