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Starting 5, May 26: Here’s how rare that Celtics comeback was

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6 months ago

May 27, 2024

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While you go up 3-0, however you wanted just a little historical past to get there.

THE LINEUP 🏀

Jrue & Jayson: Vacation’s clutch performs & Tatum’s monster evening paced the C’s in a historic comeback

Function Gamers Rise: Al Horford & Andrew Nembhard put in work on Saturday

Kyrie & Luka: How their chemistry & friendship have elevated their play — and their workforce

3 Issues For Recreation 3: What to observe earlier than Wolves-Mavs heads to Dallas tonight (8 ET, TNT)

Fan Favorites 2024: Who took residence {hardware} for prime dunk, dime, type & extra?

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Immediately: The Western Convention Finals shifts to Dallas (8 ET, TNT), the place the Mavs look to go up 3-0 and the Wolves look to remain red-hot on the highway within the postseason.

1. TATUM’S HUGE GAME, HOLIDAY’S BIG FINISH PUT C’S UP 3-0

Weighed by an sickness, Jrue Vacation needed to skip shootaround on Saturday morning.

However after logging 38 minutes in Recreation 3, Vacation used no matter he had left to make two of the most important performs of the Celtics’ season – finishing Boston’s 18-point comeback and lifting the Celtics to a 114-111 win over the Pacers & a 3-0 ECF lead. | Recap | The Comeback

Historic Comeback: The Celtics grew to become simply the sixth NBA workforce since 1997-98 to win a Playoff sport after trailing by 18 or extra within the 2nd half

Jrue’s And-1: With 39 seconds left and Boston on the verge of its first lead since early within the 2nd Q, Vacation powered his technique to an And-1 layup to place the C’s up 112-111

Jrue’s Steal: With Andrew Nembhard (32 pts) driving, Vacation swiped the rock and hit 2 free throws to extend the result in 114-111 with 3 seconds left. Hear him name it

Deja Vu: For the second time this collection, a Vacation cease in crunch time helped seal a win. In Recreation 1, his protection on Ty Haliburton pressured a late turnover that led to a Jayson Tatum dagger trey

🗣️ Stated Tatum: “Man, I’m glad we bought him.”

As for Tatum … the Celtics’ All-NBA First Teamer put collectively top-of-the-line Convention Finals video games within the historical past of one of many NBA’s unique groups. | Tatum’s Highlights

No Celtic has ever matched his line of 36+ pts, 10+ reb, 8+ ast and a pair of+ blk within the Convention Finals

Just one participant ever has within the Conf Finals, since blocks have been first recorded in 1973-74: Charles Barkley, who went 43-15-10-2 in opposition to Seattle on June 1, 1993

Tatum grew to become the youngest participant ever to achieve 2500+ pts, 800+ reb & 500+ ast within the Playoffs, and the 4th Celtic ever – becoming a member of Invoice Russell, John Havlicek and Paul Pierce

About That Comeback: Boston had jumped out to an early lead, however a 63.6% first-half taking pictures efficiency by the Pacers put Indy up 69-57 on the break – a lead that jumped to 84-66 with 6 minutes left within the third.

From that time on, the No. 1 seed outscored the Pacers 48-27, taking pictures 50% from the sphere and limiting Indy’s high-powered offense to only 30.6%

That included a 13-2 run to complete the sport

One different standout stat? The Celtics blocked 8 pictures within the closing 18 minutes, in comparison with zero from the Pacers. Tatum & Derrick White led with 2, as each Celtic starter bought one

Stated Tatum: “No lead is secure within the NBA no extra. … However you gotta imagine. We at all times believed we bought an opportunity to win the sport.”

Recreation 4 ideas Monday at 8 ET on ESPN.

2. NEMBHARD & HORFORD RISE UP

Andrew Nembhard and Al Horford had led their groups in scoring as soon as this yr. Mixed.

However over the course of Saturday’s Recreation 3, the pair – that includes a participant (Horford) in his seventeenth yr and the opposite in his second – starred for his or her squads in a battle of position gamers going large.

