May 21, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; An overall view of TD Garden before the start of game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

NBA Eastern Conference Finals Preview

Tonight kicks off game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics are entering the Finals with rich history, numerous championships, and a talented roaster. On the other hand the Pacers are known for their tough and gritty mindset.

Moments before

Before moving onto the Eastern Conference Finals, Indiana gave it its all. The Pacers ousted the Knicks in Game 7 to advance to this round. Indiana recorded one of the best shooting performances in NBA playoff history, overpowering the Knicks and advancing to play the Celtics. The Pacers averaged 123.3 points during the regular season, sixth highest in league history, and set an NBA record by scoring 140 points 11 times.

On May 15, Boston played against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Celtics advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for a third straight season.

Cleveland led 46-40 at the beginning of the second quarter after making 4 of 5 shots from the outside arc. However, Boston bounced back and led 58-52 at the half after an 18-6 run in the final minutes. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum did the offensive heavy-lifting.

Ten playoff games in, Tatum is averaging 24.3 points, while Brown averages 23.1 points per game. Winning four out of five the semifinal games, Boston is hungry for the title.

The final seconds

During the regular season Boston and Indiana went head to head 5 times, with the Celtics winning three and Indiana winning two. According to ESPN’S analytics, the matchup predictor states that the Pacers have a 30.8% of winning while the Celtics have a 69.2% chance.

Based on both team’s skills and performances, there will be no problem creating a good offense. Even though Boston is favored heading into the Eastern Conference Finals, its toughest test is going to be against Indiana. Will the Pacers perform the impossible and upset the top-seeded Celtics?

Injuries that will affect the Celtics are Xavier Tillman (personal) and Kristaps Porzingis (calf). The Pacers have a clean bill of health heading into the Eastern Conference Finals.

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