How do the Celtics fare in the EC Finals Vs. the Pacers?

Here is a quick little poll to see how the board feels about the Eastern Conference Finals.

There will be no vote cancelling, go ahead and give it your best and final shot!

Why mess with a winning trend.

Celtics in 5.

Ha.ha

You're giving it to the Pacers in 5, dboss?! No explanation?

db

I believe this team has it. KP or no KP for this round.  Again, what are we without him so far in the playoffs? OK, better than the regular season record sans KP?  OK, no further questions, Your Honor.  Indiana, just like MIA this year and PHI this year, they are a 6th seed for a reason.  Coach Joe is about to expose why.  Hell, I'll start.  It took IND 7 games to be a severely hampered, high quality NYK team and only after Jaylen Brunson broke his hand.  Enjoy your series victory, IND.  It is your last this year.  

Besides, I'm dying to unwrap the new broom I just bought!

db

Hi,
Didn't take dboss for such a pessimist. Unless, it's just a typo.

AK

Celtics-Pacers Eastern Conference Finals preview, odds and prediction

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/celtics-pacers-eastern-conference-finals-221356512.html

Nick Goss
Sun, May 19, 2024 at 10:57 PM EDT·6 min read

Celtics-Pacers Eastern Conference Finals preview, odds and prediction originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Eastern Conference Finals matchup is set. The Boston Celtics will take on the Indiana Pacers with a berth in the 2024 NBA Finals at stake.

This is the seventh time in playoff history that these teams will square off. All of the previous six series were in the first round, and the Celtics won four of them.

The Celtics will be well-rested entering this series. They eliminated the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the second round on May 15. They will have had five days of rest before Game 1 on Tuesday. The Pacers needed to overcome a 3-2 series deficit and win a Game 7 on the road at Madison Square Garden to eliminate the New York Knicks in the second round.

The C's are used to this stage and the pressure that comes with it. They are making their sixth conference finals appearance in the last eight years. The Pacers are in the conference finals for the first time since 2014.

The Pacers have some young players filling key roles, led by 24-year-old star Tyrese Haliburton. But this group does have some important veterans with lots of experience.

Myles Turner is in his ninth season. Pascal Siakam is in his eighth campaign and has played 66 career playoff games. He was one of the Toronto Raptors' best players during their 2019 championship run. Backup point guard T.J. McConnell is a nine-year veteran. And head coach Rick Carlisle won a title as a player (1986 Celtics) and has coached 140 playoff games. He was the Dallas Mavericks head coach when they won the 2011 NBA Finals.

The Pacers had no fear in Game 7 at MSG. They had no fear on their run to the in-season tournament championship game. You can bet they won't be afraid of the Celtics, either.

Both teams are close to full strength. The Pacers don't have any significant injuries. The Celtics reportedly won't have Kristaps Porzingis to start the series.

Here's our full preview of the conference finals, including a series prediction.

Series schedule

The Eastern Conference Finals begin Tuesday in Boston. There's just one day of rest between each game.

Regular season head-to-head

Nov. 1 in Boston: Celtics 155, Pacers 104

Dec. 4 in Indiana: Pacers 122, Celtics 112 (In-Season Tournament game)

Jan. 6 in Indiana: Celtics 118, Pacers 101

Jan. 8 in Indiana: Pacers 133, Celtics 131

Jan. 30 at Boston: Celtics 129, Pacers 124

The Celtics will win the series if...

They shut down Tyrese Haliburton.

There are many ways for the Celtics to win this series, but shutting down the Pacers' best player and top playmaker is a good way to start. Haliburton did not play well versus the Celtics in the regular season.

The Pacers have lost five games in the playoffs so far. Haliburton has averaged just 15.6 points and 7.2 assists in those defeats.

The star point guard isn't an elite scorer, but he has the potential to dominate offensively if he's not defended at a high level. Haliburton dropped 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting (6-of-12 from 3-point range) in the Pacers' Game 7 win over the Knicks. He scored 34 points in Game 2 and 35 points in Game 3.

Haliburton is one of the Pacers' top scorers and the primary ballhandler. If the Celtics can make him uncomfortable and force him to defend, the Pacers' offense won't be as effective. Luckily for the Celtics, they have plenty of high-end perimeter defenders to put on Haliburton, including Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday.

The Pacers will win the series if...

They shoot lights out and win a high-scoring series.

Let's be honest: The Pacers' defense is really bad. But they can score as well as any team in the league, and that's their path to an upset in this series. Indiana shot 67.1 percent Game 7 against the Knicks, which set a new playoff record for a single game.

The Pacers led the league in points scored (123.3 per game), assists (30.8 per game) and field goal percentage (50.7) during the regular season. They've been pretty potent in the playoffs, too, scoring a league-best 114.2 points per game through two rounds. Indiana also leads the postseason in field goal percentage (50.7) and in 3-point percentage (38.1).

The Pacers' offense isn't heavily reliant on one player, either. Siakam leads the way at 21.1 points per game in the playoffs, but Haliburton (18. and Turner (17.5) are capable of carrying the load, too. Indiana has seven players averaging 10-plus points per game in the playoffs (Boston has six).

The Celtics are a really good defensive team. But the Pacers still managed to score 116.8 points per game on 46.3 percent shooting in the five head-to-head matchups during the regular season. Indiana also played with excellent pace, averaging 97.2 shots per game.

