Pacers (0-0) at Celtics (0-0) Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 5/21/24

[SHAQATTACK]

I guess it's obvious now that the other team isn't just going to let us have a procession to a coronation 

We have to be able to win while not playing at our best and while they give us their best shot. I think we did that tonight, though I'm sure Indy can play better still. They turned the ball over 21 times vs our 14. But I think we can also play better, and I think we can play better for longer than they can.

More importantly I think we were able to hang in there and put ourselves in a position to win key moments to let us win the game - like pressuring Siakam to turn the ball over, and then Jrue getting the ball to JB who made a tough 3 to tie, and then Tatum overpowering TJ for an and-one and then that 3 at the top of the key after Hali was pressured to lose the ball.

The game is comprised of hundreds of those little moments and we were able to win the ones that really mattered, when they mattered. We wanted to see if they could win a close game, well they managed that at least, and while not playing as well as they could. Should also remove any illusions people have that Indy will be a pushover. They will fight, and every game will be contested, but I think we can win the 3 more we need to get to the FInals

Late TPs for everyone!!

Tp

[boscel33]

Was that the "steal" game for Indy?  Did they put everything into it?  I think so, and I wouldn't be surprised for a sweep now, although I predicted C's in 6.  They may be deflated.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Maybe this propels the Celtics like the Tatum basket vs the nets two years ago

This game gave me that 2022 Nets Game 1 vibe. Now this series is starting to give me the same vibes as that Nets series....against a #6 seed in the East? so a sweep incoming? Game 2 we'll be trailing by like 18 before coming back to clinch it?

Wishful thinking 

wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut? please GOD no.

dude, do you realize our poster phantom had to be put on a ventilator last night after the game? Do you realize many here were close to needing a defribrilator? or a bottle of anti anxiety pills?

no! no reason we cannot win home games by 10+ rest of the way. i can see close road games. i get it. we had best be ready to play rest of the way.

if we ever play to our potential for 48 (yeah i know) wed be unstoppable.

we need KP back SOOn

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

tim Bontemps= HACK



joe mazz idiotic switches and drop coverage gives me diarrhea and severely handicaps us.

plus his bench rotation. jeez man you really do not think X or Q could not just give al a rest but play some physical D and get some boards?

it's asinine what he is doing. its really a dereliction of duty. He reminds me of many football coaches with zero or garbage adjustments IN GAME.

title or no title i have seen enough if i am brad. this clown needs to go.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Was that the "steal" game for Indy?  Did they put everything into it?  I think so, and I wouldn't be surprised for a sweep now, although I predicted C's in 6.  They may be deflated.

nah, just 1 game. had it been a game where they would go down 3-1 or 3-0 then yeah they would be done. its only 1-0. we cannot seem to win game 2 at home so we have yet another challenge ahead.

get up 2-0. split in indy and get home up 3-1 and then as long as we do not blow it indy then may feel defeated and hopeless. as of now nothing is safe with joe blows offense and his garbage rotations and switches and drops.

need JVG to get on the bench and take over. joe can just sit there like a turtle on a log rest of the way.

[Redz]

Tim Bontemps didn’t treat us well on Sportscenter…used the word “escaped” about 3 or 4 times, said that “Celtics now have to do something they haven’t done all playoffs - win first 2 games at home”. Said Celtics said “they weren’t prepared for Indiana’s speed” and then he spent like 2 mins talking about how awesome Indy’s shooting was. No mention of Indy’s 21 turnovers of course or Tatum and Browns clutch shots or Jrue’s performance   

I guess everything he said was true  and no different to what everyone said on the game thread but the narrative from the national media is clear…the Cs are an unstoppable juggernaut and anything close to a tight game will be treated as a “moral victory” for the opposition. I suppose they want a David vs Goliath storyline 

When the Knicks win last minute this guy gushes. When the Pacers beat NY in game 3 on a step back 3 from the logo its why we love the NBA playoffs. When Dallas has to rally pretty much every playoff game they are praised for being tough.

Boston rallies in a game they probably don't win last year and they say the Celtics escaped.

The media said "I want to see what the Celtics do when it gets tough. When they have to show grit. I want to see JT rise to the occasion. I want to see Brown make winning plays."

Well they did that last night and now the response is "i can't believe they went to OT with the Pacers"...after spending all day telling me the Pacers are a very dangerous team and many blow hards explaining how they can win the series.

Boston and specifically JT are judged through a different lens. Key injuries do not apply to them. Rust vs Rest does not apply to them. Having close playoff games in the ECF is not allowed for them. It is just nonsense.

