The tried to keep their season alive on Saturday night at home against the in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. But the Celtics gutted out an impressive win in comeback fashion to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. The Pacers made things difficult for the team that won 64 games in the regular season, fighting until the end while being short-handed.
It was reported by several media outlets and NBA insiders prior to Game 3 that Pacers' All-Star guard and one of the best passers in the game, , would not play in the contest due to left hamstring soreness. Haliburton had previously dealt with left hamstring issues in this post-season run, but could not suit up after tweaking it again. As a result, Andrew Nembhard took on the do-it-all role for the Pacers with the season on the line down two games to none.
Nembhard, the 24-year-old second-year guard had previously displayed his talents in this playoff run for the Pacers, as his 20-point performance in Game 7 of the East Semi-Finals against the helped Indiana reach the Conference Finals for the first time in a decade. His scoring ability specifically has been shown over his first two years in the league, as his formal introduction to the casual fan came courtesy of a 31-point outburst against the as a rookie in the 2022-23 season. In Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, with their backs against the wall, the Pacers would come out of the gates playing great basketball, taking a 12-point lead into halftime by way of .
