Author Topic: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18  (Read 19343 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« on: March 10, 2018, 10:06:10 PM »

Offline FLCeltsFan

  • Kendrick Perkins #1 Fan
  • Author
  • Rajon Rondo
  • *****
  • Posts: 5280
  • Tommy Points: 11831
  • Marcus Smart Fan!
  at 
Indiana Pacers (37-28) at Boston Celtics (46-20)
Sunday, March 11, 2018
7:30 PM ET
Regular Season Game #67, Home Game #35
TV:  NBCSB, FSInd,  NBA-LP 760(DTV)/756(xfinity)
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 1070 The Fan
TD Garden



Probable Starting Matchups
Point Guard

vs
Kyrie Irving vs Cory Joseph

Shooting Guard

vs
Player to be Named vs Victor Oladipo

Small Forward
vs
Jayson Tatum vs Bojan Bogdanovic

Power Forward
vs
Al Horford vs Thaddeus Young

Center
vs
Aron Baynes vs Miles Turner


Celtics Reserves
Abdel Nader
Semi Ojeleye
Daniel Theis
Terry Rozier
Marcus Morris
Greg Monroe
Marcus Smart 
Shane Larkin

Injuries

Gordon Hayward (ankle)  out
Guerschon Yabusele (Red Claws)  day to day
Jaylen Brown (concussion)  out

Two Way Players
Kadeem Allen
Jabari Bird

Head Coach
Brad Stevens




Pacers Reserves
Al Jefferson
Ike Anigbogu
TJ Leaf
Ben Moore
Alex Poythress
Domantas Sabonis
Lance Stephenson
Joe Young
Glenn Robinson
Darren Collison

Injuries
None
 
Two Way Players
Edmond Sumner

Head Coach
Nate McMillan

Game Notes
The Celtics return home from their 3 game road trip to host the Indiana Pacers.  This is the 4th and final meeting between these two teams in the regular season.  The Pacers won the last game between these two teams 97-91 on February 9 in Boston. The Celtics won the first two games in Indiana 108-98 on November 25 and 112-111 on a Rozier buzzer beater on December 18.  The Pacers will be wearing their Hickory uniforms for this one. 

The Celtics have won two straight games and are 6-4 in their last 10 games.  They are 23-11 at home.  The Pacers are looking for their second straight win and are 7-3 in their last 10 games.  The Pacers have the 2nd most wins (18) in the league since January 6.  They last played on Friday when they beat the Hawks at home while the Celtics last played Friday in Minnesota. 

The Celtics remain 2nd in the East, 2.5 games behind the Raptors who beat Houston at home on Friday.  The Celtics are 7.5 games ahead of the Cavaliers who are currently 3rd in the East.  This game is important to keep pace with the Raptors who will likely beat the tanking Knicks on Sunday.  The Raptors are 28-5 at home and it should be in the Celtics best interest to try to get home court advantage in the playoffs against them.

The Pacers have been playing very well this season, especially since January.  They are 5th in the East, and tied with the Wizards for 4 with the Wizards holding the tie breaker.  But they are just half a game behind Cleveland for the 3rd spot and are 2 ahead of Philly for 6th.  They are also 8 games ahead of Detroit who is currently just out of the playoffs in 9th place. 

Jaylen Brown will be out for this game with the concussion he suffered against the Timberwolves.  He didn't suffer any structural damage in the shoulder, back or neck but is in the league concussion protocol.  He may miss up to a week.  In the meantime, Brad Stevens isn't sure who he will start in his place.

When Kyrie missed the game against the Bulls,  Brad opted to start Shane Larkin so as not to interfere with the chemistry that has built with the Celtics' second unit.  He said that he isn't sure if he will start Smart or Rozier  or if he will go the same way as the Bulls game and start Nader, Ojeleye, or Larkin to preserve the unity of the second unit.   My guess is Nader, who was the D-League MVP last season, or, possibly Semi Ojeleye for his defense on Oladipo. 

The Pacers have no one on their injured list.  Darren Collison, their starting point guard, returned from arthroscopic surgery against the Hawks on Friday.  He hasn't played since February 3 and was limited to 17 minutes in his return.  He added 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists off the bench.  It's possible that he may return to the starting lineup for this game, but Joseph is still listed as the starter in their game notes.

