(Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Final: Pacers 122, Celtics 112 - Haliburton triple double eliminates Celtics from tournament
BOSTON CELTICS at INDIANA PACERS
7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Boston/TNT
Line: Boston -4.5
INJURIES
Boston: Kristaps Porzingis (OUT, calf)
Indiana: Jalen Smith (OUT, heel)
LAST TIME
The Celtics put up 44 first-quarter points to take a 17-point lead behind an early burst from Jrue Holiday, a late kick by Jayson Tatum, and 11 from Derrick White. The team cooled off in the second quarter, but Tatum had 12 and Boston took a 21-point lead into the half. The Celtics came out strong in the second half, pushed the lead to 35 early in the third quarter, and to 38 by the end of it. The rest was garbage time.
NOTES
- The winner of this game advances to the IST semifinal in Las Vegas. The loser will play a regular season later this week. If Boston loses, they'll host the loser of the Knicks/Bucks IST quarterfinal on Friday night.
- According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics are hopeful Porzingis will return this week.
- Tyrese Haliburton will play after dealing with a respiratory infection.
- Tatum was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month today.
Via the Celtics: Tatum averaged 27.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 18 appearances to start the 2023-24 NBA season. Tatum posted a team-high seven double-doubles and was one of only three NBA players to average at least 25.0 points while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from three-point territory (Kevin Durant and Tyrese Haliburton).
THINGS I’M LOOKING FOR
1. How’s Haliburton? He’s on a big-time heater, and this is a real showcase for him, but I’m not 100% sold that he’s 100% healthy. A respiratory infection is no joke, and if that's still lingering then that means it will impact his lung capacity, making him a little more tired, more quickly. It’s possible he’s just fine and will have a normal game, but I’m gonna need to see that to believe it.
2. Offense vs. Defense: The Pacers have the league’s best offense, but one of the league’s worst defenses. Boston is ninth offensively and second defensively. This will be a little playoff-y in that the extra day to prepare and the extra day off after can make this a little more matchup specific game planning than usual. Boston’s defense can play to the tendencies, force Haliburton left, help creatively, and get out and put that Pacers defense to the test.
3. Minutes: An extra day off heading into the game and at least two days off after make an extra few minutes for the starters a little more palatable. I can see Tatum and Jaylen Brown pushing 38 minutes to put a lot of pressure on the Pacers defense. They struggle with big wings, and a heavy dose of the best big wings in the business can make it very tough on Indiana.
I previewed the game with Locked On Pacers host Tony East. You can check that out here:
Follow along with my thoughts as the game goes on. They’ll show up below and in the comments section, so hop in and share your opinion as well.