Because the sequence strikes to Indiana, the Celtics look to take a commending 3-0 lead within the sequence. The Pacers stayed with the Celtics all through the primary recreation and it was solely as a result of their miscues and lack of poise on the finish of regulation and in OT that the Celtics had been capable of pull out the win. They hung with the Celtics in the beginning of Sport 2 however in the long run, the Celtics had been capable of draw back for a cushty win.
The Celtics are 10-2 within the playoffs to date. Their 2 losses had been at house in Sport 2 in each of the primary two rounds. They’re 4-0 on the highway within the playoffs to date, profitable Video games 3 and 4 on the highway in each Miami and Cleveland. The Pacers, then again are 6-0 at house within the playoffs to date. They’ve additionally received 11 straight house video games going again to March 18. The Celtics are going to wish to return in centered and able to play laborious so as to get a win on the Pacers house court docket.
Sport 3 in any sequence is necessary. Groups that win the primary two video games of a best-of-seven sequence at house go on to win the sequence 94.0% of the time. Groups that lead a best-of-seven sequence 2-1 go on to win the sequence 79.8% of the time. Nonetheless, groups that win the primary three video games of a best-of-seven sequence go on to win the sequence 100% of the time. No staff has ever come again from being down 0-3 and so if the Celtics can win Sport 3, they’ll just about assure themselves a visit to the Finals.
That is the Celtics sixth look within the Japanese Convention Finals in 8 years. It is usually their third straight Japanese Convention Finals look. The Pacers haven’t been within the Japanese Convention Finals since 2014 once they misplaced in 6 video games to the Warmth. The Pacers final look within the playoffs was in 2018-19 once they had been swept by the Celtics within the first spherical. The Celtics received 4 of the 6 sequence between these two groups to date and all of them had been within the first spherical.
Kristaps Porzingis has been dominated out for this recreation. He’s nonetheless coping with a calf damage that he suffered in Sport 4 of Boston’s first-round sequence towards the Warmth. The Celtics are being cautious with him however are hoping to get him again for Sport 4 of this sequence. Nonetheless, he hasn’t practiced with the staff as but so it’s solely rumor as of now. He did journey with the staff to Indiana, nevertheless. Jrue Vacation was a late addition to the damage record as questionable with a non-covid sickness. I’m unsure who Mazzulla would begin if Jrue can’t go however it might be Payton Pritchard or possibly Oshae Brissett.
Luke Kornet suffered a sprained left wrist within the first quarter of Thursday’s recreation and is uncertain for this recreation. With Porzingis out and attempting to maintain Horford’s minutes low, this leaves the Celtics brief handed at middle. When Kornet went out in Sport 2, Joe Mazzulla selected to go small and introduced in Oshae Brissett for his first significant playoff minutes. By going small, the Celtics rotated faster and had been capable of hold tempo higher with the Pacers. The Celtics could go small once more or could give Xavier Tillman a while at middle as properly.
For the Pacers, Benedict Mathurin stays out after present process season-ending surgical procedure to restore a torn labrum. With slightly below three minutes left within the third quarter of Sport 2 on Thursday, Tyrese Haliburton left the sport and limped to the locker room. He was dominated out for the remainder of the sport with a hamstring damage. He injured the identical hamstring on 1/8 and missed 10 of the following 11 video games. Indiana went 6-4 with out him. He’s listed as questionable for this recreation. I’m going to guess that they’ll hold him out of this recreation and that TJ McConnell with get the beginning in his place.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettSam HauserSvi MykhailiukPayton PritchardJordan WalshJaden SpringerXavier TillmanNeemias Queta
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew Peterson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (calf) outLuke Kornet (wrist) doubtfulJrue Vacation (sickness) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Pacers Starters
Grid View
(As of now, Haliburton is questionable with a sore hamstring. Since this can be a recurring damage I’m guessing that he shall be out. However, as of now, he’s simply questionable and McConnell beginning is only a guess.)
