BOSTON — As 5 Pacers defenders lined up above the free throw line, Payton Pritchard snuck behind them. It took the Celtics a second to note, however Derrick White regarded up and noticed his teammate standing within the nook.
“I used to be watching movie,” Pritchard stated this morning. “Normally I’m actually good at crashing the glass. Didn’t actually have a lot of that. Some defensive lapses at occasions, leaping at pump fakes, giving up driving lanes, dangerous close-outs. Simply uncharacteristic performs on my own. I look ahead to redeeming myself tonight.”
It additionally took a while for Boston to string collectively an prolonged run to fully put away the Pacers for the primary time within the collection. Even the most important Celtics runs impressed an Indiana response, particularly as Rick Carlisle hemorrhaged timeouts from the sideline by the primary two video games. Pritchard’s 5-0 run, which continued when he dribbled right into a layup off the glass on the next possession, vaulted Boston forward 89-76 in an eventual 126-110 win.
It wasn’t the primary time the Celtics led by double-digits.
The opening minutes of Recreation 2 virtually completely resembled Recreation 1 save for the runaway Celtics run to begin Tuesday’s win. That got here at the start of the second when Boston went small following Luke Kornet’s left wrist pressure. Oshae Brissett entered for his first minutes (+11 in his first stint) of the playoffs whereas the Celtics stopped the primary eight Pacers makes an attempt within the body, principally funneling them into the paint. Boston compelled 10 first half turnovers, slowly attempting to wean Indiana down from a 58% begin from the sector within the first.
On offense, the Celtics grabbed 10 offensive rebounds on 27 misses earlier than halftime, Brown pouring again a third-chance bucket following Sam Hauser’s miss to spark a takeover quarter. Brown reached 14 of the group’s 24 factors late after Indiana answered Boston’s 17-0 run to open the body with a 7-0 run of their very own. Pascal Siakam began the sport 12-for-14, relentlessly attacking Al Horford and Boston’s inside whereas Jayson Tatum began 2-for-8, principally deferring to Brown as he heated up. He took a Derrick White block on Andrew Nembhard coast-to-coast, following that make with a pair of driving layups to place the Celtics forward once more — by 13.
Carlisle referred to as timeout, and a composed Siakam hit a layup, a leaner over Jrue Vacation and drove previous your entire Boston protection of their low level on that finish earlier than halftime. The Pacers closed 8-1, and stayed inside six factors.
That’s how the sport started too, Boston and Indiana buying and selling 11 straight baskets early earlier than Myles Turner dedicated back-to-back offensive fouls, sitting down early and cooling off with 0 factors within the first half. Siakam, Nembhard and TJ McConnell nonetheless led a 27-25 Pacers win within the first. Boston gained the second, 32-24, however closed 15-24 after their 17-0 begin.
The Celtics led 64-55 into the third regardless of it wanting like Indiana may lure Brown into taking on Boston’s offense. He saved it transferring after stumbling on the dribble a number of possessions into the body, discovering White to his left for a 3 that sparked a 10-point quarter for the latter. Boston lastly stopped Siakam inside, who twice tried to put the ball up on the rim.
Aaron Nesmith swooped in for an offensive rebound and received fouled, however a problem revealed Nesmith pulled Tatum’s shoulder earlier than Tatum slapped Nesmith’s arm. A 3rd foul landed on Nesmith as a substitute of Tatum, and Tatum stepped out of timeout with a rolling dunk, pull-up two and feed to Brown within the nook for 3 to take care of a nine-point lead. Tatum additionally moved onto Siakam defensively, forcing him to kick out a cross to McConnell that Brown blew up and took dwelling for a three-point play. In the future after being left off the All-NBA groups, Brown acquired MVP chants from the group.
“I don’t should (discuss to him),” Mazzulla stated pre-game in regards to the snub. “He’s a really mature man. So I don’t have to do this. He has a terrific outlook on life, he is aware of what’s necessary and what’s not and he works actually onerous. He is aware of who he’s as an individual and a participant … it is a group of fellows that simply wish to win … all people needs to win till it’s actually time to do no matter it takes. Up till this precise level, all people on our group has put collectively the bodily, the psychological method towards doing each and something to provide us the perfect likelihood to win … screening, passing, rebounding, protection … that ought to be the most important factor.”
Brown’s drop-off cross to Brissett produced the latter’s first actual playoff factors earlier than Pritchard powered the Celtics forward by 13 once more. This time Indiana had no reply. Pritchard chased down back-to-back offensive rebounds to start the fourth that set Tatum up for a three-point play inside. White hit one other three and Brown charged to the rim for 2 extra, reaching 40 factors on 14-for-27 capturing, saving the Celtics for second straight night time and sending followers to the exits early for a special motive.
By that time, Nembhard and Tyrese Haliburton (leg) had left the sport. Recreation 3 takes place on Saturday at 8:30 in Indianapolis.