Key Matchups
vs
Player to be Named vs Victor Oladipo
This is a very key matchup as Oladipo is Indiana's top scorer and slowing him down will be very important.  He scored 35 and 38 in his last two games vs the Celtics.  He is averaging 24.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.2 steals.  He is shooting 48% from the field and 37% from beyond the arc.  Slowing down Oladipo will go a long way toward getting a win over the Pacers.  Brad could go with Smart or Rozier here, but he also may use Nader, Ojeleye, Larkin or someone else. 

vs
Jayson Tatum vs Bojan Bogdanovic   
Bogdanovic is averaging 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists.  He is shooting 48% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.  Tatum needs to stay with him both in the paint and on the perimeter. 

Honorable Mention
Celtics Bench vs Pacers Bench
In the 3 games so far against the Pacers, their reserves came up big for them.  Domantas Sabonis came up big in 2 of the games with 19 points and 7 rebounds in one game and 17 points and 7 rebounds in the other.  Sabonis is averaging 11.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the year.  Lance Stephenson is also playing well, averaging 9.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3 assists per game. 

The Celtics reserves have been playing exceptionally well, leading Brad Stevens to consider keeping the 2nd unit together and starting a non-rotational player in Brown's place.  The Celtics bench has been averaging 55.2 points since the All Star break.  They had 65 points vs Detroit, 61 points vs Charlotte, 67 points vs Houston, 52 points vs Memphis, 44 points vs Chicago and 42 points vs Minnesota.    They need to keep it up in this game vs Chicago's tough bench. 

Keys to the Game
Rebound - The Celtics must box out and crash the boards.  They can't score without the ball and it will take extra effort on their part to grab the rebounds.  In the first game between these two teams, the Pacers out-rebounded the Celtics 36-30.  In the second, the Celtics and Pacers were even with 38 rebounds each.  In the Pacers win, they out-rebounded the Celtics 53-38.    The Celtics must crash the boards as a team and beat the Pacers to the rebounds if they want a win in this one. 

Be Aggressive
-  I already mentioned that the Celtics must be aggressive on the boards, but they also must be aggressive on defense, in going after loose balls,  and just all around going all out. They have to aggressively attack the basket. They need to start the game with that aggressive attitude and be aggressive through the whole game with no let up.  They can't let the Pacers be the team that works harder.

Play Defense
-  Defense wins games.  The Pacers are the 6th best 3 point shooting team in the league, shooting 37.1% from beyond the arc and so the Celtics have to close out on their outside shooters.  They also must play better defense in the paint as the Pacers average 44.3 points in the paint.   The Pacers average 106.1 points per game while the Celtics average 104.6 points per game.  The Celtics have the best defensive rating at 101.4 while the Pacers have a defensive rating of 105.5 (14th).  If the Celtics want to get a win in this game, they must make playing tough defense a priority. 

Move the Ball Carefully - The Celtics need to move the ball and find the open man.    The Pacers are 4th in the league with 18.2 points off turnovers per game and so the Celtics must focus on making good passes and be aware of the Pacers ability to close out the passing lanes.  If the Celtics get careless, the Pacers will make them pay as they are also 3rd in fast break points with 15.0 per game. 

Play 48 Minutes - Since the All Star break, the Celtics have been doing a good job of starting strong and playing hard throughout the game.  Hopefully they won't slip back into the pattern of slow starts or getting a lead and then allowing their opponent to come back.   They have to play hard for 48 minutes.  Start strong and play hard all the way to the final buzzer. 

X-Factors
Home Game - The Celtics are back home after a 3 game road trip.  They need to draw strength and motivation from the home crowd.  Also,  the Pacers haven't been a strong road team with 15 wins and 16 losses and so the Celtics need to come out strong and take advantage of being at home. 

Next Man Up
- With Jaylen Brown out, the player that Brad picks to fill his spot in the starting lineup will be very important because they will be tasked with slowing down Victor Oladipo, who has been on fire.  Hopefully whoever Brad picks will be up to the task and the rest of the team will step up their game to fill in for the missing Brown. 

« Last Edit: March 10, 2018, 10:13:25 PM by FLCeltsFan »

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2018, 10:06:30 PM »

Offline Monkhouse

  • Paul Silas
  • ******
  • Posts: 6932
  • Tommy Points: 814
  • A true Celtic plays with heart.
This should be an interesting tough matchup. Oldaipo put the team on his back and worked hard. Can we continue to play solid defense and get hot from.the bench unit?
"I bomb atomically, Socrates' philosophies and hypotheses
Can't define how I be dropping these mockeries."

