Celtics
Al Horford is the oldest player in NBA history to make seven 3s in a playoff game.
For the second time in three games, the Celtics relied on some late-game magic to outlast the Indiana Pacers.
The reality is that Boston could easily be down 2-1 right now. Instead, the Celtics have delivered in the defining moments to build a 3-0 lead.
Following Saturday’s 114-111 triumph, Boston is firmly in command and eyeing a sweep Monday night.
Here are 10 telling stats following Game 3 to help contextualize a wild one at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
1. Late-game heroics
According to Celtics radio-play-by-play man Sean Grande, the Celtics are the first team in the last 25 years to win multiple games in a series after trailing by at least five points in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter.
In both games, the odds were stacked against the Celtics. In Game 1, it was Jaylen Brown’s clutch tying 3 that sent the game to overtime. In Game 3, it was Jayson Tatum’s slick behind-the-back pass and Jrue Holiday’s and-one and steal, among other plays.
2. Jayson Tatum’s dominance
Tatum is the first player in NBA history to post at least 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists, along with 0 turnovers, in a playoff game, according to Celtics.com’s Taylor Snow.
Tatum caught fire in the first quarter and helped keep the Celtics afloat in the second half. He shot 12 of 23 from the floor and 5 of 10 from 3-point range and also added two blocks and a steal.
3. Al Horford’s sharpshooting
According to Snow, Horford is the oldest player in NBA history (37 years, 357 days) to make seven 3s in a playoff game.
Horford was 7 of 12 from distance, including one of the biggest shots of the night on Tatum’s feed.
According to Celtics statistician Dick Lipe, no one else in NBA history, regardless of age, has ever had more than one career playoff game with six 3s and three blocks. He turns 38 on June 3.
The Celtics hit 16 3-pointers overall, compared to just five for Indiana.
4. Delivering in the clutch
Much has been made of the Celtics’ perceived inability to execute in the clutch, but so far in the playoffs, that hasn’t been the case at all.
According to Grande, Boston has the best offensive rating (134.4) and defensive rating (96.9) among teams that have played 10 or more clutch minutes in the postseason.
The Celtics are 3-0 in clutch time in the playoffs, have recorded 10 assists on 12 baskets, and have hit all 13 of their free throws, per Lipe.
5. Defensive improvement
Lipe noted that Indiana’s 42 second-half points were the Pacers’ fewest all season.
After dropping 38 in the second quarter en route to 69 in the half, Indiana scored just 21 in the third quarter and 21 in the fourth.
The Celtics held the highest-scoring team in the NBA to 27 points on 30.6 percent shooting in the final 18 minutes.
6. Quite a comeback
The Celtics, who trailed by as many as 18 midway through the third, completed their fifth-largest playoff comeback since 2000 and largest since 2018.
Here’s the full list, courtesy of Lipe:
7. Xavier Tillman’s presence
Xavier Tillman helped changed the complexion of the game with his defensive intensity and versatility.
He finished a team-high plus-13 and added a steal. Tillman only took one shot (he made it), but his activity in 13 minutes was critical – much like Oshae Brissett’s contributions in Game 2.
8. Sam Hauser’s struggles
Sam Hauser is an excellent shooter, but the reality is that he’s in a significant slump at the moment.
Hauser, who went 0 for 3 from distance Saturday, is now 0 for 9 from downtown this series.
He hasn’t had a game with more than two 3-pointers since Game 5 against the Heat in the opening round.
9. Road warriors
The Celtics have started the postseason 5-0 on the road.
Spanning back to last year, according to Grande, their seven wins in a row are tied for the fifth-longest streak in postseason history. With one more, they could tie the 1995-96 Rockets and 1991-92 Bulls for third all-time.
10. This bodes well for Boston
According to Shane Young of Forbes, of the teams to begin a postseason run with an 11-2 or better record, and outscore their opponents by 100 or more in that span, 14 of 16 have won it all.
The Celtics rank 12th when it comes to point differential, at 118, and everyone above them but the 2017 Cavaliers has captured a championship.
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