Pacers ReservesIsaiah JacksonQuenton JacksonJames JohnsonDoug McDermottBen Sheppard Jalen SmithObi ToppinJarace Walker
Two Method PlayersKendall Brown Oscar TshiebweIsaiah Wong
Accidents/Out Benedict Mathurin (shoulder) out Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) questionable
Head Coach Rick Carlisle
Key Matchups
Grid View
Jayson Tatum
Picture by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
Pascal Siakam
Picture by Ron Hoskins/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
Jayson Tatum vs Pascal SiakamSiakam completed Sport 1 with 24 factors, 12 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal whereas taking pictures 52.2% from the sector and was 0-2 from past the arc. He completed Sport 2 with 28 factors, 5 rebounds and a couple of assists whereas taking pictures 76.5% from the sector and was 2-2 on three pointers. Tatum has struggled early in each video games to date however fortunately his teammates had been capable of come up massive till he was capable of contribute later within the recreation. The Celtics want extra from him on each ends of the court docket all through the sport on this one.
Grid View
Al Horford
Picture by Maddie Meyer/Getty Pictures
Myles Turner
Picture by Andy Lyons/Getty Pictures
Al Horford vs Myles Turner Turner completed Sport 1 with 23 factors, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and a couple of blocks whereas taking pictures 69.2% from the sector and 75% from past the arc. He struggled considerably in Sport 2 with 8 factors, 4 rebounds, and 1 steal whereas taking pictures 42.9% from the sector and 50% from past the arc. The Celtics have to concentrate on his presence within the paint as he is an effective rim protector and likewise a great rebounder. In addition they have to stick with him on the perimeter as he has been taking pictures very properly from past the arc. With the Celtics attempting to restrict Horford’s minutes and Kornet prone to be out, we may even see some Xavier Tillman at middle or we may even see extra small ball with Brissett getting extra minutes.
Honorable Point out Derrick White vs Andrew NembhardOrdinarily, this may be the Vacation/Haliburton matchup, however with Haliburton out, or not 100%, this may be a key with Nembhard trying to choose up his recreation to make up for Haliburton being injured. In Sport 1, Nembhard completed with 12 factors, 3 rebounds, and seven assists whereas taking pictures 50% from the sector and 50% from past the arc. In Sport 2, he completed with 16 factors, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal whereas taking pictures 50% from the sector and 25% from past the arc. In Sport 2, White got here alive offensively, after struggling for a few video games. He completed with 23 factors, together with 4 threes. The Celtics want extra of that from him on this recreation.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is the important thing to profitable each single recreation and particularly towards the Pacers as they lead the playoffs with 121.0 offensive score. The Celtics are 2nd within the playoffs with a 120.1 offensive score. The Celtics are third within the playoffs with a defensive score of 108.1. The Pacers are thirteenth with a defensive score of 119.1. The Celtics must make protection their identification and their precedence. In Sport 1, the Pacers shot 53.3% from the sector and 37.1% from past the arc. In Sport 2, the Pacers shot 52.4% from the sector and 37.9% from past the arc. The Celtics need to step up their protection on this sequence as they possible received’t win a shoot out towards the excessive scoring Pacers. The Celtics should defend them each within the paint and on the perimeter. Protection down the stretch helped to tug out Sport 1 and protection allowed the Celtics to tug away in Sport 2. Protection will decide the winner of this sequence. The Celtics must play lock down protection for 48 minutes and never simply in spurts.
Rebound – The Celtics are third within the playoffs, flattening 44.3 rebounds per recreation. The Pacers are12th with 40.9 rebounds per recreation. In Sport 1, the Pacers out-rebounded the Celtics 44-43, and the Celtics nearly misplaced the sport. In Sport 2, the Celtics out-rebounded the Pacers 40-37. A lot of rebounding is need and energy and the Celtics have gotten to place out extra effort on the boards than the Pacers in the event that they wish to get a win on this recreation. Aside from Sport 1, the Celtics have received each recreation within the playoffs that they’ve out rebounded their opponent and so they have misplaced the two video games the place they had been out-rebounded. As with protection, rebounding shall be key to profitable this recreation
Bench Play – The Celtics must get assist from their reserves. The Celtics bench loses so much with Al Horford transferring into the beginning lineup and can take one other hit with Luke Kornet’s damage. Of their first 2 rounds, the Pacers reserves averaged 32 factors or extra per recreation. TJ McConnell, who’s an issue off the bench as he’s a pesky defender and brings loads of power to the Pacers may have to begin with Haliburton questionable for this recreation. In Sport 1, the Pacers received 30 factors off their bench whereas the Celtics received simply 13 factors from theirs. In recreation 2, the Celtics received 19 factors from their reserves whereas the Pacers received 39 factors from their reserves. The Celtics want for his or her reserves to attain and to defend properly to take a number of the stress off the starters.
Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes – The Celtics need to play each minute with further effort. The Pacers play laborious and quick and so the Celtics must match that effort and play even tougher. The staff that performs tougher and is extra aggressive is normally the staff that comes out on prime and that additionally will get the higher whistle. The Celtics even have to remain centered. They need to deal with taking good pictures and making them and on enjoying as a staff and making the appropriate play each time. In addition they need to hold that effort and focus up for 48 minutes with no let up and no collapse, particularly on protection.
Transfer the Ball – The Celtics are robust to beat once they hold the ball transferring and so they make the additional move to search out the perfect shot. They battle once they lapse into iso ball and when gamers maintain the ball too lengthy. The Pacers transfer the ball very properly and are 1st within the playoffs, averaging 30.1 assists per recreation. They racked up 38 assists on 53 subject targets in Sport 1. In Sport 2, that they had simply 23 assists whereas the Celtics had 28 assists. The Celtics need to hold the ball transferring and keep away from lapsing into iso ball and over dribbling the ball.
X-Elements On The Highway – The Celtics are on the highway for the primary time on this sequence. The Pacers are 6-0 at house within the playoffs to date and the Celtics are 4-0 on the highway. In the course of the common season, the Celtics had been 27-14 on the highway whereas the Pacers had been 26-15 at house. The Celtics can’t enable the distractions of journey and a hostile crowd to remove from their deal with the sport.
Accidents – Accidents could come into play on this sequence with Porzingis remaining out and now Luke Kornet being uncertain. That may make the Celtics brief handed at middle and so will probably be subsequent man up, whether or not Xavier Tillman will get minutes at middle or presumably we are going to see extra of Oshae Brissett on this one once more. For the Pacers, if Tyrese Haliburton is out with the hamstring damage, it can have an effect on the Pacers offense. Nonetheless, it might assist their protection considerably for the reason that Celtics had been consistently focusing on Haliburton’s protection in Sport 2.
Officiating -Officiating is at all times an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport a bit of otherwise with some calling it tight and others letting them play. They appear to be letting them play extra in these playoffs to date, however that would change with any given crew and any given recreation. In Sport 1, the Celtics shot 30 free throws to only 10 for the Pacers. In Sport 2, the Celtics took 20 free throws to 16 for the Pacers. The Celtics have to regulate to how the sport is being referred to as and deal with the sport and never on the officers.
Official Report Crew Chief – Marc Davis – Davis has a house win/loss report of 41-34 this season. He calls 51% of fouls on the highway staff and 49% on the house staff. Boston is 7-3 of their final 10 video games with Davis because the crew chief, together with the Might 1 win over Miami within the first spherical and Might 13 win over Cleveland in Sport 5. Indiana is 6-4 of their final 10 with Davis, together with Sport 2 loss and the Sport 7 win in New York. Davis was voted the third worst referee within the league in a ballot of the gamers, behind Scott Foster and Tony Brothers. Feedback from gamers say he’s conceited and can someday instigate issues. He wasn’t unhealthy in Sport 5 towards the Warmth or Sport 4 towards the Cavs.
Referee – John Goble – Goble has a house win/loss report of 22-13. He calls 43% of fouls towards the highway staff and 57% on the house staff. The Celtics are 7-3 of their final 10 video games with Goble together with the Sport 2 loss to the Cavs and the sport 4 win over Miami. The Pacers are 8-2 of their final 10 video games with Goble together with Sport 2 win over the Bucks and Sport 4 win over the Knicks. Goble additionally referred to as one win and one loss towards Indiana within the common season.
Umpire – Courtney Kirkland – Kirkland has a house win/loss report of 30-33 this season. Within the playoffs, he calls 47% of fouls on the highway staff and 53% on the house staff. The Celtics are 8-2 of their final 10 video games with Kirkland on the crew, together with Sport 4 at Miami in Spherical 1 and Sport 4 towards Cleveland. Indiana is 4-6 of their final 10 with Kirkland, together with Sport 6 win over the Bucks. 2 years in the past in the course of the ECF between Boston and Miami, Kirkland was the replay official in Secaucus who stated Max Strus was out of bounds on a key 3 in Sport 7. He was not unhealthy within the earlier video games in these playoffs.
And ensure to take a look at CelticsBlog’s Playback stream for a dwell dialog concerning the recreation. To take part, simply create a free account, join your LP sub you probably have it, and be part of our neighborhood.
