As the fiercely contested second quarter began, both sides started shuffling their lineups, sending their respective bench units onto the court.
Whether it was the passionate crowd at the arena or the fans eagerly waiting in front of their televisions, everyone had expected this to be the perfect opportunity for the Boston Celtics to turn the tide and come from behind for the win.
After all, everyone knew that the Boston Celtics' bench was exceptionally strong—strong enough to rival the starting lineups of many ordinary teams.
Yet, to everyone's surprise, the Indiana Pacers' reserves successfully held off the Boston Celtics bench's aggressive comeback push.
Luis Scola struck first. He thrived in the paint, repeatedly going to work in the low post with his polished skills.
On every possession, he cleverly used nimble footwork and precise hook shots, sending the ball through the net cleanly as if by magic.
Next, C.J. Watson securely caught a pass from a teammate at the top of the arc. Without hesitation, he rose and fired. The ball traced a beautiful arc through the air before the three-pointer dropped.
Finally, Lavoy Allen burst through the defense like lightning and finished with an easy layup.
For a time, the Indiana Pacers reserves and the Boston Celtics reserves traded blows, neither side giving an inch.
The score rose back and forth, and the battle was incredibly tight.
Although the Indiana Pacers maintained a slim three-point lead, they did not dare relax in the slightest. They continued to give it everything they had and locked down on defense.
Seeing how brilliantly his bench players had performed tonight, head coach Frank Vogel had no intention of taking them out, even when the usual substitution time arrived.
What was more, the trailing Boston Celtics had no plans to replace their bench