Source: Andy Lyons / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers beat the Boston Celtics 133-131 on Monday night. Bennedict Mathurin scored 26 points and sealed the victory with two clutch free throws in the final 0.6 seconds. Despite an injury to guard Tyrese Haliburton and 26 lead changes, the Pacers (21-15) showed great resilience.
Haliburton suffered a left hamstring strain in the second quarter, slipping and doing the splits on a drive. Haliburton will undergo an MRI on Tuesday.
“It’s sad to see him go down. He’s my brother, we love him a lot,” said Pacers guard Buddy Hield.
With the score tied at 131 and only 0.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Mathurin drew a foul from Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis during a 3-point attempt. Capitalizing on the opportunity, Mathurin sank two crucial free throws, securing the win after the Pacers successfully challenged a foul call on the other end. The Pacers also thwarted a lob attempt by the Celtics with 0.3 seconds remaining.
“Every game that we play has the ability to be a season-defining game,” said Head coach Rick Carlisle.
A balanced scoring effort saw seven Pacers players reach double digits, with Mathurin leading the charge with 26 points, followed by 17 from Aaron Nesmith and 16 from Myles Turner. Head coach Carlisle remarked, “Every game that we play has the ability to be a season-defining game.”
“We have the next-man-up mentality, especially because we’re so deep. Everybody on this team works hard and deserves to play,” said Pacers’ guard Aaron Nesmith.
The Pacers’ bench dominated the game outscoring the Celtics’ reserves 75-27.
The Pacers conclude their five-game homestand on Wednesday when they host the Washington Wizards. Coverage begins at 6:30 on 93.5 and 107.5 The Fan.
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