Nembhard’s team-high 32 pts shattered his earlier Playoff career-high of 20 (from earlier this yr), as he crammed in for the injured Tyrese Haliburton

Horford (23 pts) hit a Playoff career-high 7 threes, together with 4 within the first half to maintain the Celtics from falling additional behind, then two extra through the 18-point comeback

Thrust Into Highlight: Nembhard had began 47 video games this yr, however constructed a rep extra as a defensive participant and dependable ballhandler than a marquee scorer. Til Saturday no less than.

Nembhard ranked 1st in DefRtg on the Pacers this yr (min 15 mpg) and third in AST/TO ratio – however simply eleventh on the workforce in PPG. He’d led Indy in scoring as soon as.

However his 17 factors within the 2nd quarter – essentially the most he’s ever scored in 1 / 4 in any sport – powered the Pacers to a 38-25 second body

On an evening when 4 Pacers scored 20+ in Haliburton’s absence (TJ McConnell, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner), Nembhard led Indy in scoring throughout Boston’s comeback, too, with 9 pts

Horford Heats Up: The 17-year vet’s 23 factors gave him essentially the most he’s had because the 2022 postseason, with 8 of them coming because the Celtics climbed again within the 4th quarter.

Oldest Ever: The 37-year-old, who turns 38 on June 3, grew to become the oldest participant to empty 7+ treys in a Convention Finals sport

Stated Tatum: “He’s a man that retains us all collectively.”

3. KYRIE & LUKA: ALL LOVE

Going into this season — after taking part in lower than 20 video games collectively in a 2022-23 marketing campaign that noticed the Mavs miss the Playoffs — Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic talked about their hopes in constructing chemistry.

Now, getting into tonight’s West Finals Recreation 3 (8 ET, TNT) with a 2-0 collection lead, they’re sounding like longtime associates — and crediting their relationship as a catalyst for achievement.

🗣️ Luka on Kyrie: “He simply helped me mature so much. And understand to see the sport another way. And clearly on the court docket, he’s superb to play with.”

🗣️ Kyrie on Luka: “I believe the massive phrase that we each can agree on is simply maturity… Off the court docket, I knew ultimately that I might get him to open up. He’s a teddy bear that likes to compete.”

The Partnership: Kyrie & Luka mixed for 50+ factors in a league-high 41 video games within the common season and now discover themselves two wins away from the NBA Finals.

Within the common season, Doncic (33.9 ppg) and Irving (25.6 ppg) have been the highest-scoring duo amongst gamers certified as a league chief (min. 58+ video games performed)

This postseason, they’ve already mixed for 50+ factors seven instances, together with in Dallas’ final three video games — all of which have been wins

Mavericks All-Time Record: Kyrie & Luka be part of Nick Van Exel and Steve Nash as the one Mavs teammates to each notch 300 factors and 75 assists in a Playoff run

The Progress: However the stats solely inform a part of the story — Luka stated he’s seen Kyrie step into his position as a pacesetter, and Kyrie stated he’s seen Luka take his place among the many greats.

🗣️ Luka: “All people appears to be like as much as him… He’s been superb to us. Serving to us out. Speaking to us. Holding us constructive. I’m actually glad he’s on our workforce.”

🗣️ Kyrie: “I’m amazed… Watching him ascend into turning into an all-time nice is superb, and I don’t take it with no consideration.”

The 1-2 Punch: When one’s been off, the opposite’s taken over — like in Recreation 1 when Irving scored 24 factors within the 1st half and Doncic dropped 19 within the 2nd — and once they’re each on, it’s unhealthy information for his or her opponents.

Candy 60: The Mavericks are 15-8 this season when Kyrie & Luka mix for 60+ factors

In Recreation 1 of the WCF, Kyrie & Luka grew to become simply the sixth pair of teammates to every rating 30+ factors of their first Convention Finals sport collectively

In Recreation 2, they mixed for 52 factors, and every had a 3 within the closing 1:05 of regulation, stamped by Doncic’s game-winner with 3.1 seconds remaining

Will Kyrie & Luka lead the Mavs to a 3rd straight win in opposition to the Wolves in Dallas, or will Minnesota bounce again in Recreation 3? Discover out tonight at 8 ET on TNT.

