Post Game - Celtics vs. Pacers - Monday, January 08 (L)

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401585135

Celtics Wrap: Pacers Defeat Boston, Benefit From Late Controversial Call

https://nesn.com/2024/01/celtics-wrap-pacers-defeat-boston-benefit-from-late-controversial-call/

It was a rough final minute for Boston
KEAGAN STIEFEL 1 MINUTE AGO 3 MIN READ

After an electric overtime win against the Pistons, Jayson Tatum expresses his focus for the Celtics this season: a championship.

The Boston Celtics couldn’t complete a two-game sweep of the Indiana Pacers on Monday, falling, 133-131, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The C’s fell to 28-8, while the Pacers improved to 21-15.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY

It would have been easy for the Pacers to lie down after Tyrese Haliburton, their unquestioned star, went down with what looked to be a serious injury in the second quarter.

They did the opposite.

Indiana pushed Boston to its limit, stringing together a pair of runs that put the Pacers in the driver’s seat entering the final quarter.

The Celtics’ inability to pull away, mixed with the Pacers’ lethal offense, helped Indiana keep this one close in the final minutes, which is where things got weird.

The Pacers benefitted from two calls, both of which could be viewed as controversial. Jaylen Brown appeared to be fouled in a tie game, with less than five seconds on the clock, but Indiana challenged the call and had it overturned — despite the fact that Brown was hit in the head on the play. Kristaps Porzingis was then called for a foul on the Pacers’ ensuing possession, allowing Indiana to hit a pair of free throws and close it out.

STARS OF THE GAME

— Brown was tremendous in the absence of Tatum, scoring a season-high 40 points. He added five rebounds on the night, making 17-of-26 attempts from the field.

— T.J. McConnell, who was tasked with replacing Haliburton following the star’s injury, filled in admirably. He finished with 12 points, seven assists and two steals.

— Benedict Mathurin showed why he was the No. 6 pick last year, pouring in 26 points on 8-for-15 shooting. He chipped in with four rebounds, three assists and two steals, as well as making the game-winning free throws.

WAGER WATCH

Aaron Nesmith missed all seven of his attempts from distance in Indiana and Boston’s previous matchup, but bounced back to connect X times from three-point range Monday. If you saw him clearing 1.5, which was the number set by DraftKings Sportsbook, a $100 bet could have netted you $174.07.

UP NEXT

The Celtics will head back home for a matchup with the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Boston and Minnesota, the NBA’s top two teams, are scheduled to tip things off from TD Garden at 7 p.m. ET.

From another perspective:


Bennedict Mathurin's free throws give Pacers win vs. Celtics after Haliburton's injury

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2024/01/08/pacers-vs-celtics-mathurins-free-throws-bring-win-after-haliburton-injury/72074112007/


Dustin Dopirak
Indianapolis Star

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bennedict Mathurin hit two free throws with 0.6 left to give the Pacers a 133-131 win over the Celtics on a night when All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton left the game with a left hamstring injury.

The Pacers have won seven of their last eight games and improved to 21-15. The Celtics still have the NBA's best record at 28-8.

Here are four observations.

Pacers news:Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton leaves game against Celtics with left hamstring strain

Tyrese Haliburton leaves game with injury, but Pacers respond
Haliburton slipped twice on the floor near the south bucket at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The first time he wiped out on a drive but then got up easily. The second time he did a split with his right leg going forward while his left leg stayed behind. He was instantly in serious pain, and though he managed to stand up, he was carried off the floor by veterans and close friends Buddy Hield and James Johnson. At halftime, the Pacers announced that Haliburton had suffered a left hamstring strain and would not return to the game.

Haliburton, who entered the game averaging 24.2 points and an NBA-leading 12.7 assists per game, already had seven points and six assists before suffering the injury with 3:10 to go in the second quarter. The Pacers had to start second-year guard Andrew Nembhard at the point in the second half in his first game since spraining his back against the Bucks on Jan. 1. He had to check out shortly after, however, as he picked up his fourth foul in less than 6:30 of game action. The Pacers had to rely heavily on veterans T.J. McConnell and Bruce Brown to man the backcourt the rest of the way.

The Pacers were initially staggered after the injury. The Celtics went on an 8-3 run to go up by 11 points. However, the Pacers rallied with a sensational third quarter. They outscored the Celtics 44-33, shooting 15 of 22 from the floor, 4 of 7 from 3 and 10 of 10 at the line to post an incredible 1.61 points per possession. They played the Celtics even in the fourth but got the key free throws from Mathurin and big starts at big moments to put the game away.

Pacers get scoring from Mathurin, Turner, Hield Nesmith

One of the dominant critiques of the Pacers roster as they head to the trade deadline less than a month away is that it lacks a clear No. 2 option behind Haliburton to pick up the slack when opponents dedicate defensive resources to taking him away.

There have been times this season when they've needed someone to step up to score at Haliburton's level and it hasn't happened. However, on Monday night they had several potential No. 2s step up when they were needed.

Mathurin, a first-team All-Rookie pick last year who would seem to be the Pacers' best bet to be the eventual No. 2, carried the Pacers in the first half before the Haliburton injury with 13 first-quarter points on 5 of 5 shooting and ended up with 26 points on 8 of 15 shooting including 5 of 9 from 3-point range. Big man Myles Turner, scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds and forward Aaron Nesmith came through from outside with 17 points, shooting 6 of 10 from the floor and 3 of 5 from 3-point range. Hield has been struggling from outside, but he hit some big shots when they were needed, finishing with 15 points on 6 of 11 shooting and 3 of 7 from 3-point range.

T.J. McConnell steps up in Haliburton's absence

There's never a time when Pacers veteran point guard T.J. McConnell is on the floor when he isn't going full tilt, but he always seems to know how to find another gear whenever Haliburton is struggling, facing stifling defensive attention or out with injury. As usual, he did exactly that on Monday night when Haliburton went out.

In that third quarter alone, he scored eight points and had three assists, two rebounds and a steal and gained another possession when he knocked the ball out of bounds off a Celtics player. His ferocity energized everyone else, and he was the first to thump teammate Jalen Smith in the chest after a major block on Jalen Brown. He was +13 in that quarter alone and he finished with 12 points, 7 assists, four rebounds and two steals to finish +10 for the game.

Pacers can't stop Jaylen Brown

The Pacers didn't have to deal with two All-NBA wings with Boston's Jayson Tatum out with an ankle injury after Saturday's 38-point explosion in Boston's win, but one was still tough enough. Forward Jaylen Brown caused the Pacers a lot of problems in the same way he did on Saturday night, hunting mismatches and backing weaker defenders down toward the bucket and driving past bigger ones.

Brown scored 25 points in the first half alone on 11 of 14 shooting including 2 of 2 from 3-point range and he didn't get any easier to stop in the second half. He finished with 40 on 17 of 26 shooting.

Celtics-Pacers takeaways: Pacers persevere after Halibuton's injury

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/celtics-pacers-takeaways-pacers-persevere-033128849.html

My comment: Click on the link for usual text and videos.

I like what Eddie House said about this.

It's not so much that the refs got it wrong, but they took 5 minutes to review the play on video, and STILL got it wrong.

I may not have the exact wording, but I believe it is close enough. I felt like that before he said it.

Zinger did commit the foul on the next possession, but it wouldn't have played out that way if the refs called the first play correct after the review.