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What to know about the Celtics’ Eastern Conference Finals foe in the Pacers
The Pacers led the NBA in scoring during the regular season, averaging 123.3 points per contest.
At long last, the Celtics know who they will play with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line.
Boston will take on the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, with the Pacers punching their ticket to the third round after beating the Knicks, 130-109, in Game 7 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
The sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers defeated a banged-up Bucks roster (without Giannis Antetokounmpo) in the first round before outlasting a Knicks team that was also stung by the injury bug.
Boston has not played since Wednesday after taking care of the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games during the second round.
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Here is the full schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals, which will begin on Tuesday night at TD Garden:
Game 1: Pacers at Celtics, Tuesday, May 21, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 2: Pacers at Celtics, Thursday, May 23, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 3: Celtics at Pacers, Saturday, May 25, 8:30 p.m. (ABC)
Game 4: Celtics at Pacers, Monday, May 27, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 5: Pacers at Celtics, Wednesday, May 29, 8 p.m. (ESPN)*
Game 6: Celtics at Pacers, Friday, May 31, 8 p.m. (ESPN)*
Game 7: Pacers at Celtics, Sunday, June 2, 8 p.m. (ESPN)*
*if necessary
Here’s what you need to know about the Celtics’ upcoming opponent as Boston tries to advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years.
Indy boasts an elite offense
If the Pacers have any shot of pulling off an upset against the Celtics, it’s because Rick Carlisle’s team managed to overwhelm Boston’s defense thanks to a run-and-gun offense and a deep roster.
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Indiana led the NBA in scoring during the regular season, averaging 123.3 points per contest, to go along with a league-best 30.8 assists per game and 50.7 field-goal percentage.
That offensive production hasn’t waned much during the playoffs, with Indy pacing all teams during postseason action at 112.9 points per game through two rounds. The Pacers bested the Knicks on Sunday by shooting 67.1% from the field — a new NBA playoff record.
Point guard Tyrese Haliburton (20.1 points, 10.9 assists per game during the regular season) is the engine that makes the Pacers’ offense go, but Indy has several players in place capable of putting opposing defenses on their heels.
Pascal Siakam is leading the Pacers in scoring this postseason at 21.2 points per game, but Haliburton (18.3) and Myles Turner (17.6) can both take over games. T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin have been dangerous off the bench for the Pacers, while former Celtic Aaron Nesmith brings plenty of energy out on the court.
The Celtics led the NBA in points differential (+11.3) and ranked second in points allowed per game (96.7) during regular-season action. Still, consistently slowing down Indy’s offense is easier said than done.
The Pacers gave the Celtics some issues during the regular season
The Celtics might have had the series edge against the Pacers, 3-2, during the regular season. But the Pacers were one of just four teams to hand Boston two losses this season — joining the Bucks, Hawks, and Nuggets.
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Indy was the team responsible for bouncing Boston out of the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament in December — with Haliburton recording his first career triple-double in the Pacers’ 122-112 win.
The Pacers’ other victory over Boston came on Jan. 8, with Bennedict Mathurin sinking game-winning free throws with 0.6 seconds left on the clock after getting fouled by Kristaps Porzingis on a shot beyond the arc.
Something’s got to give in this series between the Celtics and Pacers regarding home-court advantages. Indy is the only team left this postseason with a perfect record at home (6-0), while Boston is 4-0 away from TD Garden so far this postseason.
Indy is weak defensively
As elite as the Pacers’ offense might be, their play down the other end of the court is a different story.
The Pacers ranked just 27th in the NBA during the regular season at 120.2 points allowed per game. In Boston’s first meeting with Indiana this season, Joe Mazzulla’s team posted a 155-104 win — the most points scored in a single game by Boston since the 1958-59 season.
Even with Porzingis likely sidelined at the start of this series due to his calf injury, the Celtics have more than enough talent to put Indiana’s defense on the ropes — so long as they continue to sink their open looks and limit turnovers.
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