INDIANAPOLIS — In a span of two hours, the Celtics showed why they are the prohibitive favorites to win the NBA championship, and why they are the most infuriating elite team in recent Boston memory.
They truly believed a stellar six minutes would be good enough to knock off the shorthanded Indiana Pacers, and when it wasn’t, they played in quicksand — unable to defend, unable to hit open shots, unable to even hit free throws.
Yet, they played scrappy enough after a miserable first half to stay within striking distance. And that’s when Jrue Holiday and Al Horford sparked what could be a season-defining rally, one that could make championship highlight tapes.
Horford picked the right night to become a knockdown 3-point shooter while Holiday, who was questionable with a non-COVID illness, responded with a go-ahead bucket and free throw, and then a critical steal of Andrew Nembhard with the Celtics clinging to a 1-point lead.
These Celtics may drive their faithful crazy, but they are also one win from the NBA Finals.
The 114-111 win was thievery, as they outplayed the Pacers for exactly 10 of the 48 minutes. As much as they will be criticized for letting down against a team without its best player and spending most of their evening sleepwalking defensively, they are 11-2 in this postseason.
Perhaps Celtics teams of the past, or even current playoff teams, may relent when it’s apparent the adversity is predominant. This group of dawgs didn’t.
“I didn’t feel too well,” Holiday said. “But it’s Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. I wasn’t going to miss this game. It means a lot, the trust that [coach Joe Mazzulla] gives me. He allows me to be myself. He’s challenging me to be a better player and a better teammate.”
The deficit grew to 18 points when pesky T.J. McConnell canned a short pull-up jumper midway through the third period. Thirty minutes in, the Celtics were just frustrated. Indiana pelted them with midrange jumpers. Even quality defensive possessions were fruitless because of the Pacers’ shotmaking.
“I felt like in the first half it caught us by surprise that we were down by that much,” Mazzulla said. “I told them, ‘Fellas, it’s going to happen. It might not be the last time we’re down by double digits.’
“I liked the way we handled that and it was just a test of mindset and toughness. I thought the guys came through big time.”
Jayson Tatum, who played his best game of the series, sparked a 15-6, quarter-ending run with a 3-point play and another 3-pointer. Finally, the Celtics started to play more cohesive defense — challenging entry passes, doubling Pascal Siakam, pressuring McConnell and Nembhard on the dribble, actually making it more difficult for the Pacers.
Indiana shot a blistering 63.6 percent in the first half and scored 69 points. The hosts made just 38.3 percent in the second half, scoring 42. It was a 24-minute defensive masterpiece.
After Holiday’s layup-and-1 gave Boston a 112-111 lead, he hounded Nembhard as he dribbled up the floor, stumbled a bit when Nembhard stopped, then used his physicality to bump the Pacer and then his left hand to strip the ball free. Nembhard lay on the floor in frustration while Holiday raced the ball up the floor before being fouled by Siakam. After the foul, he screamed, “Let’s go!” to his celebratory teammates.
“I just made a play,” Holiday said. “He’s a right-hand driver and I just jumped his right hand. From my perspective, I thought I beat him to the spot. If anything, we were chest to chest.”
Said Mazzulla: “That’s a trademark steal he always gets with the inside hand. I’ve been looking forward to a couple of those. He hasn’t gotten as many as I would have liked him to have gotten this year. He made a big-time play.”
The Celtics have been accused of being below average in clutch situations, but they ended the game on a 15-4 run to silence Gainbridge Fieldhouse. They have been accused of being lackadaisical against teams that are missing top players. They were in the first half, with Tyrese Haliburton sitting on the sideline with a hamstring injury.
But they picked the perfect time to return to form. Tatum hit key shots and then made a stellar behind-the-back pass while surrounded by three defenders to an open Horford, who drained his seventh 3-pointer to slice the margin to 111-109. The Pacers had little response. Without Haliburton, they were clinging to their lead, unable to create any steady offense because the Celtics were in their jerseys.
They don’t always play as consistently dominant as observers would like but Saturday’s performance was an indication that this team has grown. That they don’t allow setbacks and bad breaks to affect their focus as they have in the past. This time last year, they were trying to rally from a 3-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference finals because they basically gave up in a Game 3 at Miami.
This time they’re ahead, 3-0, because they have become a resilient bunch, because of the presence of players such as Holiday and because of their past experiences. This team has truly learned. While they may be infuriating to watch at times, this comeback shouldn’t come completely as a surprise.
This team has too many seasoned veterans, too much talent, and too much of a defensive mindset to lose without resistance. Indiana scored 2 points in the final 2 minutes, 38 seconds. The Pacers looked completely helpless on offense. Their luck and good fortune had run out.
And while the Celtics could have made Game 3 easier on themselves by playing with more fortitude earlier, that intensity arrived just in time. You don’t apologize for playoff wins. You don’t have to explain being one win from the NBA Finals. You don’t have to explain winning difficult games on the road.
The Celtics are on the cusp of reaching one of the primary goals, getting back to the championship series. They snatched victory away from the annoying Pacers because of Holiday’s relentless defense, Horford’s 3-point prowess, and a collective effort that is indicative of a team that’s learned from past failures.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.