BSJ Game Report: Indiana Pacers 128, Boston Celtics 107 - C's slack on both ends, let Indy get rolling

Everything you need to know about the Boston Celtics' loss to the Indiana Pacers, with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics never really had it going in this game, and the Pacers were hot from the start. In many ways, this was a classic make/miss league game with Indiana getting everything to fall, even contested prayers and a late-clock logo-shot. Boston, meanwhile, was missing everything, including 12 shots in the restricted area.

Box Score

HEADLINES

Indy on fire: The Pacers did anything they wanted, whenever they wanted. Indiana is the fifth-worst 3-point shooting team in the NBA, but they shot 17-33 (51.5%) from deep in this game. Tyrese Haliburton made a shot with his toes on the logo and then a couple of wild, sweeping hook shots. Oshea Brissett was one for his last 15 from deep, but he went 6-9 in this one. 

C’s defense flat: Boston’s elite defense didn’t make the trip from Detroit. There were lapses all over the floor, missed assignments, and miscommunications that led to the Pacers getting comfortable on the floor.

“It’s the NBA, guys are capable of making shots,” Ime Udoka said. “Brissett, 31 percent 3-point shooter, but we’re not closing out. He’s still a respectable shooter. We’re acting like he’s a cold guy. So some of those things weren’t our best tonight. Gotta improve on those obviously.”

Stagnant offense: The Celtics broke two major rules about their offense by settling for too many 3-pointers and not making quick decisions. The flow of the game slowed as we saw guys like Jayson Tatum catch, turn, and survey the defense rather than make quick decisions to drive or pass. The Pacers went to a zone in the second quarter and Boston decided to try shooting over the top of it, and those shots didn’t fall. 

Celtics frustrated: The body language wasn’t great in this game, and the Celtics got dragged down by questionable officiating and shots that just wouldn’t fall. They might as well switch their jersey sponsor to “In-N-Out Burger” after how many shots missed after going halfway down.

TURNING POINT

The Celtics seemed poised to maybe make a late run to try to steal this one when Jaylen Brown finally got a 3-pointer to fall for the Celtics with 8:14 left. That made it a seven-point game, but the Pacers answered with Buddy Hield making a wildly contested 3-pointer and then finishing a transition layup off a turnover. Jalen Smith added a 3 of his own to make it an 8-0 run.

SECOND GUESS

This game called for an energy substitution like Aaron Nesmith. No one was hitting shots anyway, so who cares if he came in cold. Maybe he could have changed the energy on both ends with his maniacal approach and get some of the vets to follow his lead. 

ONE UP

Payton Pritchard: He picked up where he left off in the Pistons game. I can fold another second guess into this because he should have played more than 17:24. I know the Celtics needed longer defenders out there to try to stop Indiana, but they also needed energy and shot-making. 

TWO DOWN

Marcus Smart: He started out well enough, and he’s been really good from 3 since January 1st. After he hit one early in the game, he was actually up over 40% for the calendar year. Then he missed his next five. He had 7 assists in the game, and he did hit some tough floaters, but he made some uncharacteristic mistakes defensively and he (along with everyone else on the Celtics) got too frustrated with the refs. 

Grant Williams: Starting in place of Al Horford, Williams only took two shots, missing both. He didn’t look anything like the guy I wrote about a couple of days ago. 

THREE UP & DOWN

Jaylen Brown: This game was a wild ride for Brown, who had 23 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, a steal and just 2 turnovers, and he was the only starter shooting well (62.5%, 40% 3pt). But he was routinely beaten on the other end of the floor. 

Jayson Tatum: When he attacked, he was great. But he took 12 3-pointers and only hit 2. He was settling way too much, and he was very clearly frustrated by both the misses and the officiating. He got to the line 8 times, so he had it in him to get to the rim and draw fouls, but he just preferred to shoot rather than drive more. 

Robert Williams: He had 11 more rebounds, 7 of them offensive. However, a bunch of those were trying to put back his own misses. He had 4 blocks, but he wasn’t good on switches. 

“Rob and some of our bigs got caught below the 3-point line,” Udoka said. “We want them to step up with Haliburton and those guys and make them drive. Those guys get comfortable, they’re like warm-up shots. They started making some tough ones late and we defended well, but we helped them early on with our lack of physicality and attention to detail on their main shooters.”

TOP PLAYS

TWO TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- Boston can’t get away with playing like this against anyone

I don’t know how many times this has to happen before they get the message, but it’s beyond obvious that this Boston team isn’t good enough to get away with these types of half-assed performances. 

They worked hard for enough of the game that I can’t just sit here and scream about effort. The effort was kinda sorta there, but it was inconsistent and in the wrong places. 

They worked hard up to a point, and then they settled for a shot. They worked hard defensively, and then someone spaced out on a switch. They didn’t focus long enough to finish plays, or lock in on how to play opposing personnel, and it burned them. 

I can say “the Boston Celtics are a really good team,” but it always comes with the caveat “if they play great defense, run off stops, and play with good pace in the half court.” 

There is no period after “really good team” when we’re discussing the Celtics. They can be good, but only if they do all those things. If they let missed shots impact their defense, they’ll look bad. If they decide to just take 3-pointers instead of heading to the rim, they’ll look bad. 

I know this was a road back-to-back and that certainly had something to do with it, but that doesn't excuse them getting away from what has been working. Any deviation from the style of play that got them back into the Eastern Conference mix will quickly get them out of the Eastern Conference mix. 

- Al Horford is pretty important 

Ime Udoka might have overplayed his hand in Detroit by leaving Horford in for 37 minutes. By playing him big minutes on the front end of the back-to-back, Udoka decided to give Horford the night off against the Pacers. 

The move backfired. 

I can’t sit here and say Horford would have changed the entirety of this game, but it’s obvious his effort and intelligence on the floor was very necessary.

"We miss Al so much,” Robert Williams said after the game. “Even though we miss Al, we got guys that can step up. We got guys that the whole team believes in … We just gotta clean all that up."

Jaylen Brown echoed those sentiments. 

“Al comes to play, man. He's different. He’s unique. He guards really well for us. He’s been really important to our defense all season. So not having him out there, we had to make some adjustments, but we've always had the next man up mentality. If somebody goes down, we always pick each other up and step in where the load needs to be replaced. So tonight, it was a tough game, but we look forward to having Al back for the next game.”

This is very Monday morning quarterbacking, but there had to be a way to mix Daniel Theis into the Pistons game to limit Horford and keep him available, even for shorter minutes, in this game.

Maybe there wasn’t and the plan was always to play him against the slower, stronger team and sit him against the faster Pacers. But either way, it highlights what he brings to the table and how much the guys need him on the floor.