Is the glass half-full or half-empty?
It's based on your perspective, quite simply
We're the same and we're not; know what I'm saying? Listen
Son, I ain't better than you, I just think different

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2018, 10:07:00 PM »

Offline FLCeltsFan

  • Kendrick Perkins #1 Fan
  • Author
  • Rajon Rondo
  • *****
  • Posts: 5280
  • Tommy Points: 11831
  • Marcus Smart Fan!
TP to Monkhouse   for being the first to post in the game thread!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Celtics!!!!! 

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2018, 10:08:27 PM »

Online hpantazo

  • Kevin McHale
  • ************************
  • Posts: 24882
  • Tommy Points: 2700
Let's keep this post ASG run going!

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2018, 10:35:46 PM »

Offline ChillyWilly

  • Bill Walton
  • *
  • Posts: 1373
  • Tommy Points: 619
How do we fair without JB? Let's Go Cs!
ok fine

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2018, 10:50:32 PM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 36776
  • Tommy Points: 2961
Unleash the two Marcus junkyard dogs on them

TP for Monk too !

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2018, 12:32:50 AM »

Offline azzenfrost

  • Bailey Howell
  • **
  • Posts: 2063
  • Tommy Points: 177
Let's go C's.
I moved the cheese.

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2018, 03:30:07 AM »

Offline Billz401

  • Bill Walton
  • *
  • Posts: 1387
  • Tommy Points: 101
  • B's Up
Wonder if they add Marcus to the starting 5 or keep him coming off the bench to keep that 2nd unit chemistry up. Either way let's keep rolling boys!
everyone got so sensitive after 9-11... thanks alot bin laden

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2018, 04:29:19 AM »

Offline trickybilly

  • Rajon Rondo
  • *****
  • Posts: 5593
  • Tommy Points: 617
Wonder if they add Marcus to the starting 5 or keep him coming off the bench to keep that 2nd unit chemistry up. Either way let's keep rolling boys!

I'm in favor of T-Ro into starting lineup. Smart-Theis as the second unit punch, with MM as the bailout. Same as always really...
"Gimme the ball, gimme the ball". Freddy Quimby, 1994.

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2018, 11:35:03 AM »

Offline Boston Garden Leprechaun

  • Dennis Johnson
  • ******************
  • Posts: 18464
  • Tommy Points: 1550


LET'S GO CELTICS!

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2018, 11:50:29 AM »

Offline dwlefty13

  • Don Chaney
  • *
  • Posts: 1628
  • Tommy Points: 3
This game is starting late for a Sunday. Was this an original ESPN game that they removed for Cavs vs. Lakers? Either way, lets continue to great play and Go Celtics!!!
Let's Go Celtics!!

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #11 on: March 11, 2018, 12:19:49 PM »

Offline libermaniac

  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2835
  • Tommy Points: 375
I'd start Smart.  If you shut down Oladipo you win.

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2018, 12:24:29 PM »

Online hwangjini_1

  • Kevin Garnett
  • *****************
  • Posts: 17835
  • Tommy Points: 2661
  • bammokja
I'd start Smart.  If you shut down Oladipo you win.
probably, but even if oladipo gets his points, as long as he has to work hard at it and the rest of the team is removed from the scoring, the celtics can win.

but in any case...thanks galore to flc and of course, and inevitably...

goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo celtics!!  ;D
I believe Gandhi is the only person who knew about real democracy — not democracy as the right to go and buy what you want, but democracy as the responsibility to be accountable to everyone around you. Democracy begins with freedom from hunger, freedom from unemployment, freedom from fear, and freedom from hatred.
- Vandana Shiva

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2018, 12:27:33 PM »

Online Donoghus

  • Global Moderator
  • Bill Russell
  • ******************************
  • Posts: 30933
  • Tommy Points: 1607
  • What a Pub Should Be
Can they please not let Oladipo go off again?


2010 CB Historical Draft - Best Overall Team

Re: Pacers (37-28) at Celtics (46-20) Game #67 3/11/18
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2018, 02:37:05 PM »

Offline celticinorlando

  • Paul Pierce
  • ***************************
  • Posts: 27950
  • Tommy Points: 637
  • MASTER OF PANIC
Start smart on Home Depot and let him play extend minutes today