Indiana Pacers (10-34) at Boston Celtics (26-16)Wednesday, January 21, 20267:30 PM ETRegular Season Recreation #43 House Recreation #20TV: NBCSB, FDSN, NBA-LPRadio: 98.5 Sports activities Hub, 107.5 The Fan, Sirius XMTD Backyard
The Celtics return house from their highway journey to host the Indiana Pacers. That is the 4th and ultimate recreation between these 2 groups this season. The Celtics gained the primary recreation 103-95 on December 22 in Boston and so they gained the 2nd recreation 140-122 on December 26 in Indiana. They misplaced the third recreation 98-96 in Indiana on January 12. The Pacers gained the sequence 2-1 final season, with the Celtics successful one in Boston and dropping 1 in Boston and one in Indiana. The Celtic are 112-88 total all time in opposition to the Pacers. They’re 64-28 in video games performed in Boston.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, 5.5 video games behind 1st place Detroit. They’re 1.5 video games forward of 2nd place New York. They’re 2 video games forward of 4th place Toronto, 2.5 video games forward of fifth place Philadelphia and three video games forward of sixth place Orlando and seventh place Cleveland. The Celtics are 19-10 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents. They’re 12-7 at house and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re coming off a loss of their final recreation.
The Pacers are fifteenth within the East, 22.5 video games behind first place Detroit and 17 video games behind 2nd place Boston. They’re 9.5 video games behind tenth place Atlanta, 3.5 video games behind thirteenth place Brooklyn, and 1 recreation behind 14th place Washington. The Pacers are 7-22 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents. They’re 2-18 on the highway and 4-6 of their final 10 video games. They’ve misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are enjoying at house after a 4 recreation highway journey. They misplaced the primary recreation of that highway journey in Indiana. After this recreation at house vs Indiana, they are going to play Brooklyn and Chicago on the highway.They may then have one other 4 recreation house stand the place they are going to host Portland, Atlanta, Sacramento and Milwaukee. Then, they’re on the highway at Dallas and Houston earlier than enjoying Miami, New York, and Chicago at house, taking them into the All Star Break.
That is the third recreation of a 5 recreation highway journey for the Pacers. They misplaced the primary to at Philadelphia and Detroit and can full the journey at Oklahoma Metropolis and Atlanta. They may then host Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and Utah earlier than a 6 recreation highway journey by way of Milwaukee, Toronto, New York, Brooklyn. They may end the highway journey with 2 video games at Washington after the All Star break.
For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum stays out as he continues to rehab from the Achilles tear he suffered in final yr’s playoffs. Josh Minott will miss his eighth straight recreation with an ankle sprain. Jaylen Brown is listed as possible for this recreation with left hamstring tightness. For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton stays out as he rehabs from the Achilles tear he suffered within the Jap Convention Finals. Bennedict Mathurin is out on account of a thumb harm. Obi Toppin is out on account of a foot harm.
Possible Beginning MatchupsPG: Derrick White vs Andrew Nembhard
SG: Payton Pritchard vs Aaron Nesmith
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Johnny Furphy
PF: Sam Hauser vs Pascal Siakam
C: Neemias Queta vs Jay Huff
Celtics ReservesAnfernee SimonsHugo GonzalezXavier TillmanJordan WalshLuka GarzaBaylon ScheiermanChris Boucher
2-Means PlayersRon Harper, JrMax ShulgaAmari Williams
Accidents/OutJayson Tatum (Achilles) outJosh Minott (ankle) questionableHead CoachJoe Mazzulla
Pacers ReservesTony BradleyKam JonesTJ McConnellMicah PotterBen SheppardJarace WalkerIsaiah Jackson
Two-Means PlayersQuenton JacksonTaelon PeterEthan Thompson
Accidents/OutTyrese Haliburton (Achilles) outObi Toppin (foot) outBennedict Mathurin (thumb) questionable
Key MatchupsSam Hauser vs Pascal SiakamSiakam is averaging 23.6 factors, 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals per recreation whereas taking pictures 48.1% from the sphere and 38.0% from past the arc. Over his profession, Siakam has averaged 17.9 factors, 6.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per recreation in opposition to the Celtics. Within the 3 video games this season, he averaged 19 factors, 6.7 rebounds, and three.3 assists whereas taking pictures 50% from the sphere and 36.4% from past the arc. The Celtics have to defend him effectively on this recreation.
