Celtics
Tyrese Haliburton continued his spectacular event run.
The Celtics have been bounced from the In-Season Match on Monday, falling to the Indiana Pacers 122-112.
Listed below are the takeaways.
1. The primary takeaway right here, after all, is that the In-Season Match is doing precisely what Adam Silver hoped it will do. Final week, it generated a ton of curiosity and dialog about level differential and the significance of respecting the sport.
This week, it ratcheted the depth of a Monday in December up a number of notches. Whether or not that was due to the cash (virtually actually a part of it) or due to their aggressive nature (virtually actually one other a part of it) or as a result of they have been hoping to go on a piece journey to Las Vegas in the course of the season (virtually actually a 3rd a part of it) or another cause, the gamers actually wished to win, and the tip consequence was a enjoyable recreation in a enjoyable surroundings. Each groups handled Monday’s contest just like the elimination recreation it was moderately than the regular-season recreation that it additionally was.
However the Pacers have been particularly amped by the environment, enjoying on their dwelling flooring in entrance of followers who understood the gravity of the scenario. Monday’s recreation had a frenetic really feel, and the Pacers like to play frenetic basketball.
“I actually wished to f—ing go to Vegas,” Tatum instructed reporters afterward.
That could be true, however after Monday’s recreation, it regarded fairly clear which staff wished to go extra.
2. The Celtics shot 12-for-41 from 3-point vary (29.3 %), and the Pacers have been 19-for-40 (47.5 %), which tells roughly half the story of why the Celtics misplaced. Except for Sam Hauser, who completed 5-for-7 from deep, the Celtics have been a horrific 7-for-34 (20.6 %) from behind the arc.
The opposite half of the statistical story: The Celtics turned the ball over 18 occasions, whereas the Pacers turned it over six occasions. Going through the league’s greatest offense and one of many league’s worst defenses, the Celtics misplaced the turnover battle badly.
3. The Celtics flirted with giving the sport away on a number of events earlier than they lastly did late within the fourth quarter on a 3-point play by Tyrese Haliburton. With 1:33 remaining, Haliburton elevated for a 3-pointer with zero air area and buried the shot as Jaylen Brown closed out too laborious and dedicated a foul. Trailing by 4, Jayson Tatum pressured and missed a 3-pointer, the Pacers received a triple from Buddy Hield, adopted by a Celtics turnovers and a dunk by Aaron Nesmith that pushed the result in 9.
Haliburton was spectacular, recording a 26-point, 10-rebound, 13-assist triple-double and burying assured triples 30 toes from the ring. The MVP chants he acquired from Pacers followers have been aspirational however not inappropriate inside the context of the sport.
4. A variety of blame might be pinned to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, which is the worth you pay for superstardom, however each gamers have been fairly stable for prolonged stretches. Brown was wonderful within the first half, hurting the Pacers with laborious drives to the basket and a few powerful mid-range jumpers. Tatum got here alive within the second half and helped the Celtics pull themselves out of a gap within the fourth quarter. Tatum and Brown completed with 32 and 30 factors respectively.
Exterior of Tatum and Brown, there have been loads of disappointing performances. Jrue Vacation shot simply 3-for-9. Derrick White scored 18 factors, however he turned the ball over 5 occasions together with one which led to Nesmith’s exclamation level dunk within the closing minute. Payton Pritchard got here off the bench and contributed 5 missed photographs. After a number of good video games in a row, Al Horford performed 31 minutes, however you’d be excused if you happen to missed them and thought he sat out too (1-for-3 with two factors, though he did seize seven boards and dish out 4 assists).
5. Aaron Nesmith actually needs to beat the Celtics. He has all the time flown across the court docket with little regard for his personal physique, however he rocketed round with just a little additional jet gas on Monday. He roared when he picked up a cost. He held his hand about an inch from the bottom after scoring over Derrick White to tell the Celtics guard that he was too small. He yapped backwards and forwards with the Celtics bench mob who took over his position in Boston after he was dealt to the Pacers in change for Malcolm Brogdon.
Nesmith is in an awesome scenario in Indiana the place he will get an opportunity to play 31 minutes in an necessary In-Season Match recreation, which actually wouldn’t have been the case in Boston. Nonetheless, that doesn’t appear to have modified how he feels about his unique franchise.
6. After the Celtics made it out of the group stage in dramatic vogue, Jaylen Brown and Jrue Vacation specifically spoke brazenly about how they felt they have been pressured to disrespect their opponent and the sport by making an attempt to run up the rating in a contest that was already determined.
On Monday, because the clock expired, Buddy Hield fired up a 3-pointer on the buzzer and buried it, giving the Pacers a 10-point lead in a recreation the Celtics already conceded.
Perhaps the In-Season Match is the dying of unwritten guidelines.
7. Kristaps Porzingis is reportedly anticipated to be again this week, which might be a giant increase. The Celtics’ offense has regarded considerably inconsistent with out its new addition, and Porzingis now has three days off to relaxation and rehab earlier than the Celtics return to the ground on Friday.
8. The Celtics are in an odd place of not understanding their subsequent opponent. Whoever it’s will journey to Boston, and the sport will tip off at 7:30 p.m.
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