Indiana Pacers (15-16) at Boston Celtics (22-8) Recreation #31 12/27/24

The Celtics look to get again on monitor after struggling their first 2 recreation dropping streak of the season as they host the Indiana Pacers. This can be a rematch of the 2024 Jap Convention Finals that the Celtics swept. That is the 2nd of three video games between these two groups this season. The Celtics misplaced the primary recreation 135-132 in Additional time in Indiana. They may meet for the third and closing time in 2 days on December 29 in Boston.

The Celtics received the sequence final season 3 video games to 2. They performed an additional recreation resulting from taking part in within the knock out spherical of the in season event, which the Pacers received. The Celtics received the two video games in Boston and one of many 3 video games in Indiana, whereas the Pacers received 2 video games in Indiana. The Celtics are 109-86 total all time in video games in opposition to the Pacers. They’re 68-28 in video games performed in Boston.

The Celtics are 2nd within the East, 4 video games behind the primary place Cleveland Cavaliers, who’ve received their final 5 video games. They’re simply 2 video games forward of the third place Knicks, who’ve additionally received 5 straight video games. The Celtics are 11-5 at residence, already dropping 1 extra recreation at residence than they did all final season. They’re 6-4 of their final 10 video games and 1-3 of their final 4 video games. They’re 20-5 in opposition to Jap Convention groups and have misplaced their final 2 video games.

The Pacers are in eighth place within the East. They’re 11.5 video games behind 1st place Cleveland and seven.5 video games behind 2nd place Boston. They’re 1 recreation behind the Warmth, who’re in sixth place. They’re 2.5 video games forward of eleventh place Philadelphia. The Pacers are 7-11 on the highway and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 8-12 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents. They’d received 5 video games in a row earlier than Thursday’s loss to the Thunder.

The Christmas Day loss to the 76ers was the primary recreation of a 4 recreation residence stand. This recreation in opposition to Indiana is the primary of two video games in opposition to them in a row. They may face off once more on Sunday in Boston. The ultimate recreation of the house stand shall be in opposition to Toronto. They may then head out on a 4 recreation Western highway journey via Minnesota, Ime Udoka’s Houston Rockets, Oklahoma Metropolis and Denver. They may return residence to face 2 extra Western groups, Sacramento and New Orleans. They then head to Toronto earlier than dealing with Orlando and Atlanta at residence.

The Pacers had been off on Christmas Day however hosted the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Thursday. This recreation is the second of again to again video games and the Pacers are 1-3 within the second of again to again video games. After this recreation, these two groups face off once more on Sunday, additionally in Boston. The Pacers then alternate residence and highway video games as they host Milwaukee and play at Miami. Then host Phoenix after which play at Brooklyn. Then 2 video games at residence vs Chicago and Golden State.

After being listed as questionable for Wednesday’s recreation, each Derick White (hamstring) and Jayson Tatum (sickness) each performed in opposition to the 76ers. Jrue Vacation missed Wednesday’s recreation and is out for this recreation resulting from a proper shoulder impingement. Kristaps Porzingis left Wednesday’s recreation with a sprained ankle and can be out for this recreation. I’m guessing that Horford begins on the 4 and Tatum strikes to the three and Luke Kornet begins at heart. Only a guess

For the Pacers, Isaiah Jackson is out for the season after tearing his Achilles in a recreation in early November. James Wiseman can be out for the season after having surgical procedure on his torn Achilles tendon in October. Former Celtic Aaron Nesmith sprained his left ankle in opposition to the Pelicans on Nov. 1. He’s nonetheless weeks away from being cleared for contact and so will miss this recreation in opposition to his former crew. Benedict Mathurin has been beginning instead of Nesmith. Obi Toppin (ankle) and Andrew Nembhard (knee) are each out for this recreation. I don’t know who will begin in Nembhard’s place.

Possible Celtics Starters

Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Neemias Queta
Baylor Scheierman
Jaden Springer
Jordan Walsh
Xavier Tillman
Sam Hauser

2 Means Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson

Accidents/Out
Jrue Vacation (shoulder) out
Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) out

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Possible Pacers Starters

Pacers Reserves
Thomas Bryant
Johnny Furphy
James Johnson
TJ McConnell
Ben Sheppard
Jarace Walker

2-Means Gamers
Enrique Freeman
Quenton Jackson
Tristen Newton

Accidents/Out
Isaiah Jackson (Achilles) out
Aaron Nesmith (ankle) out
James Wiseman (Achilles) out
Obi Toppin (ankle) out
Andrew Nembhard (knee) out

Head Coach
Wealthy Carlisle

Key Matchups

Jayson Tatum

Photograph by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
Pascal Siakam

Photograph by Ron Hoskins/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures

Jayson Tatum vs Pascal Siakam
Siakam is averaging 20.1 factors, 7.0 rebounds, and three.4 assists per recreation whereas capturing 52.4% from the sector and 42.0% from past the arc. Within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics, Siakam completed with 29 factors, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists whereas capturing 55% from the sector and 75% from past the arc. The Celtics must get again to their defensive id and play higher protection on him on this recreation.

