BOSTON — Jayson Tatum scored 36 points, including 10 points in overtime after Jaylen Brown‘s tying 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds remaining in regulation, and the Boston Celtics rallied just in time for a 133-128 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Jrue Holiday added a season-high 28 points, and Brown finished with 26.
Game 2 is set for Thursday night in Boston.
Tyrese Haliburton had 25 points and 10 assists for the Pacers, who knocked down 13 3-pointers and scored 56 points in the paint against a Celtics team still playing without 7-footer 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 twice turned it over with a 3-point lead in the final 30 seconds of regulation.
Brown made Indiana pay for the second one, hitting a 3 from the corner with Siakam right in his face to tie it at 117.
Indiana went back ahead 123-121 when Haliburton hit all three free throws after being fouled with 1:46 remaining. Tatum then muscled in a layup and was fouled by T.J. McConnell. He completed the three-point play to put Boston ahead for good.
Haliburton turned it over on the next possession and the ball eventually found its way to Tatum at the top of key. He pumped, sidestepped a defender and sunk a 3 to make it 127-123 with 43 seconds left.
Derrick White and Siakam traded layups. Holiday was fouled and hit two free throws to give Boston a 131-125 cushion to seal the win.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.