4. 3 THINGS AHEAD OF GAME 3

4. That’s what number of complete factors separate the Mavs and Wolves within the Western Convention Finals.

The opening two contests in Minnesota every got here down to at least one possession, and whereas Dallas returns residence with a 2-0 collection lead, the scoreboard tells a better story.

With Minnesota seeking to make it 2-1 after a change of surroundings, and Dallas seeking to take a commanding 3-0 lead, lock in on 3 issues to know earlier than Recreation 3 (8 ET, TNT).

1. Highway Warriors: Or ought to we are saying Highway Wolves? Minnesota has gone 5-1 on the highway within the Playoffs — in comparison with its 3-4 report at residence — and went 3-1 in Denver final collection.

House Away From House: The Wolves have averaged extra factors (109.2 vs. 107.1) and shot the next proportion (47.7% vs. 45.3%) on the highway this postseason than at residence

Ant & KAT: Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Cities have been significantly higher on the highway within the Playoffs, as Ant’s scoring common (30.0 ppg vs. 25.4 ppg) jumps 4.6 factors and Kat’s (23.2 vs. 14.1) jumps 9.1

Avoiding A Second Third: Earlier than shedding Video games 3-5 in opposition to the Nuggets, Minnesota hadn’t dropped three straight video games all season

2. Ant & KAT (Once more): Edwards and Cities — the Wolves’ two prime scorers this season — shot a mixed 9-33 in Recreation 2. Can they return to type tonight?

Ending: Earlier than this collection, Ant was taking pictures 69.1% inside 5 toes of the basket, whereas KAT was taking pictures 63.3% — this collection they’re taking pictures 20.0% and 46.2% across the rim
Factors In The Paint: Within the first two rounds, Ant averaged 11.1 PITP per sport, and KAT averaged 8.2 — within the WCF, Dallas has restricted them to three.0 and 6.0 PITP per sport, respectively

The ‘Huge’ 3: Dallas’ trio of Daniel Gafford, Dereck Full of life II and P.J. Washington have dominated the paint, holding Minnesota gamers to 20% decrease FG% than workforce averages once they’re defending inside 6 toes

KAT: Recreation 2 marked the second time all season that KAT (4-16 fg) shot 25% or worse on 10+ makes an attempt, and he didn’t see motion after subbing out on the 8:40 mark of the 4th quarter, whereas a scorching-hot Naz Reid crammed in

🗣️KAT: “I’m with successful, so no matter it takes to win… Coach’s resolution. Gained’t query it one bit.”

🗣️Ant: “I ain’t trippin’. I’m not likely stressing about me getting going. Simply maintain making the best performs.”

3. The Clutch: Recreation 1 was determined by three factors (108-105). Recreation 2 was determined by one level (109-108). The Mavs have taken each — Why?

Luka Doncic: In 10 complete minutes of clutch time (the ultimate 5 minutes of every sport), Luka’s scored a series-high 10 factors, together with 5 within the closing 60 seconds of each video games mixed

3s: Dallas has shot 4-7 (57.1%) from downtown in clutch time, whereas Minnesota has shot 2-7 (28.6%)

Turnovers: The Mavs additionally solely have three turnovers in clutch time in comparison with the Wolves’ 5

Last Minute: Within the closing 60 seconds of every sport, Dallas has outscored Minnesota 7-3, going 2-4 from the sphere with no turnovers whereas the Wolves’ have shot 1-4 from the sphere and turned it over twice

5. YOUR 2024 NBA FAN FAVORITES

NBA ID Members world wide voted.

And on Friday, the winners of this yr’s NBA Fan Favorites powered by NBA ID have been unveiled.

See which gamers took residence the {hardware} in classes like greatest dunk, greatest dime, greatest type and extra – together with a trio of awards to one of many sport’s greatest rising stars.

AT&T Dunk of the Yr: Anthony Edwards