Schedule and 2004-05 Results
Regular Season Records: Boston 45-37, Indiana 44-38
Game 1 on Saturday, 23 April: Indiana loses at Boston, 102-pts-82
Game 2 on Monday, 25 April: Indiana wins at Boston, 82-pts-79
Game 3 on Thursday, 28 April: Boston loses at Indiana, 99-pts-76
Game 4 on Saturday, 30 April: Boston wins at Indiana, 110-pts-79
Game 5 on Tuesday, 03 May: Indiana wins at Boston, 90-pts-85
Game 6 on Thursday, 05 May: Boston wins at Indiana, 92-pts-89 (OT)
Game 7 on Saturday, 07 May: Indiana wins at Boston, 97-pts-70

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 7: The Indiana Pacers visited and defeated the Boston Celtics 97-pts-70 to win MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 941 Game 7 (and, thus, series 941 itself). The 27-point margin of victory was the second-largest ever by a road team in Game 7 of an NBA playoff series, second only to series 69 Game 7, in which the Philadelphia Warriors defeated the Bombers in St. Louis 85-pts-46 in their 1948 NBA Semifinals series (the first NBA playoff Game 7 ever). Previously, the second-largest margin of victory by a road team in Game 7 was 16 points, achieved in series 273 when the New York Knickerbockers won Game 7 of their 1973 Semifinals series 94-pts-78 ... also over the Celtics in Boston. The Game 7 record of the Boston Celtics thus falls to a still-stellar 17-5; that for Indiana improves to 2-3. With the series 941 win, the Indiana Pacers' best-of-7 NBA playoff series record improves to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in the Preliminary round. With the series 941 loss, the Boston Celtics' best-of-7 NBA playoff series record falls to 51-18 overall and 1-2 in the Preliminary round. The Boston Celtics have become only the second NBA team to win Game 1 at home in a best-of-7 Preliminary round series but lose the series; the first was the Chicago Bulls, last night, in series 942 vs. the Washington Wizards. The win order for the victorious Indiana Pacers was LWWLWLW: Series 941 thus becomes the first best-of-7 NBA Preliminary-round playoff series, the eighth best-of-7 NBA playoff series (all rounds), and the 20th MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series (all rounds) to follow this win order.

After Game 6: The Boston Celtics visited and defeated the Indiana Pacers 92-pts-89 in overtime, thus tying MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 941 at 3-games-all and forcing a climactic Game 7 in Boston. The Boston Celtics have a Game 7 record of 17-4; those 17 Game 7 wins are an MLB/NBA/NHL high. The Indiana Pacers have a Game 7 record of 1-3. The home court Game 7 record for Boston is 14-2; the road court Game 7 record for Indiana is 1-3. In the history of best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series from 1905 through 2004, teams which posted a WLLWLW @ HHVVHV win/site order (as the 2005 Boston Celtics have done in series 941) have a 4-3 Game 7 record. Ironically, the four series wins came first, followed by three consecutive losses. In best-of-7 NBA playoff series from 1947 through 2004, irrespective of win order and of site order (save for Game 7), the home team has a Game 7 record of 73-15 (.830) and is on a current six-Game-7 winning streak.

After Game 5: Taking a 3-games-2 MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 941 lead, the Indiana Pacers visited and defeated the Boston Celtics 90-pts-85 in series 941 Game 5. The Boston Celtics have now lost six consecutive best-of-7 Game 5s in the wake of a 2-games-all tie after four games. When leading an NBA best-of-7 playoff series 3-games-2, the Indiana Pacers have a 5-1 series record (with an active four-series winning streak) and a 4-2 Game 6 record. When trailing 3-games-2, the Boston Celtics have a 5-11 series record (with an active four-series losing streak) and a 9-7 Game 6 record. Indiana in series 941 has lost Game 1 and won Game 2 on the road, won Game 3 and lost Game 4 at home, and won Game 5 on the road for an LWWLW @ VVHHV win/site order. Thrice previously has an NBA best-of-7 playoff series followed this win/site order; on those three occasions, the team following that order posted a 1-2 series record. In series 150 (in the 1962 Finals), the Los Angeles Lakers did so, but lost Games 6-7 and the series to ... the Boston Celtics. In series 377 (in the 1980 Quarterfinals), the Milwaukee Bucks did so, but also lost Games 6-7 and the series to the Seattle Supersonics. In series 933 (in the 2004 Semifinals), the Detroit Pistons did so, and won Game 6 to win the series ... over the Indiana Pacers. Thus, the 2005 Indiana Pacers hope to emulate the team that defeated and ousted them in 2004, while the 2005 Boston Celtics hope to emulate the 1962 incarnation of their own storied team.

