BOSTON — Jayson Tatum scored 36 points, including 10 in overtime after Jaylen Brown’s tying 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left, and the Boston Celtics rallied at the right time for a 133-128 win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night in NBA action. . Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Jrue Holiday added 28 points for the Celtics, a season-high, and Brown finished with 26 points.
The second game is scheduled for Thursday night in Boston.
Tyrese Haliburton scored 25 points and had 10 assists for the Pacers, who made 13 three-pointers and scored 56 points against a Celtics team that is still playing without the injured Kristaps Porzingis.
Pascal Siakam added 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Myles Turner finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who turned it over twice to take a 3-point lead in the final 30 seconds of regulation.
Brown made Indiana pay for the second, hitting a 3 from the corner with Siakam right in the face to tie it at 117 and force overtime.
Indiana got back in front 123-121 when Haliburton hit all three free throws after being fouled with 1:46 left in overtime. Tatum then muscled up a layup and was fouled by TJ McConnell. Tatum completed the three-point play to put Boston ahead for good.
Haliburton handed it off on the next possession, and the ball eventually found its way to Tatum at the top of the key. Tatum shot the ball, passed a defender, and scored a 3-pointer to make the score 127-123 with 43 seconds left in the game.
Derrick White and Siakam then exchanged layups. Holiday was later fouled and hit two free throws to give Boston a 131-125 lead to seal the win.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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