Post Game - Celtics vs. Indiana Pacers - Thursday, May 23, 2024 - Game 2 Eastern Finals (W 2-0)

10 down, 6 to go. Here's what I saw.

1. Step 1 of 3 to get to the Finals was shutting the trap of the media regarding the G2 Debacles. They still can't drop it! The media IS the Black Knight at the bridge in Monty Python's Holy Grail!! OMG!! Late last night, SVP mentioned two things. Beating a horse dead with the G2 references and and that the Celtics are undefeated on the road. IND is undefeated at home. Something has to break. Someone has to blink. Then starting up this am as I was working out at the gym and reading the closed captions, now the media is leaning toward the Celtics winning it all but they are going to put an asterisk next to it with all the teams they have faced with their injuries hampering them from giving the Celtics any challenge to the championship. Seriously?!! Have you noticed we're doing all this sans KP?!!!! Please put some clothes on, media. You're embarrassing yourself!! OMG, I'm pissed!!

2. JB is slainin' it. Dang! This guy is unreal. Surreal. Nothing else to say.

3. Mr. Clutch A&B? Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. No further questions, Your Honor. They were filling in the cracks all night long hitting key shots when IND thought they were going to get back in the game...and did to a certain extent. For all those people complaining about us losing leads, please shut up. Every team that is leading gives up leads. No lead is safe in these playoff games nor during the regular season. running off 10-15 points is not uncommon. We're just up a majority of the time so that's all you see is us losing leads. Please shut up.

4. I love what Al did. He took one 3-point shot, missed it and then started driving down the lane for lay-ups uncontested. He only put up 6 points but I don't care. He foiled IND's G1 plan for him. You can't see me but I'm giving IND the finger for Al.

5. I hope Joe likes +/-! Brissett played 12 minutes. He had the same +/- JB had for 37 minutes. Hmmmm. This guy can help!

6. JT not needed early on for the JB Show? No problem. He came around in the 4th just fine. Solid game by JT.

7. Things you would never no from the media if you are watching this series? Boston has won 5 games in a row and is 9-1 over the last 10 games. Things you would know from the media if were watching this series? EVERYTHING about IND!!! It really is vomitous.

Coming up...Step 2.

db

Jaylen Jaylen Jaylen

Easily our best player, carried the team on his back, what a stud!! I would have thought without Porzingis, Tatum would have to play much better to win, but guess Jaylen playing like a first team all NBA’er and White and Holiday playing great were enough. Tatum did come thru with some mid range turnarounds in 2nd half, but his fg% numbers in the playoffs are terrible as was his defense in the 1st half.

Al played hard and masterful job of only playing him 24 minutes and limiting his 3 point shots by Joe. I thought we needed Queta, especially with Luke out after a few, but Brissett did a great job and a great job defensively. Who knows when Zinger will come back? Except a couple sequences, we did a great job on the boards. More love for Joe, I don’t know how he did it, but Turner was a non factor and Al didn’t kill himself with too many minutes. I think he started with Jaylen on him.

We are a very good road team these playoffs, Joe had us ready for game 2. Jaylen led us, 2 more to go…!!!!

Superb posts db and Cow. We are watching a historic run by one of the greatest Celtics teams ever, and that's saying a lot. Too bad the MSM hasn't noticed. F them.

Step 2...Should be obvious, but here goes.

2.  Further silencing the critics by taking out IND in G3.  Something has to give.  IND is undefeated at home.  Boston is undefeated on the road.  You see this morning how the media is now standing.  With Halliburton teetering and the fickle media now throwing dirt on IND as all their options for beating the Celtics continue to fall like flies, they are now leaning toward the Celtics winning it all now but with an asterisk.  "How can you not win it all with all the dominoes falling in front of you each round?" So again, nothing good will come from Boston winning G3 as far as the media is concerned.  So if you have a choice of winning G3 vs. losing G3, just win it, Boston.  Beat them like a drum.  With or without Halliburton.  It will not matter.  

db

They had their chance, they cannot say they didn't have their chance in Game 1.  Now, down 0-2 and Haliburton out with a sore hammy (at least), they're cooked.

