Celtics
Tyrese Haliburton continued his spectacular match run.
The Celtics had been bounced from the In-Season Event on Monday, falling to the Indiana Pacers 122-112.
Listed here are the takeaways.
1. The primary takeaway right here, in fact, is that the In-Season Event is doing precisely what Adam Silver hoped it might 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 (nearly definitely a part of it) or due to their aggressive nature (nearly definitely one other a part of it) or as a result of they had been hoping to go on a piece journey to Las Vegas in the course of the season (nearly definitely a 3rd a part of it) or another purpose, the gamers actually wished to win, and the tip end result was a enjoyable recreation in a enjoyable surroundings. Each groups handled Monday’s contest just like the elimination recreation it was somewhat than the regular-season recreation that it additionally was.
However the Pacers had been particularly amped by the environment, taking part in on their house flooring in entrance of followers who understood the gravity of the state of affairs. 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 is likely to be true, however after Monday’s recreation, it regarded fairly clear which group wished to go extra.
2. The Celtics shot 12-for-41 from 3-point vary (29.3 p.c), and the Pacers had been 19-for-40 (47.5 p.c), which tells roughly half the story of why the Celtics misplaced. Other than Sam Hauser, who completed 5-for-7 from deep, the Celtics had been a horrific 7-for-34 (20.6 p.c) 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. Dealing with the league’s finest 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 exhausting 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 ft from the ring. The MVP chants he obtained from Pacers followers had been aspirational however not inappropriate throughout the context of the sport.
4. Numerous blame will likely be pinned to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, which is the worth you pay for superstardom, however each gamers had been fairly stable for prolonged stretches. Brown was glorious within the first half, hurting the Pacers with exhausting 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.
Outdoors 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 last 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 in case you 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 desires 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 slightly further jet gasoline 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 forwards and backwards with the Celtics bench mob who took over his function in Boston after he was dealt to the Pacers in alternate for Malcolm Brogdon.
Nesmith is in an incredible state of affairs in Indiana the place he will get an opportunity to play 31 minutes in an necessary In-Season Event recreation, which definitely 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 style, Jaylen Brown and Jrue Vacation particularly spoke overtly about how they felt they had been pressured to disrespect their opponent and the sport by attempting 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.
Possibly the In-Season Event is the loss of life of unwritten guidelines.
7. Kristaps Porzingis is reportedly anticipated to be again this week, which will likely 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 a wierd place of not figuring out 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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