POST GAME INDY PACERS - AWAY

Brissett, Pacers hot from long range, beat Celtics 128-107

ESPN BOSTON

INDIANAPOLIS -- — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle knew his team needed to work hard for quality shots.

Oshae Brissett and Buddy Hield made sure they did.

Brissett scored 27 points on a career-high six 3-pointers and Hield finished with 11 of his 21 points during the final eight minutes to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Boston Celtics 128-107 on Sunday.

"It was important for us to play with pace and play randomly and play with an unselfish spirit to get shots," Carlisle said. "So letting our guys play was a really important thing for our guys tonight."

The Pacers delivered their best performance since reshaping the roster with three trade-week deals.

They decimated one of the league's top defenses by making 17 3s, just two short of their season high, to earn their second win in 10 games and their second win over an Eastern Conference foe since Dec. 17.

Tyrese Haliburton had 22 points and nine assists for Indiana.

Jayson Tatum finished with 24 points and Jaylen Brown scored 23 as the Celtics' seven-game road winning streak ended. Boston had won five straight in the series and three in a row at Indiana.

But on Sunday, the Celtics couldn't slow down the Pacers' long-range shooters.

"We didn't come out as physical as we wanted to and it allowed them to get in a rhythm and it kind of snowballed on us," Boston coach Ime Udoka said. "Those guys were walking into 3s and a guy like Brissett started making some but they've got good 3-point shooters."

Three of them — Brissett, Chris Duarte and Hield — combined for five straight 3s late in the first half, and when Hield capped the 15-5 run, Indiana led 59-46. Boston never completely recovered.

Indiana led 66-55 at the half and, after extending the lead to 19 early in the third, fended off a charge that got Boston within 83-76 with 3:46 left in the quarter. Indiana then rebuilt a 93-82 lead.

When the Celtics closed within 99-92 early in fourth, Hield scored five straight and Indiana closed it out from there.

"We got to it them and they were flying around and everyone kind of flowed to it," Haliburton said when asked about Brissett and Hield. "And that kind of set the tone."

TIP-INS

Celtics: Tatum became the third player to score 1,500 points this season. ... Robert Williams had 10 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks while Marcus Smart had 13 points and seven assists. ... Payton Pritchard had 14 points off the bench. ... Brown also had eight assists. ... Boston played without center Al Horford.

Pacers: Indiana was 12 of 20 from 3-point range in the first half and finished 17 of 33. ... Malcolm Brogdon had 20 points and five assists. ... Jalen Smith finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. ... Isaiah Jackson had 11 points and three blocks while Chris Duarte added 11 points.

IN MEMORIAM

Carlisle offered condolences to the family of former Pacers coach Dick Versace. Bradley University, where Versace won three Missouri Valley Conference coach of the year awards, announced Saturday that the longtime coach had died. He was 81.

"I didn't know him well, but I knew of his love for the game," Carlisle said.

Carlisle also said the league's coaches are working with the Houston Rockets organization to hold a celebration-of-life ceremony for Bill Fitch, who died earlier this year.

QUOTABLE

"As professionals you don't know what's coming toward you every game or every other play, so you've got to adjust and we didn't," Williams said. "They came here to play, honestly."

UP NEXT

Celtics: Host Atlanta on Tuesday.

Pacers: Play the first of two straight games at Orlando on Monday.

Well, first things first.  Our bench is coming together.  I'll repeat this ad nauseum, but how well Pritchard plays and scores will determine how far we go in the playoffs.  

That said, if we keep losing games like this, we won't be in the playoffs and it won't matter.  When you don't guard the 3-ball with relentless defense and a team gets hot from there shooting over 50% while you have two bricklaying starters shooting 3-19, you're not going to win jack.  That's not only how you beat the Celtics but any team in the NBA.  Looks like Smart needs to go back to rehab with his 3-point lapse.  Our bench won 33-27.  Good job, guys!  Looks like PP is warming up.  That's two games in a row the bench has shown up and in this case played better than some of the starters.  We're going to need that and a lot more in games like this.      

Sorry, dboss.  Now we are 2-1 on this second set of 10 games.  We jack up/seize up again over the next 7 games, then we're probably set for 6th at best and maybe back to the play-in game.  It's that tight.  Boston has no one to blame but themselves for their plight.  I'm pretty sure BKN won't be losing anymore games from here on out and we just gave one back yesterday.  And one of those games is against us.  

Bad news is, you can't get these games back.  Wish we had a mulligan policy in the NBA.  And again, the games keep coming.  No rest for the weary.

Same old phrase, can't move up if you're losing. Better new phrase for the future? Avoid putting yourself in precarious situations by being in 1st next season.    

db

I believe the next month will reveal who the Celtics really are. That is where playoff intensity basketball increases, and teams on the edge play that much harder.

I liked what I saw before the AllStar break, but we did not have a good sampling of top 10 teams we played against to determine if we are good or very good.

Atlanta on tap Tuesday - NATIONAL TELEVISION - will be a good test.

112288

dbrown4 wrote:Well, first things first.  Our bench is coming together.  I'll repeat this ad nauseum, but how well Pritchard plays and scores will determine how far we go in the playoffs.  