I cannot WAIT to get past this series.  I HATE watching our defense get torn up like this.  They shot 58% in the 1st quarter, 44% at the half but were back up to 50% after 3.  They ended up > 52% for the game.  That's not good.  I know, I know, they were the best offensive team in the NBA during the regular season and that didn't happen because they struggled to score, HOWEVER, we had the #2 defense.  We just haven't been seeing it.  It always makes me nervous when we try to match buckets with a team that gets buckets easily.

Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
about 7 hours ago
The Celtics only allowed 53% shooting four times all year. The Pacers have shot 53% in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals... ...and they're down 0-2.

Yeah, so wtf do I know?


Tatum with 23 on 9-20, but 1-7 from 3.  Obi Toppin was being very physical with him, and the refs allowed it.  I don't think Toppin is stronger than Jayson, probably close but not overpowering, Jayson just wasn't responding to his physicality.  Tatum had 11 points in the 4th on 3-6, 1-3 from 3, but he was 4-4 from the line.  When he's physical, when he drives, they can't handle him.

What can we say about Jaylen that hasn't already been said?  What.  A.  Game.  40 points on 14-27, 4-10 from 3, 8-11 from the line.  17 of his 27 fgas were 2s, and I love it.  He is so big, so strong for his position he can take any guard into the hole and there isn't a damn thing they can do about it besides screaming for help.  Siakam had an extremely efficient 28 on 13-17 but that got completely overshadowed by Jaylen's complete domination.  He's our #2 option, folks, #3 is out nursing his calf, and we won going away by 16.

Did Jaylen feel slighted by his All-NBA snub?  Is that what lit him up?

Jay King @ByJayKing
yesterday
Jaylen Brown said he had no extra motivation from not making the All-NBA team. “We’re two games from the finals so honestly I don’t have the time to give a flip.”


Jay King @ByJayKing
about 10 hours ago
Jaylen Brown: “I watch guys get praised and anointed who I feel like are half as talented as me on either side of the ball. But at this point in my life I just embrace it. It comes with being who I am and what I stand for and I ain’t really changing that.”


Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
about 9 hours ago
Multiple 40-point games - Celtics Playoff History Larry Bird - 5 John Havlicek - 5 Sam Jones - 4 Jayson Tatum - 4 Paul Pierce - 3 Isaiah Thomas - 2 JAYLEN BROWN - 2 


Chris Forsberg @ChrisForsberg_
1 hour ago
Oshae Brissett in Game 2: Team-high 5 deflections, 3 steals. Pacers were just 1 of 3 shooting when he was primary defender. +18 in plus/minus over 12 minutes. +75.0 net rating (166.7 offensive, 91.7 defensive) Stay Ready group staying true to name.


Luke left with a hand injury.  It is thought to be a sprained left wrist.  There is no update beyond that as of now.  If Luke is out, and Porzingis will most certainly not be back before Game 4 IF THAT, we are extremely thin in the front court.  Time to make Brad look like a freaking genius, Xavier, your time has arrived.  37 year old Al Horford has been playing his geriatric ass off for a while now, he needs help, and you're next man up.  Fortunately Indy isn't a big team.  


Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
about 9 hours ago
This is the 44th time in franchise history the Celtics have taken a 2-0 lead n a best-of-seven. They've won 42 of the previous 43. (2018 ECF - lost in 7 to LeBron and the Cavs.) The Celtics bring a 6-game playoff road win streak into Game 3 Saturday at the Fieldhouse.


10 wins down, 6 to go and a maximum of 12 games to get them in.  If we can't play .500 ball the rest of the way we don't deserve to win.  I want to take advantage of Haliburton's absence to end this series early.  Dallas is giving Minny a run for their money, might even win that series, but they won't win it in 5.  That would be an epic implosion by Minny.  If that series goes 6 or 7 and we finish ours in, let's say, 4 or 5, our front court will be able to have the time to rest and heal.










