The Celtics trailed (very) late. Then the Jays took over.

THE LINEUP 🏀

What’s inside today’s edition? 

Celtics survive: A clutch 3 by Jaylen Brown forced OT, then Jayson Tatum took over for Boston

More records: This Celtics squad continues to add its name to the Boston record book

2nd-half heart: The Wolves and Mavs have thrived after the halftime break all postseason

The X-factors: The importance of Dereck Lively II and Jaden McDaniels in the West Finals

Leading scorers: Learn more about the quartet of young (24.62 average age) scoring leaders

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Last night’s score & what to watch today.

On Tuesday, the 2023-24 All-Defensive Teams were announced, led by four-time DPOY Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama becoming the first rookie named to the First Team.

Tonight, the All-NBA Teams will be unveiled (8 ET, TNT), before Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Mavs and Wolves tips in Minnesota (8:30 ET).

Trivia: Before we learn this year’s All-NBA Teams, can you list the members of the 2022-23 All-NBA First Team?

1. CELTICS SURVIVE IN OT, TAKE GAME 1

Jaylen Brown got the Celtics to OT. Then, Jayson Tatum did the rest.

Tatum scored 10 of his game-high 36 in the extra frame, as he, Jrue Holiday (28 pts) & Jaylen Brown (26) drove Boston to the 133-128 East Finals Game 1 win over Indy — becoming the 1st Celtics trio with 25+ each in an ECF game. | Recap |  Must-See OT Ending

But to even get to OT, Boston had to pull off a new signature comeback in a Playoffs full of them.

Celtics down 3, nine seconds left, Pacers ball. Brown defends Pascal Siakam on the inbounds pass and forces a turnover. Celtics ball. Underneath their own basket.

A perfect Derrick White screen on Siakam freed Brown to get to the corner for the game-tying 3 with six seconds left, as Siakam was too late to contest the shot without fouling. | See it from inside the arena

• 🗣️ Brown: “I told Jrue I was going to be open in the corner… and I knocked it down.”
• You Heard Right: That was the rare double ‘Bang’ from Mike Breen to add to the collection

Indy had one last shot for the win and Tyrese Haliburton had already hit a 35-footer to end the half and a 28-foot banked 3 at the 3Q buzzer.

• He couldn’t repeat the magic at the end of regulation as his 27-foot fadeaway missed

• A pair of free throws with 2:27 left, drawing a foul on a breakaway sparked by an Al Horford block to put Boston up 1
• A driving and-1 layup with 1:12 left to put Boston back up 1
• A step-back 3 on the next possession to put Boston up 4 with 43 seconds left
• Two more clutch FTs with 9 seconds left to put Boston up five and ice the game
• 🗣 “That … was crazy” – Tatum summed up the night perfectly on his walk off

Indy Rallied, But Couldn’t Hold On: Trailing 92-79 with 3:23 left in the 3rd quarter, the Pacers closed the period on a 14-2 run, capped by Haliburton’s bank 3 at the buzzer. The Pacers took the lead early in the 4th and led by five late before Boston forced OT.

• Haliburton (25 pts, 10 ast), Siakam (24 pts, 12 reb, 7 ast) and Myles Turner (23 pts, 10 reb) each posted 20/10s for Indy as the Pacers aimed for massive back-to-back road wins coming off Sunday’s Game 7 in NY
• Third Time Ever: Indy had three players post double-doubles for only the third time in their NBA Playoff history – and the first time since 2005
• Haliburton joined Trae Young (48 pts, 11 ast) and Jrue Holiday (33 pts, 10 ast) in the 2021 East Finals as the only players to post 25+ pts and 10+ ast in their conference finals debut

2. CELTICS STILL SETTING RECORDS

The Celtics’ storied history makes their record book tough to crack.

But the 2023-24 Celtics have etched their name among the all-time Boston greats multiple times this season.

• Best home start in team history (20-0), most points in a season (9,887), most 3s made in a season (1,351)… and plenty more

And they’re doing it again in the Playoffs.

• Game 1, First Round: The Celtics opened the game (and series) on a 14-0 run against Miami, becoming the first team in NBA history to open a postseason on such a run
• Game 1, East Finals: On Tuesday, the Celtics scored the first 12 points of the game – the best start in a Conference Final game in the Tatum/Brown era
• Conference Finals 1st: Not only did Tatum, Holiday & Brown (26) became the first Celtics trio to each score 25+ pts in an ECF game, it’s only the 9th occurrence in this round by any team since conferences were established in 1970-71
• Tatum posted his 8th Playoff game with 35+ points, passing Paul Pierce for fourth most in Celtics postseason history. He trails only Larry Bird (17), John Havlicek (13) and Sam Jones (13)

3rd Quarter Cs: In addition to the history books, the Celtics also kept a current run alive as they improved to 9-0 this postseason when winning the 3rd quarter. They are 0-2 when losing the 3rd.

• The Celtics are just the 8th team to be at least 9-0 when winning the 3rd quarter, and the first since the 2016-17 Warriors (11-0)

3. WOLVES & MAVS: SECOND-HALF HEART

The Wolves & Mavs, who respectively ousted the defending champion Nuggets and top-seeded Thunder this past weekend, each boast star duos and suffocating defenses.

But another story lies deeper heading into tonight’s Game 1 (8:30 ET, TNT) — their ability to close.

Kings Of The Clutch: Both teams have excelled in the 2nd half, wearing down opponents over the final 24 and building reputations as two of the league’s most relentless squads.

