The NBA Mid-Season Tournament knockout rounds have officially kicked off, and the long-awaited game has finally begun. The matchup between the Celtics and Pacers in the first game attracted a lot of attention from fans. Although Celtic did not have Porzingis added, the rest of the team showed excellent performances, so that the overall strength of the team was not greatly affected. The Pacers, on the other hand, played as usual with their original lineup and hoped to emerge victorious in the game. Once the game started, the Celtics didn't feel good from the outside, while the Pacers did a great job of offense. Bruce Brown hit two three-pointers to create the lead. It wasn't until the Celtics' rotation came on the court that the team gradually regained its form.
Hauser hit two three-pointers to put the team ahead of the score, and the Pacers' offensive rhythm was disrupted as a result. But after the start of the second half, the Pacers reversed the game instead, and the offensive efficiency dropped significantly, which made people feel embarrassed. At the start of the second quarter, the Pacers' three-point offense played well again, with Mathurin, Nesmith and Hield hitting three-pointers in quick succession to help the team regain the score. However, the rest of the Celtics players still haven't found their form, and Cornet has been the main bright spot for the team, adding to the team's defensive strength with two blocks and a steal in a row.
Brown's shooting gave the Celtics the lead again, but the Pacers took control of the game again after a timeout and relied on back-to-back three-point shots to maintain the lead. Toppin and Haliburton's three-point shots broke the deadlock again, while the Celtics' White and Tatum couldn't find their groove and missed shots. In the last two minutes, the Celtics' White and Tatum finally found their touch, hitting consecutive three-pointers, and Tatum also singled Haliburton to give the team a bigger lead. At the end of the first half, the Celtics led the Pacers 55-48, but the outcome of the game was still uncertain, and there was still suspense in the second half.
In the second half of the game, the Pacers began to counterattack under the leadership of Haliburton, and after Haliburton made two consecutive three-pointers, another pull rod was replaced by a layup, so that the team's score was chased to one point, and the Celtics had to play a timeout to respond. The game entered the white-hot stage, and the two sides canceled each other's scores, and the score was tied for a while. But the Celtics' defensive and offensive coordination gradually improved, allowing the team to regain the lead. The Pacers fought back frantically in the final moments, but in the end the Celtics managed to win the game with a great performance. This game fully demonstrated the fighting spirit and tactical cooperation of the players, which made the fans addicted.
Although Celtic did not have Porzingis on the line, the rest of the team also showed excellent performances, so that the overall strength of the team did not suffer too much. The Pacers continued to play with their original lineup and hoped to win the game. Although the game has been won and lost, the performance and spirit of the players are worth learning from Xi and learning. The game went into the final two minutes, with the Celtics temporarily leading the Pacers by one point. At this time, the physical and psychological qualities of the players on both sides were tested. For the Pacers, Mathurin and Haliburton continue to use their strength to get scoring opportunities for the team, while for the Celtics, Tatum has become the team's leading scorer.
In the final crunch moments, they all took the fate of the game into their own hands. For the Pacers, Mathurin hit a three-pointer on a pick-and-roll offense to reduce the margin to one point. On the Celtics side, Tatum used his personal ability to score two consecutive mid-to-long-range shots to earn a valuable lead for the team. With one minute left in the game, the situation on the pitch was very tense and players from both sides were struggling to win. At this time, Haliburton hit a three-pointer in the face of Holiday defense to tie the gap again. Immediately afterward, Brown and Bruce Brown both missed three-point opportunities, and the score remained tied.
At the final critical moment, the Celtics' Tatum stepped up again, caused a foul in the single, and took the lead by one point through free throws. For the Pacers, Mathurin and Haliburton both tried to salvage the score, but in the end, neither was successful. In the end, the Celtics narrowly defeated the Pacers 92-91 to win the game. In the semifinals of this mid-season tournament, the Pacers vs. Celtics game can be described as thrilling and unpredictable. In the final three minutes of the game, the difference between the two sides was very close, and the Celtics arranged a counter-run tactic after a timeout and successfully hit a violent dunk. At this point, the atmosphere on the pitch reached its peak, and the fans nervously watched the score change.
After that, Tatum made two free throws to tie the score. However, Haliburton broke the deadlock on the next offense, hitting a three-and-one to put the Pacers back in the lead. Although Tatum and Hield also scored on the next few offenses, the Pacers eventually defeated the Celtics 122-112 to advance to the semifinals. This game can be described as a fierce collision of the strengths of the two sides, which makes the fans want to stop. Tatum had a great performance in the game, with 32 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 steal, while Brown and White also scored 30 and 18 points, respectively. But the likes of the Pacers' Haliburton, Hield and Turner have been similarly impressive.
Haliburton had a triple-double of 26 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists and 1 steal, Hield contributed 21 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, and Turner also had a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. In this game, the players showed a tenacious fighting spirit and let the fans see the true charm of the basketball game. Whether it's the Pacers or the Celtics, they all put their strength and sweat into the game and deserve to be the winners. We should recognise the hard work and fighting spirit of these players and thank them for giving us a good game.