Bob


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Hate to repeat observations already made by our astute board members, but I have to give Jaylen props. He was fantastic on both ends of the floor. Getting snubbed for All-NBA and All-Defensive teams has definitely put even more of a chip on his shoulder. Maybe its good that NBA voters only look at stats and not wins and/or have a Celtic bias because Jaylen looks like he has taken his game to another level.

I was concerned about JT after the first half, he just played horrible on both ends of the floor. However, he really stepped it up in the second half when we needed him.

Can't say enough about my man D White, he just does what ever it takes. The good thing about this new TV contract is it should provide the money to keep D White in a Celtic uniform.

Great job by CJ giving Brissett a shot. He provided great energy and defense. I agree with Cowens, maybe give Queta some run if Luke is out.

On to game 3. With or without Haliburton this is not going to be easy. Pacers are tough at home and are still fast with or without Haliburton. We have to stay focused and really step up our defensive intensity. I think JT is sitting on a monster game.

https://us.yahoo.com/sports/oshae-brissett-unsung-hero-revenge-043946952.html



Oshae Brissett the unsung hero in ‘revenge game' vs. Pacers


Justin Leger

Fri, May 24, 2024 at 5:39 AM PDT·4 min read



BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics looked sluggish on both ends of the floor to start Game 2 vs. the Indiana Pacers. Then, Oshae Brissett checked in.

Brissett replaced an injured Luke Kornet (left wrist) as the C's went small-ball to start the second quarter of Thursday's matchup. Down two points to begin the frame, they went on a 20-0 run and didn't trail for the remainder of their 126-110 win. While Jaylen Brown (40 points, 17 in second quarter) rightfully will earn most of the credit for Boston's turnaround, Brissett's impact shouldn't be understated.

The former Pacer's energy was contagious. He grabbed two rebounds in his first two minutes and his solid defense helped to keep Indiana from making a shot for the first six minutes of the frame. His final numbers don't jump off the page, but his contributions went well beyond the stat sheet.

"Just his presence, his energy, his athleticism," Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said of Brissett. "He plays with such a high level of intensity and energy. It’s big for us.”

Brissett ended up with two points, three rebounds, and three steals. He was a +18 in 12 minutes, tying Brown for the highest mark in the game.

Prior to Thursday, Brissett only saw the court in the playoffs during garbage time and topped out at five minutes in Game 2 of the second round against the Cleveland Cavaliers. So, he knew he need a mindset change when he checked in early to an intense East Finals game.

"That's very different," Brissett said of the difference between the regular season and the playoffs. "The preparation, the focus, the attention to detail is definitely something that is heightened in these games. Practice, film, just talking amongst the guys, that's definitely a couple of steps up, a couple notches up.

"And, you know, this would be my first time with a championship team. It's amazing. I really feel like I've been locked in, real focused in on all little details and things that before I never really paid attention to, just because I didn't have the experience. So I feel like I'm in a good position."

Although Brissett's performance may be glossed over by the box score watchers, it certainly wasn't overlooked by his teammates.

"I'm happy to see that," Holiday said of Brissett being a +18. "And he stays ready. He hasn't seen many minutes this postseason. Probably didn't play as much as he wanted to during the regular season. But I just think that's a part of sacrifice and him staying ready.

"Him staying ready, I know was tough because you're not really getting game reps like that, but the way he came out and played -- I think in like the first two minutes had two rebounds and great stops -- just really excited and glad to see him do that because for one, it's a confidence booster and two, it's against his old team."


Not only did Brissett bring the energy on the court, but he also seems to have added a jolt to the locker room. According to The Athletic's Jay King, Holiday and fellow veteran big man Al Horford hyped up Brissett during his media availability.


Depending on the severity of Kornet's injury, we could see the Celtics play small-ball more in this series going forward. Given their success with Brissett in the mix and Tatum at the five in Game 2, they could opt for the small lineup even if Kornet is healthy.

Either way, the Celtics are confident in their ability to match up against the team in their way of an NBA Finals berth.

“They do a great job of having controlled chaos. They move the ball, they move bodies, they play fast," Holiday said of the Pacers. "But we can also do that. We can go small, we can go big, we can slow down, we can play fast, we can execute.”


