Celtics at Pacers, Game 4 preview: Boston out for a sweep in Indiana, but knows firsthand this isn’t over – The Boston Globe

If any team understands that a 3-0 series lead isn’t entirely safe, it’s these Celtics, who roared back from a 3-0 deficit against the Heat in last year’s Eastern Conference finals to force a Game 7, only to watch an early ankle injury to Jayson Tatum derail their comeback.

But as close as the 2023 Celtics came, becoming only the fourth team in NBA history to even force a Game 7, they ultimately became the 154th consecutive team to lose a series after falling behind 3-0.

“We’ve met every challenge,” Jayson Tatum said after the Celtics improved to 11-2 in these playoffs. “We’re in great position right now, one win away from the finals. But we can’t look past Monday or anything like that, and we have a special opportunity to go back to the finals.”

The Celtics will still be without Kristaps Porzingis, who has been ruled out, while Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton is listed as questionable with a left hamstring injury he suffered in the third quarter of Game 2, which forced him to miss all of Game 3. Luke Kornet (wrist sprain) and Jrue Holiday (illness) are both listed as questionable. Holiday was questionable for Game 3 but ended up playing and coming up with some of the game’s biggest plays.

The Pacers aim to avoid the fate that befalls 61 percent of teams that fall down 3-0: getting swept.

“We’re not going to be deterred,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “We’re going to be back here Monday night looking to extend the series and we’re going to come at it even harder. We have to. We don’t have a choice . . . Believe me, we are going after them.”

With a victory, the Celtics would reach their second NBA Finals in three seasons.

When: Monday, 8 p.m.

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

TV, radio: ESPN, ESPN2, WBZ-FM 98.5

Line: Boston -7.5. O/U: 222.5.

CELTICS

Season record: 75-20. vs. spread: 49-42, 4 pushes. Over/under: 51-44

Last 10 games: 9-1. vs. spread: 5-5. Over/under: 7-3

PACERS

Season record: 55-43. vs. spread: 53-42, 3 pushes. Over/under: 53-45

Last 10 games: 4-6. vs. spread: 6-4. Over/under: 7-3

TEAM STATISTICS (2022-23 season)

Points per game: Boston 117.9, Indiana 116.3

Points allowed per game: Boston 111.4, Indiana 119.5

Field goal percentage: Boston .475, Indiana .469

Opponent field goal percentage: Boston .463, Indiana .485

3-point percentage: Boston .377, Indiana .367

Opponent 3-point percentage: Boston .345, Indiana .373

Stat of the day: 90 percent of best-of-seven series end in four or five games when one team leads 3-0

Notes: The Pacers and Celtics are the two highest-scoring teams in the playoffs, with Indiana averaging 114.6 points per game and Boston putting up 111.8 . . . The Pacers are shooting 51 percent overall in the playoffs, the highest mark in the league . . . The Celtics lead all playoff teams with 39.5 3-point attempts per game . . . Both conference finals have never ended in sweeps in the same year in NBA history. The Mavericks lead the Western Conference finals, 3-0, after beating the Timberwolves on Sunday.

Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com.