Margins between winning and losing were small for Indiana Pacers in Game 4. It summed up their series vs Celtics

The Pacers were swept in the Eastern Conference Finals

May 27, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) push each other away to intercept the ball during the second quarter during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — Game 4 of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals came and went. It was a great duel that came down to the wire, with defense being the name of the game in the final minutes. The Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics were used to tight battles in this series, and Monday night was another one.

With 3:11 to go, Indiana was up by four. With 2:40 left, the game was tied. Then, nobody scored for nearly two minutes. It was an even score in the final 60 seconds, a familiar sight in this best-of-seven. Indiana was ahead or tied on the scoreboard during the last minute in Games 1, 3, and 4.

Yet all three outings went to the Celtics. Game 4 was the final blow, with Boston sweeping the series. The slimmest of margins, which all came down to late game execution, were the difference in the Eastern Conference Finals.

"I think we definitely had our hands on them," Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard said of the close games.

After reaching 102 points with 3:33 to go in Game 4, Indiana didn't score the rest of the night. They missed all four of their shot attempts and mixed in two turnovers. Boston wasn't scoring much either, but Derrick White found space for a wide-open three with 45 seconds to go and drilled it. That was enough to put the game away.

It also ended the series. Three of the Pacers four defeats were by five points or less, including an overtime loss in Game 1. They were right there on multiple occasions and they know it. But being close is meaningless if they don't ever win, and the series stopped after four outings.

"They're a good team. We fought and played how we wanted to play... I felt like we did what we wanted to do this series," Pacers forward Obi Toppin said.

It's a frustrating series for the blue and gold. It's hard to evaluate a close set that ends in a sweep, and being eliminated is tough to handle in general. To have it happen in such an irritating manner only adds to the pain of defeat. The Pacers were right there and likely feel they should still be playing. But their series, and their season, is over.

In clutch time during the Eastern Conference Finals, Indiana had a net rating of -37.3. Their defense was bad and their offense was even worse — the Pacers effective field goal percentage in those moments was 46.6%. Their turnover rate was 23.1%. When Boston narrowed the deficit late, the Pacers crumbled.

"I look at the process, the level of fight, our situation with personnel. All that kind of stuff. There's no excuses," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of what he takes away from a series with so many close games. "Boston has a great team. They led the league from wire-to-wire and really ran away with it. They're opportunistic... give them credit for the stuff they pulled off at the end of the last two games. They simply made plays."

Carlisle loved that his team never wavered throughout the series. "We made our share of mistakes," he said.

The margins between victory and defeat were small in the Eastern Conference Finals. Indiana was outscored by just 27 total points in the series. For reference, in their most recent sweep prior to this season, the Miami Heat beat the Pacers by 42 total points.

History won't remember how close this best-of-seven set was. It will be discussed for the final result of the series. But the Pacers were close, and Game 4 was just another tight defeat. It ended the Pacers season.

Now, they fade into their offseason. It was a terrific campaign for the blue and gold, Carlisle called it magical. They made the Eastern Conference Finals in their first postseason appearance with this core. They have room to grow despite a successful year, and they'll try to build on it.

The basketball games ended with a sour taste, though. They battled the top-seeded Celtics as well as anyone, but it wasn't enough.

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