In one of the most thrilling games in the NBA Playoff finals yet, the Boston Celtics secured a win over the Indiana Pacers. They gained a commanding 3-0 lead. However, it is unbelievable that the Celtics were down by 18 points. They were also down by eight points with just 2:38 left until the end of the game. To pull the game from such an intense situation, the credit goes to the Celtics’ head coach, Joe Mazzulla. Even after scoring impeccable 36 points in such a crucial game, with 10 rebounds and 8 assists, forward Jayson Tatum conveyed his gratitude to Mazzulla. He thanked him for leading the team to victory.

Interstingly, the Pacers had the Celtics under control in the first half of the game with their explosive scoring. However, Mazzulla kept the morale high for his team. Ultimately, Jayson Tatum and Co. pulled off the game after a crucial third-quarter timeout. Tatum mentioned in his post-match presser, “Joe just kind of told us stop feeling sorry for ourselves and whatever situation we in, that’s the situation that we’re in and, uh, showing us to, to figure it out.” Boston team closed the third quarter on a 15-6 run. This momentum was enough to set up the backstage for the Celtics to get the lead in the fourth quarter, managing a genuine lead.

Even Jayson himself confessed to the media, “It was one of those time outs maybe with like five minutes left in the third where we kind of turned it around.” Mazzulla’s insulting remarks calmed down the minds of the young guns of the Celtics. They figured out a path and the solution was simple. They had a lot of time left to cover the lead that they had given. Their head coach reminded the team of it when he sensed trouble. But it wasn’t just the offense that brought the Celtics back into the game.

Considering the Pacers’ high-intensity offense, Mazulla opted for a high-level defensive approach, keeping his bench afloat in the second half. It not only reduced the burden from the shoulders of the offense but also put a display in the glass area. Even Mazzulla admitted that it was their “defense” that took the game in the second half.

Jaylen Brown’s hilarious remark on the Pacers offense despite Jayson Tatum’s performance

Though the Celtics clinched away the victory from the Indiana Pacers, it was a comeback victory. The opponent had the chance of winning the first half, considering their extensive scoring. They pulled off such a performance against the Celtics. Even when their star player, Tyrese Haliburton, was not there. He was not there to support their offense. Simply put, the Pacers were playing their best and shadowed the Celtics. Even Jaylen Brown admitted to the explosiveness of the forwards of the opponent team.

“We could say that we didn’t play as well tonight, but I feel like they just — you had to be out there to kind of feel them, they were just flying around, ” Brown expressed his opinion, left in awe of the opponent’s baskets. However, that was not it; the statement following the praise was hilarious as he stated, “Then they were shooting the ball well; some of those guys turned into f—ing Michael Jordan or whatever.” Interestingly, Jordan was famous for his hang time in the air when he used to go for slam dunks. It seemed as if he was afloat in the air.

Jordan or not, the Pacers put up a good competition. Moreover, it is not going to get easier for the Celtics also. What is your prediction for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals? Let us know in the comments, and watch out for what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about the marketing genius through this video.