Indiana Pacers beat Boston Celtics again to lead series 2-1 in US basketball playoffs

April 28, 2005

Reggie Miller led the Indiana Pacers in scoring with 33 points as the Pacers beat the Celtics in Indianapolis by 23 points to take a 2-1 lead in the first round of the NBA finals. After losing the first game to Boston at the Fleet Center, the Pacers came back in game 2 to win by 3.

The Celtics kept within 5 points of the Pacers until the middle of the second quarter, when the Pacers went on a 13-1 run. At halftime, Pacers led by 17, 55-38. Though the Celtics pulled to within 7 in the middle of the third quarter, they never led again.

Three Celtics scored in double figures (Paul Pierce, Gary Payton, and Antoine Walker), but it was not enough to overcome Reggie Miller, who scored 15 points in the fourth quarter alone. Walker was ejected from the game with 4:05 remaining for two technical fouls.