After Game 4: Playing the Pacers in Indiana, the Boston Celtics won MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 941 Game 4, with the final score 110-pts-79. The 31-point margin of victory is in a tie for the eighth-largest road victory margin in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series game. It is also the largest best-of-7 NBA playoff game victory margin by a road team since a 32-point margin in series 592 Game 3, when the Boston Celtics defeated the two-time defending NBA champion Pistons in Detroit 115-pts-83 in their 1991 NBA Quarterfinals series. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series, the Boston Celtics sport a 23-7 series record (with an active four-series losing streak) and a 20-10 Game 5 record (with an active five-Game-5 losing streak), while the Indiana Pacers have a 2-5 series record and a 3-4 Game 5 mark.

After Game 3: Returning home after splitting Games 1 and 2 of MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 941 in Boston, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Celtics 99-pts-76 for a 2-games-1 series lead. When leading a best-of-7 NBA playoff series 2-games-1, the Indiana Pacers have a perfect 5-0 series record and a 3-2 Game 4 record (with an active two-Game-4 losing streak). When trailing 2-games-1, the Boston Celtics have an 8-10 series record (with an active three-series losing streak) and a 10-8 Game 4 record. In series 921, the best-of-7 NBA Preliminary-round series in 2004 pitting Indiana against Boston, Indiana also won Game 3 by a 23-point victory margin (though in Boston in 2004). Series 941 becomes the first-ever best-of-7 NBA playoff series in which a team (Indiana) loses Game 1 by twenty points or more, wins Game 2 by five points or fewer, and wins Game 3 by twenty points or more.

After Game 2: Earning a split on the road, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Celtics in Boston 82-pts-79, thus knotting series 941 at 1-game-all. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 NBA playoff series, the Boston Celtics sport a series record of 22-10 and a Game 3 record of 18-14. Tied 1-game-all, the Indiana Pacers have a series record of 2-3 (with a current three-series losing streak) and a Game 3 record of 2-3 (also with a current three-Game-3 losing streak). In the history of best-of-7 NBA playoff series, from 1947 through 2004 inclusive, only once before has a team won Game 1 by 20 points but lost Game 2 by three: In series 271 (in the 1973 NBA Quarterfinals), the Bucks did so in Milwaukee against the Golden State Warriors -- Milwaukee would lose series 271 in six games. The Indiana Pacers have become only the 12th team in the history of best-of-7 NBA playoff series to tally the same number of points in Game 1 and in Game 2. Of the previous eleven, eight were tied 1-game-all in their respective series; of those eight, six won their respective series.

After Game 1: The Boston Celtics hosted and defeated the Indiana Pacers 102-pts-82, thus taking a 1-game-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 941. When leading an NBA best-of-7 playoff series 1-game-nil, Boston has a 44-4 series record (with an active seven-series winning streak) and a 28-20 Game 2 record. When trailing such a series 1-game-nil, Indiana has a perfect 0-6 series record and a 2-4 Game 2 record. In the history of best-of-7 NBA playoff series through 2004, teams that win Game 1 by 20 or more points (as the Celtics have) have a 39-11 (.780) series record, with an active ten-series winning streak.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2004-05 regular season, Boston finished one game ahead of Indiana. From 1947 through 2004, when NBA teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by one regular-season game, they have posted a 14-13 (.519) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 941 is the 16th best-of-7 NBA playoff series for Indiana, and the 69th for Boston. In best-of-7 playoff series, Indiana has an 8-7 series record, a 1-1 Preliminary-round series record, and a 9-6 Game 1 record, while Boston has a 51-17 series record, a 1-1 Preliminary-round record, and a 48-20 Game 1 record. Series 941 is the third best-of-7 meeting between Indiana and Boston. Boston defeated Indiana in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL series 890 (in the 2003 NBA Preliminary round), while Indiana did likewise to Boston in series 921 (in the 2004 NBA Preliminary round).