Derrick White vs Andrew NembhardNembhard is averaging 17.6 factors, 2.6 rebounds, and seven.1 assists whereas taking pictures 44.9% from the sphere and 36.6% from past the arc. Over his profession in opposition to the Celtics, he has averaged 10.7 factors, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per recreation. Within the first 3 video games in opposition to the Celtics this season, he averaged 17 factors, 4 rebounds, and eight assists whereas taking pictures 45% from the sphere and 56.3% from past the arc. Hopefully White will emerge from his mini taking pictures droop of late and have an enormous recreation.
Honorable MentionPayton Pritchard vs Aaron NesmithNesmith is averaging 13.4points, 5.3 rebounds, and a couple of.0 assists per recreation whereas taking pictures 35.2% from the sphere and 35% from past the arc. Over his profession in opposition to the Celtics, he averaged 11.9 factors, 4.6 rebounds, and a couple of.3 assists. He missed the primary 2 video games in opposition to the Celtics this season however within the third recreation, he completed with 6 factors, 5 rebounds, and a couple of assists whereas taking pictures 22.2% from the sphere and 33.3% from past the arc.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is the important thing to successful each single recreation. The Pacers haven’t been the scoring juggernaut they have been final season. They’re thirtieth within the league with an offensive ranking of 107.9 whereas the Celtics have an offensive ranking of 121.4 (2nd). The Celtics are 14th within the league with a defensive ranking of 114.0. The Pacers are nineteenth with a defensive ranking of 116.0. Within the first recreation between these two groups, the Celtics allowed the Pacers to attain 61 factors within the first half and so they trailed by 18 factors on the half. They held them to 34 factors within the second half and gained the sport. The Celtics need to play powerful protection from the tip by way of the ultimate buzzer on this one and never permit the Pacers to get any offensive rhythm.
Rebound – Rebounding can be an necessary key to successful each recreation. The Celtics are tenth within the league, knocking down 44.9 rebounds per recreation. The Pacers are twenty third with 42.8 rebounds per recreation. It is crucial for the Celtics to rebound the ball to present themselves additional possessions and to stop the Pacers from getting the identical together with 2nd probability factors. A lot of rebounding is effort and the Celtics have gotten to place out extra effort than the Pacers to seize rebounds for all 4 quarters.
Transfer the Ball Fastidiously – The Celtics want to maneuver the ball to get the most effective pictures. The Celtics are a lot better once they transfer the ball and don’t lapse into iso ball. Towards the Pistons, the Celtics completed with simply 13 assists. They’re 17-1 once they have 25 or extra assists and they’re simply 9-15 once they have fewer than 25 assists. Jaylen Brown particularly must get again to shifting the ball as an alternative of attempting to attain on each possession. Though the Celtics normally take excellent care of the ball, they lose focus at occasions and switch the ball over an excessive amount of. They should make cautious passes and preserve the ball shifting.
Don’t Underestimate – It will be straightforward for the Celtics to underestimate the Pacers and count on a simple win. However that will be a mistake, particularly since they did simply that of their final recreation in opposition to the Pacers and misplaced the sport. Any workforce can win on any evening if the opposite workforce lets down their guard. The Celtics have to come back out and play onerous and never underestimate the final place Pacers.
X-FactorsHome Recreation and Revenge – The Celtics are at house and may have the group behind them. The Celtics want to guard house court docket and use the group help for motivation. The Pacers need to cope with journey and staying in accommodations and enjoying on an unfamiliar court docket and in entrance of hostile followers. The Celtics want to recollect their loss to those Pacers earlier this month and combat onerous to avenge that loss with a win on this one.Officiating – The officiating can at all times be an x-factor. Some referees name the sport tight and others allow them to play. Some favor the house workforce and others name it evenly. Some refs simply appear to have an agenda that doesn’t match the play on the court docket. And generally the refs are merely unhealthy. The Celtics need to play by way of nonetheless the refs name the sport, whether or not it’s tight or they allow them to play or they make horrible calls. The Celtics can’t permit unhealthy calls or no calls to remove their concentrate on the sport.