Bob
MY NOTE:  For those of you who think this is just Boston media hyping our guys up here's TJ McConnell's take on Oshae in his post-game presser. He mentions Oshae, specifically, at around the 1:10 mark.




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The Celtics avoided losing G2 at home last night and have posted an impressive 10-2 record thus far during the playoffs.

Everybody here to a person believed strongly that the Pacers would be a competitive team.  That competitiveness begins and ends on the offensive side of the court.  But as we all should know by now, defense wins championships and the Pacers are not a good defensive team.  

Rick contributed to their game 1 loss by not calling a timeout which led to other bad things happening for his team.  In game two it appears that he ran the white flag up the pole.

The wear and tear of their 7 game battle with NYK has come home to roost.  

The Celtics have already figure out how to beat them even though the game 1 OT classic was a nip and tuck battle throughout.  

The Pacers are back in Indy with a false notion that they will have home court advantage in game 3.  in reality they do not have a home court advantage against the Celtics. The Celtics can and will continue to win on the road.

Injuries can be a blessing or a curse.  Kornet played only 5 rotation minutes before he was heading to the locker room with a hand injury.  He strained his wrist and I do not expect to see him play in game 3.  This event led to Brissett getting the call to play.  You know he only played a total of 12 minutes but i will tell you this, his athleticism, speed and intensity was an important factor.  

We saw a small ball lineup that was really fluid.  We could switch 1-5 on defense and we were quicker on offense.   It is circumstantial that Brissett finally got a chance to play and it seems like a no brainer since he played for them last year.  We do not normally see rotation development in the middle of the playoffs but injuries has force CJ to find alternatives.  Last night he played Tillman but I would have preferred to see him play Queta.  I truly believe that CJ will need to play both of those guys situationally especially when we play in the finals round against Mav/T'Wolves.  

We have also been needing another wing off the bench other than Sam Hauser.  Hauser continues to struggle making wide open shots.  Last night he got 5 rebounds and had 3 assists so it was good to see him contribute in other areas.  Nevertheless, CJ needs to be ready to insert Brissett into the game when we need an athletics wing defender who also has a knack for rebounding off the offensive glass.  

The Celtics are blessed to have 2 superstars.  Throughout our 12 game playoff run one guy is playing like a superstar and the other one could be on an episode of 'In Search Of'   Both have contributed to our winning ways  but it remains an ironic twist that Jaylen not Jayson has been the top dog on this team.  Personally i do not care one bit who is top dog.  I want both of our stars to do well and I do not need the media (always shows the game graphics with Tatum's image against the other team's top player) to tell me who is the rock.

Our dynamic 2 -way backcourt players of Holiday and White  are flat out ballers.  PP is now off and running and showing a high degree of confidence in making plays.

OG AH had 10 boards last night and only took 1 3 point shot.   He only logged 25 minutes last night mirroring Turner's 24 minutes of playing time.

Haliburton has a strained left hamstring.  His availability is up in the air for game 3.  This is the same injury that he incurred in January.  

The Celtics need to win game 3.

Tatum is perplexing. I thought we did a great job adding great depth and doing enough load management so he would be especially strong for a deep playoff run and here we are and I’m seeing too much play similar to his Finals collapse in 22. Right now it’s obvious who is carrying us and who is having problems scoring over guys 4-5 inches shorter than him….thank god/Brad this team has quality depth.

Healthy perspective gyso. Jayson is drawing heat away from JB, DW, and JH. We do not need to trash one of our two best players.

Hi,
I agree with gyso re: Tatum. He set himself to sacrifice a lot. As an example, note that he doesn't complain (almost) about non-calls when he goes to the hoop. Like he used to do all season long.

AK

gyso wrote:Tatum is getting assaulted whenever he gets the ball.  The refs are allowing this.  He gets a regular double or triple team on him.  That allows the other guys on the team a little extra space to work in.  

Tatum does so much more than just score.  I wouldn't focus so much on counting stats.  I would rather focus on one thing:

Whatever it takes.

Agree +1