Celtics come back from 18 points down to take commanding 3-0 lead over Pacers in East finals

Jrue Holiday, a Boston Celtics guard, spent the entire day feeling ill before making the Indiana Pacers sick on Saturday night. The 15-year NBA veteran was a thorn in the Pacers' side for the final 38.9 seconds of Saturday's 114-111 win, giving Boston a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Holiday was running a high fever and spent most of the day sleeping. He wasn't cleared to play until about 45 minutes before tip-off.

"I didn't feel too well," Holiday said. "I guess I just figured if I got a good day's rest or tried to sleep through it, that would help me for tonight. But it's Game 3 in the Eastern Conference finals, so I wasn't going to miss this game."

Holiday's efforts give the Celtics a chance to clinch the best-of-seven series on Monday in Indianapolis.

Holiday converted a game-winning three-pointer and added a crucial steal in the final seconds as Boston closed with a 13-2 run, handing the Pacers their first home loss in seven games this postseason.

Jayson Tatum had 36 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists as Boston rallied from an 18-point third-quarter deficit. For the top-seeded Celtics, Jaylen Brown scored 24 points and Al Horford made a career-high seven three-pointers while scoring 23.

Indiana's Aaron Nesmith had a 3-pointer that bounced off the rim as time expired.

For the sixth-seeded Pacers, Andrew Nembhard recorded a career-high 32 points and nine assists. T.J. McConnell had 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, Myles Turner had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Pascal Siakam had 22 points for Indiana, who suffered its first home loss since March 18.

Tyrese Haliburton, an All-NBA Third-Team selection, was absent due to a left hamstring injury sustained in Game 2.

Holiday finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, and three steals, his most significant contributions coming late in the game.

Boston trailed by five before Horford hit a three-pointer with 1:12 remaining, and Holiday added his crucial three-point play to give the Celtics a 112-111 lead with 38.9 seconds left.

Later, the Pacers opted not to take a timeout in search of a game-winning shot. Nembhard had the ball, but Holiday forced it away with 3.3 seconds left. Holiday was then fouled and converted two free throws with 1.7 seconds remaining.

"I think I just made a play," Holiday said. "I felt he's a right-hand driver and he's been very aggressive all night. He's a great player and had a great game but I kind of jumped his right hand and made the steal."

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle stated that the situation was ideal for one of his players to make a play.

"With eight or nine seconds left and you're in transition after a miss, I trust our players to be able to create a better shot than calling a timeout, having them set their defense," Carlisle said.

Nembhard said, "I was trying to get a shot, and he got in front of me and I lost the ball."

While Nembhard's turnover was the most glaring play, Indiana struggled after taking an eight-point lead with 2:38 remaining.

"They made timely baskets," Siakam said. "At the end of the day, we just didn't get the job done at the end."

Derrick White had 13 points for the Celtics, who shot 47 percent from the field and 16 of 46 from three-point range.

Indiana shot 50.5 percent from the field and made 5 of 22 three-pointers. The Pacers shot only 38.3 percent overall in the second half.

Boston trailed by 18 midway through the third quarter before closing to 93-90 on Horford's three-pointer with 8:31 left in the game.

McConnell and Nembhard responded with baskets, extending the lead to seven. Indiana eventually led 109-101 after McConnell's driving layup with 2:38 left, but the Celtics responded with the final charge.

"The biggest thing for us is we understood it was going to be very difficult here," Horford said of his club overcoming Indiana's 18-point lead. "We understood the challenge. ... They kept bringing it. Let's just keep playing and stay with it."

Nembhard scored 17 of his 21 first-half points in the second quarter, giving the Pacers a 69-57 lead at the break. Indiana shot a scorching 63.6 percent from the field during the half.

Before intermission, Siakam and Turner each scored 15 points for the Pacers. Tatum had 20 points in the first two quarters for Boston.

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