(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The Indiana Pacers had Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals wrapped up against the Boston Celtics last night before seemingly forgetting how to play basketball over the final minute of the game, turning the ball over multiple times en route to allowing Jaylen Brown to tie the game with a corner 3 with five seconds left before ultimately losing in overtime, 133-128.
It was a brutal way to let a game slip through their fingers and Charles Barkley spoke for all fans when he shared his frustration with the Pacers’ late-game execution in a media appearance this morning.
Barkley joined SiriusXM NBA Radio this morning and lamented the Pacers for not fouling Brown when they were up three points with five seconds left, saying: “I am so pi**** off at the Pacers right now, they literally gave a game away because I’m a firm believer in you foul 100 percent of the time,” and later added, “I’m still mad this morning.”
The Celtics got a big Game 1 win last night!
When Charles Barkley joined @TheFrankIsola and @Scalabrine he told the guys just how frustrated he was with the Indiana Pacers at the end of regulation.#NBAConferenceFinals pic.twitter.com/iWxLc7jmHI
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) May 22, 2024
Anybody who watched that game who isn’t a Celtics fan probably feels the same way, as this topic comes up often and there are very few instances where electing to foul when up by three doesn’t work out.
Pascal Siakam had a split second to foul Brown before he got the shot off, as Brown briefly hesitated before shooting.
Brown is also a bad free-throw shooter and is shooting 61.5 percent from the line in the playoffs.
Hopefully, the Pacers can learn from this and deliver in Game 2.
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