Pre-Game Pacers

In an effort to stop beating a dead horse and all that has been said to this point regarding management, players, coaches, TPE's, Steven A. Smith, ESPN, trade deadline, etc., it's time to focus on the task at hand...Tonight's home game vs. the Pacers!

Each game in this slide produces an opportunity to change directions.  How might we accomplish this?  Well, it has to start with at least one win.  When we are losing a string of games and we're all piling on, it is real easy to determine when this win will happen!  

Tonight is one of those opportunities.  Still no Marcus Smart, but the team could at least honor him and show him not only that yes we need him, but yes we can bring you back in on a positive note.  We have made it quite clear we lose without him.  He's honored and flattered by that.  Now he's moving into being annoyed.  He is definitely needed and wanted and his job is secure unless DA is going to pull the plug.  But he's pretty safe.  

What Marcus would like to see us do now is turn it around before the break so he's not coming back into a hopeless situation where we are in 13th place and out of the playoffs without a monumental effort only to face a 1- or 2-seed in the first round.  We all know how that turns out.  

Down here we call these new NBA play-in games the Les Robinson Invitational in honor of the NC State coach who made it an annual event in the ACC Tournament to be just enough to play in the tournament but had to earn/not earn his way into the main draw, only to face of course the top 2 teams in the league.  Surefire recipe for quick trip to and out of the annual ACC Tournament.  The NCAA does a similar gig now since the teams entered is not a whole number multiple of 64.

I don't have any particular answers today for tonight.  Boston does not pay me enough to put forth any of my solutions!  Most if not all have been put forth on this site.  Maybe the board should offer all in the Boston Celtic organization free passes to this site if they haven't already!! (Insert sarcasm!!)  Who knows, they might learn something!!  

But reality has sunk in...for now.  The beatings will continue...

db

Struggling Celtics tip off pivotal stretch vs. Pacers

https://sports.yahoo.com/struggling-celtics-tip-off-pivotal-200534965.html

Thu, February 25, 2021, 3:05 PM

Losers of three straight and eight of their last 11, the Boston Celtics know they have a lot on the line with four games remaining before the All-Star break.

"These next four games will tell us a lot about where we can go," said coach Brad Stevens.

It could be the most important stretch of the season for Boston as it gets set to host the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. The Celtics were blown out 127-112 by the mediocre Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, falling two games below .500 and out of playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

Boston is tied for last in the Atlantic Division after having the best record in the East just over a month ago.

"I wish I had answers for you. I don't," team president Danny Ainge said in a radio appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub on Thursday. "I do believe in my players. I like them all individually. I think they have good futures. I just think right now our team is in a major funk.

"We don't have a good enough team -- in my opinion."

The assessment is stunning given the presence of All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the starting five. Each struggled against Atlanta, Tatum scoring 13 points on 4-of-20 shooting and Brown going 0-for-6 on 3-pointers in scoring 17 points. Boston's third-leading scorer, Kemba Walker, sat out the contest that was the tail end of a back-to-back. His knee injury has limited him to 17.3 points per game this season, well below his career average.

Friday's game against the Pacers will be followed by a rematch Sunday with the Washington Wizards, who trounced the Celtics 104-91 on Feb. 14 despite being one of the worst teams in the East. Then come its meetings with the much-tougher L.A. Clippers and Toronto Raptors before the break.

Indiana has had its own inconsistencies of late, having lost four of five earlier this month. The Pacers have won three of their last five, however, and had a chance in the final seconds before ultimately falling 111-107 to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

"I feel like we got key stops at the end of the fourth, but we just couldn't make baskets," said Domantas Sabonis, who finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds. "That was the main thing. I think our defense overall there was pretty good ... but at the end when we got stops, we couldn't convert and get the lead."

The game was the first for the Pacers after a week off due to two postponements. Malcolm Brogdon scored 24 points, but he and Sabonis combined for 10 of Indiana's 19 turnovers.

Beginning Friday, the Pacers will play their next four games on the road, including Saturday at the Knicks.

"We've got a tough schedule coming up, and we've just got to try to take care of business," said Myles Turner.

The Celtics and Pacers split their first two meetings this season as part of a back-to-back at Indiana in December.

--Field Level Media

Celtics face the Pacers on 3-game skid

https://www.espn.com/nba/preview?gameId=401267665

Indiana Pacers (15-15, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (15-17, ninth in the Eastern Conference)

Boston; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Boston will try to end its three-game losing streak when the Celtics take on Indiana.

The Celtics have gone 11-10 against Eastern Conference opponents. Boston ranks seventh in the league allowing just 110.3 points per game while holding opponents to 47% shooting.

The Pacers are 9-8 in Eastern Conference play. Indiana ranks sixth in the league with 26.6 assists per game led by T.J. McConnell averaging 6.6.

The two teams square off for the third time this season. The Celtics defeated the Pacers 116-111 in their last matchup on Dec. 29. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 27 points, and Victor Oladipo paced Indiana scoring 24 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tatum ranks second on the Celtics with 4.5 assists and scores 25.6 points per game. Jaylen Brown is averaging 23.4 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 44.9% over the last 10 games for Boston.

Malcolm Brogdon leads the Pacers averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers while scoring 21.7 points per game and shooting 38.7% from beyond the arc. McConnell is averaging 7.8 assists and 8.5 points over the last 10 games for Indiana.

LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 3-7, averaging 110.2 points, 43.3 rebounds, 21.2 assists, 7.3 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.7 points on 46.9% shooting.

Pacers: 4-6, averaging 113.5 points, 43.4 rebounds, 26.7 assists, eight steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.4 points on 45.4% shooting.

INJURIES: Celtics: Romeo Langford: out (right wrist), Marcus Smart: out (calf).

Pacers: Caris LeVert: out (kidney), TJ Warren: out (foot).