Pacers blow Game 1 to Celtics due to an avoidable mistake

On a recent episode of their "Mind the Game" podcast, LeBron James and JJ Redick implored coaches to foul when up three in the waning seconds of a ball game. 

Their rant resulted from the Knicks choosing not to foul Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey in Game 5 of their first-round series. Maxey would make the Knicks pay by sending the game to overtime en route to the Sixers' 112-106 win.

The Pacers were in the same position Tuesday night. Up three with 8.3 seconds left in regulation, Indiana had the option of fouling a Celtics player. Instead, it allowed Jaylen Brown to sink a corner three. 

Granted the Pacers had 5.1 seconds to get a go-ahead bucket, they put themselves in a hole that could have been easily avoided. 

One could argue that Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla drew up a precise inbound play that got Brown the ball in the corner (Jrue Holiday with the assist). However, the Pacers could have been more attentive on defense and prevented the sequence only if they were more aggressive about fouling.