The Indiana Pacers let another win slip away on Saturday in their Eastern Conference Finals series against the Boston Celtics. Some fans pinned the blame on Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle.
The Pacers trailed 112-111 with under 10 seconds left at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard grabbed a defensive rebound and pushed the ball up the floor.
Carlisle made the bold decision to let the play unfold without calling a timeout. Nembhard ended up getting stripped by Jrue Holiday, who put the game away at the line to seal a 114-111 Celtics win.
Jrue Holiday makes the steal of the game pic.twitter.com/3JYV1CXQP6
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 26, 2024
Several fans on X were baffled by Carlisle’s decision not to call a timeout.
Rick Carlisle with the game on the line pic.twitter.com/jnI9UbRbEo
— csb (@itsCSB__) May 26, 2024
Rick Carlisle not playing the starters in the 4th during Game 2
Rick Carlisle not calling timeout for the most critical possession of Game 3 pic.twitter.com/Sga5u0FxJv
— Fantasy Genius (@FantasyGenius4U) May 26, 2024
Rick Carlisle with 1 timeout left for no reason: pic.twitter.com/gIxJGBK5fX
— Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks. (@godkidcreamcity) May 26, 2024
that was a sick final play Carlisle drew up. he should try to do more of that next year instead of letting Nembhard run 1 on 4 with the game on the line
— sreekar (@sreekyshooter) May 26, 2024
Nembhard was having the game of his life before the turnover. In the absence of the injured Tyrese Haliburton, Nembhard scored a career-high 32 points on 12/21 shooting.
But the Celtics appeared to have their defense set with Holiday, who has 6-time All-Defensive team nods, hounding Nembhard.
Saturday’s loss was the second game in the series in which the Pacers committed a costly turnover in the closing moments of the contest.
With the Pacers up 117-114 in the fourth quarter of Game 1, Nembhard threw an errant inbound pass that went out of bounds. The Celtics forced overtime and won 133-128.