• Minnesota: Over 11 Playoff games, the Wolves have been 19.4 points per 100 poss better in the 2nd half (+18.4) than the 1st (-1.0)
• Dallas: Over 12 Playoff games, the Mavs have been 12.7 points per 100 possessions better in the 2nd half (+9.7) than the 1st (-3.0)
• Stars Shining: Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards (16.1 points) and Dallas’ Kyrie Irving (15.1) and Luka Doncic (12.6) lead all remaining players in 2nd-half scoring

The Wolves, playing in their first West Finals since 2004, have found their offensive stride after the halftime break.

• Minny Miracles: Minnesota has trailed at the half seven times this postseason, but won four of those games, including Sunday’s 20-point rally to take Game 7 against the Nuggets
• Ant Assistance: Minnesota’s teamwide effective FG% has gone from 48.4% before half (12th in Playoffs) to 60.7% after — good for 1st overall

The Mavs, back in the West Finals for the second time in three seasons, also overcame a double-digit halftime deficit to close out OKC — a microcosm of their success after intermissions.

• Dallas Determination: The Mavs have trailed in six of their Playoff games at the half and won three of those games
• 2nd-Half Kyrie: Irving isn’t just averaging 15.1 points after halftime, he’s also increased his offensive rating from 111.5 to 122.6 and his eFG% from 44.2 to 63.5

What’s in store tonight in Minnesota? Find out at 8:30 ET on TNT.

4. WEST FINALS X-FACTORS

Stars Are Out: While Minnesota and Dallas have powered their way to the Conference Finals through grit, grind and motor, make no mistake: the WCF beams with superstars.

But while Luka, Kyrie, Ant, KAT and Rudy — and their 22 All-Star nods, 4 ROTY’s, Gobert’s 4 DPOYs & Doncic’s scoring title — will grab the headlines, both teams have gotten life from players who spent the year under the radar.

The X-Factors: Dallas rookie Dereck Lively II and Minnesota fourth-year wing Jaden McDaniels have gone from role players to local heroes throughout the postseason, with Lively 8th in total +/- at +87 and McDaniels a slot behind, at +83.

McDaniels, who was named to the NBA’s second All-Defensive team Tuesday, hasn’t just stepped up in these Playoffs — his numbers frequently pop in Wolves’ wins

• Wolves’ 8 Wins: 13 ppg, 5.1 rpg, and shooting 39.1% from 3
• Wolves’ 3 Losses: 10 ppg, 2.7 rpg, and shooting 22.2% from 3
• In addition to his swarming defense, McDaniels is averaging 12.4 ppg this postseason while posting the best +/- (7.5) of any remaining wing besides Jayson Tatum (11.5)
• In Sunday’s Game 7 against Denver, McDaniels scored a team-high 23 points on 10 shots while recording six boards, two steals and one block

Lively, a 7-foot-1 Swiss Army Knife, serves as one of the Mavs’ X-factors and has broken records in these Playoffs

• Making History: In the West Semis, Lively posted the highest +/- (71) for a rookie in a playoff series since the stat was first tracked in 1997-98
• His impact has been all over, from leading the team in offensive rebounds (31) and blocks (13) to knocking down four consecutive clutch free throws to seal a 105-101 Game 3 win over OKC
• 🗣️ Kyrie: “He’s 20 years old, and we’re asking him to do a lot of things… he’s been an anchor for us. Numerous occasions where he’s won us basketball games”

Playing With A Purpose: Lively is also dealing with tragedy after losing his mother, Kathy Drysdale, to a long battle with cancer on April 12, and paid tribute to her ahead of the West Finals.

• “Love u momma. Miss u momma,” Lively wrote on Instagram after tallying 12 points and 15 rebounds in the Mavs’ Game 6 win on Saturday. “Just sit back n watch.”
• 🗣️ Lively after rejoining the team following his mom’s passing: “Man, I ain’t around my teammates. I’m around my family.”

5. THE 4 SCORING LEADERS, LIKE YOU HAVEN’T SEEN ‘EM 

Fun Fact: The average age of the leading scorer for each team remaining is 24.62, the youngest in a Conference Finals since 1970-71 — the first season of the current conference alignment.

• Their names? Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum
• You know their games, but do you know their stories?
• Go beyond the court with our favorite all-access moments from Pass The Rock episodes with Ant, Haliburton, Luka, and Tatum

Anthony Edwards’ Rise To Superstardom (Season 2, Ep. 2)

• Memorable Moment (5:40): Ant spends family time with his two brothers, Bubba and Antoine, and his sister, Antoinette
• 🗣️ ”My older siblings kind of just took care of me and made sure I was all right … The people I came in with is the people I’m gonna stay with. I’m not adding no other people to my circle.”

Tyrese Haliburton Is A Born Winner (Season 2, Ep. 4)

• Memorable Moment (7:56): Haliburton on embracing Indy
• 🗣️ “This fits me more, the Midwest feel … I’ve been here my whole life.”

Luka Doncic Is Taking The League By Storm (Season 1, Ep. 5)

• Memorable Moment (10:53): Luka opens up about his competitiveness and his different mindsets on and off the court.
• 🗣️ “I am pretty different on the court and off the court. I am competitive in everything. Playing chess or basketball or anything. Just have a competitive mind.”

Father And Son: The Tatum Edition (Season 1, Ep. 6)

• Memorable Moment (9:30):Tatum on trying to be the best father to his son, Deuce, while shooting hoops with him in the backyard.
• 🗣️ “Knowing how I feel about my parents, especially my mom … She was like a superwoman. I wanted (Deuce) to feel the same way about me.”