Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers: Analysis and Prediction – Boston Celtics will host Indiana Pacers in NBA Eastern Finals Game 2.
Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers Odds
Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers (1/2): 1.23 / 4.22
Asian Handicap (-8.5 / +8.5): 1.81 / 2.00
Total Over/Under (224.5): 1.90 / 1.90
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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Boston Celtics Team News
The Boston Celtics spectacularly defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, winning by 133:128 in overtime. The absolute hero was Jaylen Brown, who hit a three-pointer to send the game into overtime.
There is no doubt that the Celtics did not show their best performance on Tuesday, but they still managed to secure the win. Their defensive intensity was not at its highest, often allowing the Pacers to get good shots. Jayson Tatum hit only two three-pointers out of eight attempts but was a true leader on the court. In crucial moments, he was reliable and instilled confidence in the rest of the team. Jrue Holiday also stepped up during critical periods with his long-distance shots, as did Derrick White. The Pacers’ strategy was to leave space for Al Horford, leading him to attempt 12 three-pointers, of which he only made three. This is something head coach Joe Mazzulla will need to adjust between Games 1 and 2. The return of Kristaps Porzingis is expected at some point in this series, but if the Celtics take a 2-0 lead, the Latvian might rest until a potential NBA Finals.
The Boston Celtics’ offense functioned more than solidly in Game 1, so there is no need for changes on that side of the court. The key will be to strengthen up their defense and not allow the Indiana Pacers to get into their desired positions as they did on Tuesday. If they succeed, the hosts will be well on their way to heading to Indianapolis with a significant advantage.
Indiana Pacers Team News
The Indiana Pacers will find it very hard to forget what happened in Game 1 at TD Garden. They had everything in their hands and managed to fumble it away. They were leading by three points in the last 10 seconds of the fourth quarter, but they turned the ball over twice on inbound plays, which the Celtics capitalized on.
The biggest culprits for the Pacers were Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam. The Canadian failed to deliver a precise inbound pass, while the Cameroonian lost the ball with nine seconds left, when his team was leading 117:114. If they had executed the inbound correctly, just one free throw would have been enough, and Rick Carlisle’s team would now lead 1-0 in the series. After that, they decided not to foul, even though the Celtics had no time-outs left, and they were severely punished. Brown hit a three-pointer to force overtime, where the Boston franchise triumphed. Looking at the statistics, it’s a wonder the Pacers were even in the game. They took 20 fewer free throws than their opponents, had seven more turnovers, and still had a great chance to win. Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner played very well, Siakam’s mid-range game was impeccable, and Nembhard also had several tough shots in the fourth quarter. T.J. McConnell provided good minutes off the bench, but all of that was in vain in the end.
For the Indiana Pacers, the key will be how to recover mentally after such a heartbreaking loss on Tuesday. It looked like the game was over and they would take a 1-0 lead, but now they are down 0-1 and need a win to keep realistic chances of making it to the NBA Finals. They need to be even more aggressive and reduce their turnovers, but it remains to be seen how effective that will be.
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Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers H2H
The Boston Celtics have won four out of six games against the Indiana Pacers this season, and currently lead this Eastern Conference Finals series by 1-0.
Absences and Injuries
Kristaps Porzingis is injured and will not play for the Boston Celtics. Bennedict Mathurin is out for the Indiana Pacers.
Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers Prediction
In both previous series, the Boston Celtics had one excellent and one poor game at home at the start of the series. This time, they managed to win despite playing poorly, which was not the case against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. The Indiana Pacers cannot play much better basketball than what we saw in Game 1, whereas the Celtics have plenty of room for improvement. We believe that the tragic loss on Tuesday will leave a mark on the visitors, and this time Jayson Tatum and his teammates will handle their opponents from Indianapolis much more easily.
Tip-off Time: Boston, Thursday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Prediction: Boston Celtics -8.5
Odds: 1.81 (-123 American)
Sportsbook: BetUS
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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