Neither the Celtics nor Pacers appeared to want to win their game Monday at the TD Garden. The proof is in the box score.
The Celtics walked away with an important 101-98 win in overtime, despite suffering another fourth quarter offensive meltdown and missing 20 of 28 3-pointers. But they were able to escape with the victory, because the Pacers couldn't finish them. The two teams combined to go 19-for-65 from 3-point range.
Yikes.
The offensive disaster was on full display over the final four minutes of regulation. Tied at 81, the Celtics and Pacers missed seven straight shots before Jayson Tatum hit a layup with 1:54 left to put Boston up. But the lead was temporary. The Celtics quickly found themselves trailing 89-85 with 45.6 seconds remaining, after Josh Richardson committed a dumb foul on Justin Holiday, who hit both of his free throws.
Not to be outdone, the Pacers fouled Robert Williams III on the next possession, putting Time Lord at the line, where he went 2-for-2. Teams are taught to play clean basketball at the end of tight games, but the Celtics and Pacers apparently didn't receive the memo. Lance Stephenson hogged the ball on Indiana's subsequent possession before bricking a long 2-pointer off the front of the rim, and Jaylen Brown grabbed the rebound. The Celtics, who were down by two with 12.2 seconds left, appeared to be in prime position to tie the game or take the lead.
But first, there was more ineptitude. Tatum threw the ball inside only to see it sail over the backboard and out of bounds. The Celtics regained control, and Tatum was able to sink a baseline jumper to tie up the game at 89.
Mercifully, the Celtics decided to turn into an actual basketball team over the final five minutes, with Brown and Tatum combining for nine points.
They won the game, but everybody who watched was a loser.
