All season long, the Eastern Conference was the one the Boston Celtics had to lose.
After dominating their side of the draw, they are back in the NBA Finals.
The Celtics completed the sweep of the Indiana Pacers on Monday night to return to contention for the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the second time in three seasons.
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Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics accepts the Larry Bird Trophy after winning game four of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The Pacers did their best to live and see another day, leading by as many as nine points, but Derrick White broke a 102-102 tie with a 3-pointer with just 45 seconds left.
Indy led by four with 3:33 left, but missed its last four shots and turned the ball over twice: Jrue Holiday grabbed an offensive rebound with just over four seconds left to ice it.
The Celtics are looking for revenge after last year's total failure, where as the number 2 seed, they lost in the first round to the Miami Heat, and eighth seed, in the Eastern Conference Finals; they had fallen in that series, three games to none. , and forced a Game 7, but lost it.
The Boston Celtics celebrate after winning game four of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Boston hasn't won the title since 2008: it lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games two years ago. It is currently their second-longest drought, the longest from 1987 until their most recent championship season 15 years ago.
After beating the Los Angeles Lakers that year, Kobe Bryant got his revenge by winning two years later, in a row.
Tyrese Haliburton missed his second straight game for Indiana with a left hamstring injury.
Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics accepts the Larry Bird Trophy and wins Eastern Conference Finals MVP after winning Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana . (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
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Boston is 12-2 in these playoffs, beating the No. 8 Heat and No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.
Jaylen Brown was named MVP of the series, averaging 27.3 points per game.
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