The Boston Celtics watched their undefeated begin come to an in depth towards the Indiana Pacers with a 135-132 additional time loss at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday evening.
The season’s first rematch of the Jap Convention Finals noticed the house group run away after a quick begin that pushed Boston again. The Pacers didn’t let up because the Celtics trailed by as many as 24 factors within the third quarter. The Celtics led a livid comeback to drive additional time earlier than Indiana threw the ultimate punch within the final seconds of the additional interval.
The loss marked Boston’s first of the season at 4-1 whereas Indiana improved to 2-3.
Listed below are three studs and three duds from Wednesday’s Celtics-Pacers recreation:
STUDS
Jayson Tatum
Tatum didn’t begin effectively from the sector, however recovered (10-for-25 FG, 5-for-18 3PT) to guide the Celtics in scoring with 37 factors and supplied a number of impacts to start out transition assaults. He delivered the shot of the evening with a game-tying triple with 13.1 seconds left in regulation that despatched the sport to additional time.
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Payton Pritchard
Pritchard did present a spark and acted because the catalyst the few occasions the Celtics discovered methods to guide the tempo towards the Pacers on this matchup. Pritchard added 16 factors and 4 rebounds within the loss.
Derick White
White delivered what’s normally deserved for Pritchard when he pulled up for a protracted three-pointer to beat the buzzer on the finish of the primary quarter. White gave the Celtics 23 factors on an environment friendly outing. His defensive tenacity, together with a late steal off the inbound, saved the Celtics alive within the fourth quarter. He adopted it up with a 3 to even the rating at 127 in additional time.
DUDS
Jrue Vacation
Vacation posted the second-lowest plus-minus for the Celtics (-19) and did not discover a groove offensively after an early miss on a layup within the opening minutes of the competition. Vacation struggled on the identical courtroom that he sealed Recreation 3 for Boston with a key steal in final season’s Jap Convention Finals.
Al Horford
Boston’s veteran large man had a tough time defensively towards Indiana’s Pascal Siakam. The man veteran dominated the sport towards the Celtics and boosted the Pacers with 29 factors, together with the game-winning shot, on the evening. Luke Kornet may fall into this spot as effectively.
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First-Half Protection
The Pacers scored 67 first-half factors, essentially the most to date this season for Boston. Indiana had whole management of the tempo of the ground and saved the Celtics on their heels. The Pacers shot simply south of 53% within the opening 24 minutes of the sport and dictated their offense with 40 factors within the paint and 17 extra on the quick break.
