Celtics complete rare sweep by beating Pacers 110-106
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Gordon Hayward scored 20 points and Marcus Morris started a decisive 3-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 team to reach the second round of the playo s.
Bojan Bogdanovic finished with 22 points and Tyreke Evans finished with a playoff career-high of 21 to lead the Pacers. It still wasn’t enough to prevent Indiana from enduring its second firstround 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 defense. 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 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 Brown added 13 points and Terry Rozier had 11 o the bench . ... Boston was 10 of 28 on 3s, 5 of 7 in the fourth.
Pacers: Darren Collison had 16 points, six rebounds and five assists while Thaddeus Young added nine points and nine rebounds . ... Domantas Sabonis scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Myles Turner had 13 points and seven rebounds .... The Pacers shot 40.9 percent in the game . ... Victor Oladipo made his first public appearance at Bankers Life Fieldhouse since su ering a season-ending right knee injury in January.
UP NEXT
14 points and seven
Celtics: Will wait to find out who they play in the second round.
Pacers: Head into the o season how they can improve season. contemplating next