Celtics sweep by Pacers, headed for second round
INDIANAPOLIS — Gordon Hayward scored 20 points and Marcus Morris started a decisive three-point flurry late in the fourth quarter Sunday to give the Boston Celtics a series-clinching 110-106 victory at Indiana.
It’s the first four-game sweep for the Celtics since 2011 and their second since 1986-87, becoming the first National Basketball Association team to reach the second round of the playoffs this post-season.
Bojan Bogdanovic finished with 22 points and Tyreke Evans had a playoff career-high of 21 to lead the Pacers. It still wasn’t enough to prevent Indiana from enduring its second first-round sweep in three years — the only two best-of-seven sweeps in franchise history.
This game, unlike the previous three, did not turn on Boston’s suffocating second-half defence. Instead, it was a flagrant foul called on Indiana’s Cory Joseph with 6:45 to play.
Jayson Tatum took advantage by making both free throws to give the Celtics an 83-82 lead. Al Horford sank 1 of 2 on Boston’s next possession and then Morris started the decisive flurry with a 3-pointer with 5:08 to play. Hayward’s three-point play with 4:24 left made it 90-83 and Boston made three more 3s over the next three minutes to take an insurmountable 102-90 lead.
Twice in the first half, it looked like Boston might run away with the victory. But the Pacers charged back to take a 49-47 halftime lead and extended it to 56-49 in the third quarter.
That’s when Boston rallied, closing a methodical comeback with the final four points of the third to take a 73-72 lead and then put it away behind the shooting of Hayward and Morris, who had 18 points and eight rebounds.
Kyrie Irving had 14 points and seven assists for Boston.
Tip-ins
Celtics: Closed out the series with their seventh straight win against Indiana this season. ... Tatum also had 18 points and rebounds while Al Horford finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. ... Jaylen
Brownadded 13 points and Terry Rozier had 11 off the bench. ... Boston was 10 of 28 on threes, 5 of 7 in the fourth.
Up next
Celtics: Will wait to find out who they play in the second round.