jQuery(document).ready(function() { addByline("Marc D'Amico", "Celtics.com", "Marc_DAmico"); keysToTheGame('post'); });
Key Moment
Wednesday’s matchup between the Celtics and the Pacers came down to Indiana making a 3-pointer when it counted most, and Boston misfiring when it mattered most.
Up by two points and heading toward the final minute of the game, Indiana got an extra shot in the arm when Justin Holiday connected on a shot from long distance with 1:26 left on the clock. That bucket provided the Pacers with just enough cushion to hold off the Celtics’ attempt at a last-minute comeback.
Boston needed a stop on that possession, and it didn’t get one. The C’s also needed a 3-pointer during the final seconds to get overtime, and they didn’t get that either.
Kemba Walker, who was on fire all night long and scored a season-high 44 points, misfired on a 3-pointer with 4.2 seconds left in the game that could have potentially forced overtime. His attempt, which was of high difficulty, caught nothing but air before falling out of bounds along the baseline.
Indiana nailed two free throws with 2.0 seconds left to cap its win off by a score of 122-117.
Key Player
Kemba Walker was cookin’ Wednesday night, but he couldn’t eat the Indiana Pacers for dinner.
Walker set a new season high in scoring by dropping 44 points on the Pacers during a 122-117 loss at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The three-time All-Star nearly set a new season high in scoring before the third quarter came to a close, but he misfired on a free throw with 2:01 remaining that would have given him 40 points.
A stellar shooting night paced Walker’s scoring effort. He connected on 16 of his 28 shot attempts, including a 7-for-15 performance from long distance.
Walker rounded out his box score by adding in seven assists, three rebounds and two steals. He played 35-plus minutes of the game.
Box Score Nuggets
- Kemba Walker's 44 points were 15 more than any other player in the game.
- Malcolm Brogdon finished second in the game with 29 points.
- Three players tied for the game's top assist total. Jaylen Brown, Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis each dished out eight assists.
- Brown's eight assists set a new career high. He also scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
- Both teams shot 48.2 percent or better from the field.
- Indiana made eight more free throws (30) than Boston attempted (22).
- Sabonis led the game with 14 rebounds.
- Indiana's bench outscored Boston's by a count of 47-19.
- Boston was outscored 38-23 during the fourth quarter.
- The contest featured 19 lead changes and 12 ties, and each team led by double-figures.
- Aaron Holiday was a plus-29 after scoring 18 points on 8-for-9 shooting.
Quote of the Night
Jaylen Brown on fouling out of the game