Boston basically shot themselves out of the game in Indy tonight, dropping a 103-98 decision to the Pacers. The Celts attempted 32 threes, missing 24 of them. Add 13 turnovers to the mix, and you’ve got the recipe for a loss. Paul George was Paul George, scoring a game-high 25 points to go with 4 steals, 4 assists & 7 rebounds. Indiana head coach Frank Vogel mentioned pregame that the Pacers were very much looking to avenge their January 13th loss collapse in Boston.
Neither team could hit a shot to save their lives through much of the first quarter. Jonas Jerebko helped the Celts avoid a completely disastrous start, as the Swede came off the bench to score 7 first quarter points. The rest of the Celts offense combined for 6 of 19 shooting from the floor & 1 of 6 from three. Thanks to 7 Indiana turnovers however, things were knotted at 20 after one. It was evident early that Boston missed the energy & aggression that Jae Crowder brings to the equation. Isaiah Thomas struggled to score early on, but did hand out 6 first quarter assists.
Things went from bad to worse offensively for the Celtics in the second quarter. While Boston got a bit more aggressive, they had quite a bit of trouble finding the bottom of the net. Indiana meanwhile shot 50% from the field, not exactly lights out, but it was enough to take a 43-39 lead into halftime. The Pacers were the more physical team most of the night, and the C’s just seemed a step slower-especially on the defensive end.
Boston played their best basketball in the 3rd, putting up 31 points (but still bricking anything from long range) led by Isaiah Thomas who had 16. Indiana got 10 from Paul George, who really started to heat up. The Celtics had a good chance to win the game at this point, heading into the final quarter down 71-70. The green got contributions from most of their lineup tonight, but it was Indiana who really made the big plays/shots when it mattered, as we saw in the final quarter.
Missed shots (mostly threes) & poor defense doomed Boston in the fourth. Jordan Hill had his way in the paint, (10 4th Q pts) George Hill, with some help from the refs, set up shop at the free- throw line and Boston continued to try & shoot themselves back into the game. They went 3 of 10 from downtown in the 4th, and despite making it interesting late still fell short. Marcus Smart & rookie Terry Rozier brought some nice energy & intensity tonight, but Boston clearly missed everything Jae Crowder brings to the table-especially his ever contagious swag & fight.
No rest for the weary, as the Celts now fly back to the 617 to face Westbrook, Durant and the rest of the OKC Thunder. Tip-off tomorrow is at 7pm.
The Green:
- Jonas Jerebko had 17 points off the bench for the Celts
- Despite shooting just 5 of 18, this game could’ve easily been a blowout loss without Isaiah Thomas’ 21 points & 8 assists
- Sully had another double-double, notching 15 points & 11 rebounds
The Gross:
- Boston shot a putrid 8 of 32 from three-point land
- Evan Turner was 2 of 7 with 6 points in 27 minutes & Avery Bradley shot 5 of 13-could’ve used more from both of them tonight
The Greenlights:
Isaiah Thomas is dishing out dimes tonight, and his teammates are cashing in: pic.twitter.com/IcnxAkZQLi
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 16, 2016
How’s Marcus Smart handling Paul George early on? This should show you: pic.twitter.com/glchHhmYI8
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 15, 2016
The Grid: (quick stats)
- Rebounds: BOS 50 IND 45
- Points in Paint: BOS 44 IND 42
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