That said, if we keep losing games like this, we won't be in the playoffs and it won't matter.  When you don't guard the 3-ball with relentless defense and a team gets hot from there shooting over 50% while you have two bricklaying starters shooting 3-19, you're not going to win jack.  That's not only how you beat the Celtics but any team in the NBA.  Looks like Smart needs to go back to rehab with his 3-point lapse.  Our bench won 33-27.  Good job, guys!  Looks like PP is warming up.  That's two games in a row the bench has shown up and in this case played better than some of the starters.  We're going to need that and a lot more in games like this.      

Sorry, dboss.  Now we are 2-1 on this second set of 10 games.  We jack up/seize up again over the next 7 games, then we're probably set for 6th at best and maybe back to the play-in game.  It's that tight.  Boston has no one to blame but themselves for their plight.  I'm pretty sure BKN won't be losing anymore games from here on out and we just gave one back yesterday.  And one of those games is against us.  

Bad news is, you can't get these games back.  Wish we had a mulligan policy in the NBA.  And again, the games keep coming.  No rest for the weary.

Same old phrase, can't move up if you're losing.  Better new phrase for the future?  Avoid putting yourself in precarious situations by being in 1st next season.     

db

DB, Lots of good points here but if “how well Pritchard plays and scores will determine how far we go in the playoffs” then we are already in big trouble.

Great review, bobh. If you get a well-oiled RWIII and I get the same with Pritchard, we may just wind up in the Finals!! Long way to go, though.

Well, if the rest of the playoff teams need a blueprint on how to exit us the playoffs, this game spells it out in graphic detail.

Same as it ever was. ISO, Bricklaying, and not going inside quicker when they ain't falling. Recipe for disaster. Hot from three is just a one and done. Gotta win 4. But it certainly doesn't hurt helping you get one win!

db

Ktron,

I just mean he has to come around and knock down 15-20 per night off the bench, provide harassing, lockdown "D" and throw in a few assists.  If he doesn't come around, the bench looks really bad. At least until the league or playoff teams figure him out and adjust.  I'm not askin' for much, am I?!!  

db

dbrown4 wrote:Ktron,

I just mean he has to come around and knock down 15-20 per night off the bench, provide harassing, lockdown "D" and throw in a few assists.  If he doesn't come around, the bench looks really bad.  At least until the league or playoff teams figure him out and adjust.  I'm not askin' for much, am I?!!  

db

:<) Depends on if your asking for 15-20 pts or 15-20 minutes. I wouldn’t count on the points. Not this year anyway.

Hi,
I hope it's just a brain-fart. Hope it's not a regress.

AK

Ktron,

Gotta go with points. Minutes bricklaying a shopping mall don't win games!!

db

dbrown4 wrote:Ktron,

Gotta go with points.  Minutes bricklaying a shopping mall don't win games!!

db

I dont see us getting 15 20 out of *PP but hallelujah if we do!!

*Just call me PP cuz i’m all urine. (Old saying from Mr. Smith who lived next door growing up in Roxbury)-)

Pooh pooh PP if you like, but Ray Allen ain't walking through that door. Reggie Miller ain't either. PP and Grant are our best 3pt shooters. Tatum ain't. He may be our superstar but on a night when his shots aren't falling for him to pull up for a contested three when PP in standing unguarded one pass away is just nuts.

atcross wrote:Pooh pooh PP if you like, but Ray Allen ain't walking through that door. Reggie Miller ain't either. PP and Grant are our best 3pt shooters. Tatum ain't. He may be our superstar but on a night when his shots aren't falling for him to pull up for a contested three when PP in standing unguarded one pass away is just nuts.

Me 2

PS. I.T. Should be walking through that door.

There is a lot of talent in the league, we saw the Pistons can be tough, Pacers made some good trades long term for them IMHO. Brogden, Hield and Halliburton are all legit above average players that can play, and if they get hot can do a lot of damage. Just like our guys Tatum, Brown, Smart and White can do a lot of damage, unfortunately only Jaylen was on, efficient and the rest were off. Smart and White had minimal impact both sides. What a terrible game by Tatum 2-12 from 3 killed us, why didn’t he give the 3’s a rest and go inside more? To make matters worse the defense was a step slow all game and once they got hot early, they stayed hot all game.

I also like their Jaylen Smith, a legit young 4 with an outside shot; as much as GWill has improved, he will never be an adequate rebounder. I would have started Theis, I like starting with more size and GWill already has a good rythmn coming off the bench. Would like to see RWill from the high post feeding Theis for some dunks. For whatever reason we weren’t moving the ball side to side like we have been. This team is not good recently in b2b’s even against bottom dwellers, who can still be a tough out when their best players are hitting their shots. Only glimmer was seeing PP light it up again, exactly what we needed, but rest of team was off. Well Warriors are in a big funk, losing alot lately. Philly looks rejuvenated and will be a big problem.

All I can say is we better come out tonight like a rabid pack of dogs.  ESPN+ is onto us today if anyone has that subscription!!  All about DEFENSE!  Potential title contender now over the noise of PHI and BKN, blah, blah, blah!

db