If the Pacers are going to win this series, they'll need to push the pace and score 115-plus points per game. It's going to be a challenge, but it's certainly not an impossible mission for this group.

Odds

Sportsbooks have the Celtics as heavy favorites to win the series.

Celtics to win the series: -900

Pacers to win the series: +600

Prediction

Celtics in five.

The Celtics have the edge in talent, depth and experience. They also have home court advantage. The Pacers should not be taken lightly, but it's hard to imagine them playing the type of defense that will be required to pull off a shocking upset.

Celts in 6.

Pacers don’t have it on D but their O is top tier, and they have just enough inside/outside presence in Turner the Celts lack with Porzingis out or limited. That should be good for a couple of Ws.

Overall we’re deep enough with a strong D and enough scoring to wrap it up in 6 and go to the finals.

Without KP, at least the first few games, I think the Pacers can make it interesting.

I agree with Gyso, I picked Celts in 5 the first two series so why change now.

I do think this will a harder series. Haliburton is a legit player and will be tough to contain. Turner is a very good player. He plays good interior defense and is a terrific shooter. We will miss KP in this matchup. Al will do his best, but this matchup is worrisome. The Pacers go 9 deep. PP is going to have to outplay McConnell. McConnell torched the Knicks. We cannot allow this happen to us.

I do think the two J's will have their way and that will be the difference along with solid contributions from Jrue and D White.

Heart says 4, head says 6

db

See my pre-series thread.  Took the Celtics in 5.  

The poll pick was simply a case of user error.

Yeah, that would have been a shocker! Thanks for clearing that up!

db

dboss wrote:db

See my pre-series thread.  Took the Celtics in 5.  

The poll pick was simply a case of user error.

dboss,

I changed the setting of the poll to allow vote canceling ( or whatever it's called), so you can change your vote, if you desire to do so. I can change the setting back after I notice you've made the change. Whatever you decide, I plan change the setting back sometime before game time tomorrow.

Notice to everyone else: you can change your votes as well, the setting is global. Waffle away, for about a day.

gyso

Gyso

Thank you.  My vote has benn corrected.

Time for Tatum to be fully engaged, the J’s dominate this series. Let’s do it in 5

cowens/oldschool wrote:Time for Tatum to be fully engaged, the J’s dominate this series. Let’s do it in 5

We are going to need this guy:

I don’t think we get past them with him putting up 15 ppg, especially without Zinger

When did he score 15 pts?? one game against Miami? Look at his total stats. We won't get anywhere if he doesn't rebound the way he did against Cav's. With KP out, his game changed. We have so many weapons, why single JT out???? I think the kid has played pretty damn good in the playoffs. As I said, he struggled a little in Miami series, but was a force against Cavs, points, rebounds, assistss, steals, blocks

Tatum is averaging 24.3 points and 10.4 rebounds in the playoffs, according to the writeup in the Game-On thread.

Cow, where did you get 15 points?

First Take was very good this morning.  Of course the first topic was the Celtics and basically everything we've said a thousand times on this site.  Basically the question was does IND stand a chance?  Everyone said yes, but it was quite guarded. They weren't going to bet dboss's paycheck on it though.  Celtics are by far the better team but they let up sometimes.

Windy said don't take IND for granted these first two games because IND plays very different at home and if we barf another one up at home, it could be trouble.  Great advice.  I believe our team is now passed all this bs.  But pretty much everyone said Celtics in 6.  Austin Rivers spoke very highly of Boston.  More than the other panelists. (Shay-Shay, Andreya Carter, Windy)  Austin is coming around.  Liking hm more and more.  

I'm interested in these first two games for us, how we show up for both, how relentless our D is, and then who's going to blink first in IND for G3 & G4, because we're undefeated on the road (4-0) and they are undefeated at home (5-0).  That's about it for the excitement in this series.  If we play with our food again for one game like we did the first two rounds, this could really cost us in the ECF.  The margin for error especially with this IND team, is much smaller.  

Take care of our business.  That's it.  Play with our food in these first two games, then we're back to last year's ECF and deserve whatever we get handed to us, which will more than likely be our asses on a platter.  Then KP comes back for G3 & G4 and it should be over.  I'm a little concerned about inserting KP in the middle of the series on the road but it is what it is.  

I think the pressure is too much and the stakes are way too high for Boston to try and test anything outside the box except winning this series most convincingly in 4, hence my pick.  Any result less than this does not show progress and if you're not progressing in the playoffs you are regressing. I'm sticking with it.        

db

The team that knows Indy the best is the Boston Celtics.

We win tonight to keep the pattern consistent.

They have Turner and NO backup center. I think Kornet can ramp things up a bit and we should be able to weather the storm until KP returns. AH finally located his 3 point touch and if he is on we win going away.

Look for the Celtics to bring their A game tonight. They can set the stage for what is to come.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:When did he score 15 pts??  one game against Miami?  Look at his total stats.  We won't get anywhere if he doesn't rebound the way he did against Cav's.  With KP out, his game changed. We have so many weapons, why single JT out????  I think the kid has played pretty damn good in the playoffs.  As I said, he struggled a little in Miami series, but was a force against Cavs, points, rebounds, assistss, steals, blocks

I’ve applauded his defense and all around game, we are gonna need some games with his cape on going for 35-40 against whoever comes out of the West to pull out 4 wins in the Finals.