Celtics Overcome Foul Ending

The Boston Celtics earned one more chance at home, though that has hardly been an advantage so far.

In the wildest game yet of a series headed to a Game 7, the Celtics overcame the late ejection of Paul Pierce and sent their first-round matchup with the Indiana Pacers back to Boston for the deciding game with a 92-89 victory Thursday night.

“That is the craziest game I’ve ever seen in my life,” Celtic Coach Doc Rivers said. “This series has just been unreal.”

In six games, the home team has won only twice.

On Thursday night, Antoine Walker scored 24 points, including a go-ahead three-point basket early in overtime and the clinching basket with a minute to go to keep the Celtics alive.

Boston was trying to hang on in regulation when Pierce was ejected for his second technical foul. The Celtics led, 84-83, at the time, and Pierce had just been intentionally fouled by Jamaal Tinsley as the Pacers tried to stop the clock. Tinsley hit Pierce in the neck while fouling him, and Pierce appeared to swing his elbow in anger.

“It was an overreaction to a hard foul and I lost my cool out there. It almost cost us,” Pierce said. “I’m just happy we got the win. I don’t know how I’d feel if we lost this game.”

Reggie Miller made the technical foul shot to tie it, and the Pacers got to choose which Celtic player would replace Pierce at the foul line. They selected Kendrick Perkins, a 64% foul shooter, and he missed both attempts.

The Pacers then had a chance to win, but Miller shot an airball from behind the three-point line.