Indiana Pacers (33-40) at Boston Celtics (50-23) Game #74 3/24/23

The Celtics lastly return dwelling from their West coast journey to host the Indiana Pacers. That is the third and remaining sport between these two groups this season. The Pacers gained the primary sport 117-112 in Boston on 12/21. The Celtics gained the second sport 142-138 in additional time in Indiana on 2/23. The Celtics gained the collection 3-1 final season with their loss approaching the highway.

The Celtics are 105-83 total all time towards the Pacers. They’re 59-27 all time in Boston. Indiana is enjoying within the third sport of a 4 sport highway journey. They’re 1-1 to this point on the journey, profitable in Toronto and shedding in Charlotte. The Celtics are enjoying within the first sport at dwelling after a 4-2 Western highway journey. They may play the Spurs at dwelling on Sunday earlier than 2 extra on the highway, together with an enormous sport in Milwaukee.

The Celtics are again in 2nd place within the East, after a short time at third. They’re 2.5 video games behind first place Milwaukee. They’re half a sport forward of third place Philadelphia and 4.5 video games forward of 4th place Cleveland. They’re 26-9 at dwelling and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 29-16 towards different Japanese Convention groups. They gained their final sport.

The Pacers are in eleventh place within the East. They’re 1.5 video games behind tenth place Chicago for the ultimate play-in spot. They’re 6.5 video games behind sixth place Brooklyn for the ultimate assured playoff spot. They’re 1 sport forward of !2th place Washington. They’re 14-23 on the highway however have gained 6 of their final 9 highway video games. They’re 5-5 of their final 10 video games and are 23-22 towards different Japanese Convention groups. They gained their final sport.

The Celtics lastly acquired Robert Williams III again for the final sport of their highway journey after he had been out with a hamstring harm. He got here off the bench in that sport and I’m guessing that he might come off the bench as soon as once more on this sport because the group performed very nicely in that sport. Though, Timelord would match up with Turner higher, so he might return to the beginning lineup. Payton Pritchard (heel) is uncertain and Danilo Gallinari (ACL) is out. For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton (knee) and Chris Duarte (ankle) are each questionable and will probably be a sport time choice.

Possible Celtics Starters

Celtics Reserves
Robert Williams III
Malcolm Brogdon
Sam Hauser
Luke Kornet
Blake Griffin
Mike Muscala
Grant Williams

2 Manner Gamers
JD Davison
Mfiondu Kabengele

Out/Accidents
Danilo Gallinari (ACL) out
Payton Pritchard (heel) uncertain

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Possible Pacers Starters

Pacers Reserves
Oshae Brissett
James Johnson
TJ McConnell
Jordan Nwora
Jalen Smith
Daniel Theis

2 Manner Gamers
Kendall Brown
Trevelin Queen

Out/Accidents
Chris Duarte (ankle) questionable
Tyrese Haliburton (knee) questionable

Head Coach
Rick Carlisle

Key Matchups

Derrick White vs Buddy Hield
Hield is averaging 17.1 factors, 5.0 rebounds, and a couple of.7 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 45.9% from the sphere and 43.4% from past the arc. Towards the Celtics this season he averaged 13 factors, 5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1 steal per sport. He shot 47.6% from the sphere and 46.2 Hield is an efficient shooter and may rating in bunches if left open. The Celtics want to stay with him on protection to attempt to restrict his scoring on this one.

Al Horford vs Myles Turner
Despite being in commerce rumors each off season and commerce deadline, Turner remains to be with the Pacers and is enjoying very nicely. He his averaging 17.9 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and a couple of.3 blocks per sport. He’s taking pictures 54.6% from the sphere and 37.6% from past the arc. Towards the Celtics this season he averaged 25 factors, 8 rebounds and a couple of.5 assists. He shot 73.9% from the sphere and 75% from past the arc. The Celtics want to stick with him each on the perimeter and within the paint as he can rating from each. He’s additionally a rim protector and so the Celtics ought to attempt to attract him away from the basket.

Honorable Point out
Jaylen Brown vs Benedict Mathurin
Mathurin is averaging 16.6 factors, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 43.2% from the sphere and 32.5% from past the arc. Towards the Celtics this season he averaged 13 factors, .5. rebounds, 2 assists and 1.5 steals per sport. He shot 43.5% from the sphere and 37.5% from past the arc.

[If Haliburton can play, the point guard matchup will be key with Haliburton averaging 20.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists and 1.6 steals. He shoots 48.8% from the field and 40.3% from beyond the arc. ]

Keys to the Recreation
Protection – Protection is the important thing to profitable each single sport and in the event that they hope to get to the Finals once more, it is going to be with robust protection. The Celtics are 4th within the league with a defensive score of 111.3. The Pacers are twenty fifth with a defensive score of 116.2. The Celtics protection appeared good towards the Kings on Tuesday and they should proceed to make protection their identification and their precedence. The Celtics have to particularly defend the paint because the Pacers common 49.4 factors within the paint per sport. The Pacers are additionally 1st within the league with 18.6 quick break factors per sport. The Celtics need to play robust protection to stop them from getting out on the break and getting open photographs.

Rebound – The Celtics are seventh within the league, knocking down 45.1 rebounds per sport. The Pacers are twenty third with 41.6 rebounds per sport. You will need to rebound the ball to offer themselves additional possessions and to stop the Pacers from getting the identical together with 2nd likelihood factors. The Pacers get 13.6 second likelihood factors per sport. A lot of rebounding is want and energy and the Celtics have gotten to place out extra effort on the boards than the Pacers in the event that they need to get a win on this sport.

Keep Centered – An absence of focus can clarify lots of the Celtics issues once they wrestle. They lose focus and switch the ball over time after time throughout stretches within the sport. In addition they lose focus and wrestle to hit photographs that they’d normally make. At occasions additionally they lose deal with protection and miss assignments and permit opponents open photographs on the perimeter and simple photographs inside. The Celtics should keep centered and care for the ball, deal with taking and making good photographs, and deal with enjoying robust group protection.

Be Aggressive – The Celtics need to be the extra aggressive group they usually need to work tougher and play tougher than the Pacers. They need to be extra aggressive on protection, on the boards, in going after unfastened balls and on the 50-50 balls. They need to be the group that desires it extra and play prefer it. The Celtics need to beat groups by enjoying with extra effort each single sport. They need to play onerous for 48 minutes and never construct a lead after which let up or begin sluggish after which need to play catch up. They have to be extra aggressive from begin to end.

Worth Each Recreation – The Celtics are within the remaining stretch of video games and each sport is necessary as a result of dwelling courtroom is necessary within the playoffs and the Celtics can’t afford to lose video games on this stretch, particularly towards lottery or play-in groups. They need to play onerous and keep centered and play their hardest on each possession. They will’t take any video games off.

X-Elements
Residence Recreation – The Celtics are dwelling for the primary time since March eighth once they left for his or her 6 sport highway journey. They’ve the house crowd behind them to offer them additional motivation. The Pacers are on the highway, the place they haven’t performed all that nicely this season, going simply 14-23 away from dwelling, and the place they’re confronted with the distractions of journey, resort stays and a hostile crowd. The Celtics have to benefit from enjoying at dwelling and defend their dwelling courtroom.

Officiating – Officiating can at all times be an x-factor. Each officiating crew calls the sport otherwise. Will the refs name it tight? Will they allow them to play? Will the Celtics spend extra time complaining about fouls than truly taking pictures the ball? As soon as once more, the Celtics should modify to the way in which the crew is looking the sport and never permit it to turn into a distraction for them. Most of all, they will’t let the officiating make them lose their composure.