Jrue Vacation

Photograph by Elsa/Getty Pictures
Tyrese Haliburton

Photograph by Dylan Buell/Getty Pictures

Jrue Vacation vs Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton is averaging 17.8 factors, 3.5 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 43.2% from the sector and 35.5% from past the arc. Within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics, he completed with 17 factors, 6 rebounds, 12 assists and a pair of steals, whereas capturing 36.8% from the sector and 20% from past the arc. The Celtics must defend Haliburton for the move in addition to the shot. Vacation is questionable for this recreation so it might be Derrick White beginning on the level if he can’t play.

Honorable Point out
Jaylen Brown vs Benedict Mathurin
Mathurin is averaging 16.6 factors, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. He’s capturing 45.5% from the sector and 35.5% from past the arc. Within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics he got here off the bench and completed with 30 factors, 11 rebounds and 4 assists whereas capturing 52.9% from the sector and 40% from past the arc.

Keys to the Recreation
Protection – Protection is the important thing to profitable each single recreation. The Pacers haven’t been the scoring juggernaut they had been final season. They’re averaging 114.8 factors per recreation (eleventh) whereas the Celtics are averaging 118.9points per recreation (4th). The Celtics are eighth within the league with a defensive score of 109.7. The Pacers are twentieth with a defensive score of 114.3. The Celtics must make protection their id and their precedence. Most of their losses this season will be traced to an absence of constant effort on the defensive finish. The Celtics should play powerful protection to stop the Pacers from getting out on the break and scoring straightforward factors.

Rebound – The Celtics are seventh within the league, flattening 45.3 rebounds per recreation. The Pacers are twenty ninth with 40.6 rebounds per recreation. It can be crucial for the Celtics to rebound the ball to provide themselves additional possessions and to stop the Pacers from getting the identical together with 2nd probability factors. The Celtics haven’t been rebounding in addition to they did final season, which largely comes right down to effort. A lot of rebounding is want and energy and the Celtics have gotten to place out extra effort on the boards in the event that they wish to get again to profitable on a constant foundation.

Most Effort for 48 Minutes – The Celtics are dealing with one in all their hardest opponents from final season’s playoffs. There’s a good chance that they’ll see them within the playoffs in some unspecified time in the future this season. The Celtics effort of their final 2 video games was good at occasions and never so good at different occasions. The Celtics must play tougher and provides extra effort than the Pacers. The Celtics have to provide most effort on the boards and on protection and in diving for unfastened balls and forcing turnovers, and so they have to provide that effort for the whole recreation and never simply 2 quarters.

Transfer the Ball – The Celtics are powerful to beat after they maintain the ball shifting and so they make the additional move to seek out the most effective shot. They wrestle after they lapse into iso ball and when gamers maintain the ball too lengthy. The Pacers transfer the ball very effectively. They should discover the open man for the most effective shot and never simply throw up the primary shot and never dribbling the air out of the ball whereas time ticks off the shot clock. If the 3s aren’t falling, they should drive to the basket. 3’s are nice and offer you an additional level and all, but when they don’t go in, 2 factors are higher than none.

X-Components
House Recreation – The Celtics misplaced simply 4 residence video games all final season. They’ve already misplaced 5 this season. . The Celtics want to guard residence courtroom and use the group assist for motivation. The Pacers should take care of journey and staying in inns and taking part in on an unfamiliar courtroom and in entrance of hostile followers. The Celtics want to make use of residence courtroom to their benefit and struggle exhausting for a win on this recreation.

Accidents and Fatigue – The Celtics could also be with out Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Vacation. It goes with out saying that will probably be harder with out one or each of these gamers. Hopefully they each can play. If they’ll’t play, Al Horford, Luke Kornet, and Payton Pritchard will see extra minutes and want to select up the slack. The Pacers are taking part in on the second night time of again to again video games and needed to journey after Thursday’s recreation. Fatigue could turn out to be an element for them down the stretch.

Officiating -Officiating is at all times an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport just a little in another way with some calling it tight and others letting them play. In latest video games, we’ve seen some very unhealthy officiating and a few head scratching calls. The Celtics have to regulate to how the sport is being referred to as and deal with the sport and never on the officers.

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