INDIANAPOLIS – The shot that saved Game 1, the steal and pass that sent the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals.
That’s how Jaylen Brown won the Larry Bird trophy.
Brown scored a game-high 29 points to go with six rebounds, two assists and three steals in the Celtics’ narrow 105-102 win in Game 4 of the Eastern finals and was named series MVP by a panel of media members. The winner of the award gets the trophy named after the Celtic legend.
Brown can become one himself if he helps Boston win its record 18th NBA title in a couple weeks.
The Celtics, as they had for most of the series, were staring defeat in the face in Game 4. The Indiana Pacers turned in another valiant effort without their star, Tyrese Haliburton, and the game was tied at 102 with 1:05 left.
Andrew Nembhard, so close to being a series hero for the Pacers, drove in for a would-be go-ahead lay-up, but Brown blocked it. On the ensuing possession, Brown played playmaker and found Derrick White in the corner for what turned out to be the game-winning 3-pointer.
It was Brown’s 3 at the end of regulation in Game 1 that tied the score and sent it to overtime, where the Celtics prevailed.
Brown, who earlier in this series learned he was not voted to one of three All-NBA teams, finished the series averaging 29.8 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
He narrowly escaped serious trouble for himself and his team earlier in the fourth quarter of Game 4. With 7:23 left and Indiana up six, T.J. McConnell was in the process of grabbing an offensive rebound when Brown, turning to knock the ball away, hit McConnell in the face with his hand.
McConnell dropped from the sky onto the court, rolled onto his stomach, and laid on the court for a few minutes.
Upon review, lead referee Zack Zarba said “while unfortunate,” the contact Brown made didn’t rise to the level of a flagrant foul. Instead of free throws and retaining possession, the Pacers didn’t score and Boston answered with a basket to cut its deficit to four points.
The Celtics will make their 23rd NBA finals appearance. This is their second finals appearance in the last three years, last reaching the title round and losing to Golden State in 2022.
Boston will host Game 1 of the 2024 Finals on Thursday, June 6, against either the Dallas Mavericks or Minnesota Timberwolves. Dallas leads the Western Conference finals series 3-0 and can complete a sweep Tuesday night at home.
This story will be updated.
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(Photo: Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