I personally do not think the pacers can shoot it much better than they have the last 2 games. To me, this is their ceiling and usually shooting levels out. Boston really did not shoot well and won.

Thanks for articulating any of my thoughts.  A last second clutch shot and an OT dominating performance from your star in Game 1 of a Conference Final and we’re supposed to be in a p---y mood about it?  It’s one more step towards the goal.

[dannyboy35]

  The drop coverage is one thing. You know what you’re giving up. The problem is we don’t ever target the weak defenders all night. It’s not going to change. It’s all walking it up every time at end. Why in gods name are they ya ing Pritchard bringing the ball up under pressure , seconds ticking off just to get it to Tatum. Now 11,12 seconds off the clock and he’s ready to start dogging 1 on 1 at halfcourt?? Why?? Never necessary cs a team this weak defensively.  McConnell shoukd be punished right off the court. But not just him. Nobody can hold position down low for them between Haliburton, McConnell, Nembhart  due to height . Turner is easy to blow by. Such a dumb team . I love them but really dumb.

[ozgod]

Here's Candice Buckner at the WaPo's take:

Different Here. Okay, but is it really? Boston might have rolled through the regular season, then glided in the opening rounds of the playoffs, but here, during this important stretch of the calendar, this team bears a striking resemblance to last year’s juggernaut that reached the Eastern Conference finals: They’re just as vulnerable.

Now playing the role of the 2023 playoff Celtics … the 2024 playoff Celtics.

In their first real test of the postseason, the Celtics barely survived a game against a team they’re heavily favored to beat. Only after Brown submitted his latest entry for Celtics lore, and his teammates took control in overtime, did the night feel secure, even if the series does not. Then again, it wouldn’t be springtime in Boston without a little drama.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/05/22/celtics-pacers-game-1/

I guess it's all true so we can't really say anything 

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Here's Candice Buckner at the WaPo's take:

Different Here. Okay, but is it really? Boston might have rolled through the regular season, then glided in the opening rounds of the playoffs, but here, during this important stretch of the calendar, this team bears a striking resemblance to last year’s juggernaut that reached the Eastern Conference finals: They’re just as vulnerable.

Now playing the role of the 2023 playoff Celtics … the 2024 playoff Celtics.

In their first real test of the postseason, the Celtics barely survived a game against a team they’re heavily favored to beat. Only after Brown submitted his latest entry for Celtics lore, and his teammates took control in overtime, did the night feel secure, even if the series does not. Then again, it wouldn’t be springtime in Boston without a little drama.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/05/22/celtics-pacers-game-1/

I guess it's all true so we can't really say anything 

here is what i say

joe sucks

get JVG on the bench now.

joe can be the empty suit sit down and shut up rest of the way and let JVG do the coaching

[celticinorlando]

First off, no one cares what a Washington Post columnist has to say. That "reporter" hasn't seen good basketball played in that city since Moses Malone.

Second, the Celtics in both halves got 13 point leads and immediately went to Kornet and Hauser. After those minutes, the C's were either tied or behind. Celtics have a real issue when Hauser and Kornet come in. Not having KP is now being felt the most because we do not have AL off the bench, which would make Kornet a cheerleader.

Indiana's adjustment second half was to play pick and pop with McConnell/Nembhard and Siakim getting Siakim shots from the free throw area. That is his best shot. They attacked Al over and over with this same play.

As for Haliburton. Extremely streaky shooter. But honestly if he was to sit out and take volume 3s each game so be it. 14 of his 18 shots were from three. He made 6 of them including 2 out of his arse 3s. That is going to level out.

Boston cannot allow 7 of the 8 Pacers that played to score in double figures. They really need to shut the water off with Turner (who has 3 3's but is soft as butter inside) and Nembhard. Let Neismith keep shooting.

Also Obi Toppin kept them in the game. 15 points in 22 minutes is way too much.

It is all about defense.

[Celtics2021]

Here's Candice Buckner at the WaPo's take:

Different Here. Okay, but is it really? Boston might have rolled through the regular season, then glided in the opening rounds of the playoffs, but here, during this important stretch of the calendar, this team bears a striking resemblance to last year’s juggernaut that reached the Eastern Conference finals: They’re just as vulnerable.

Now playing the role of the 2023 playoff Celtics … the 2024 playoff Celtics.

In their first real test of the postseason, the Celtics barely survived a game against a team they’re heavily favored to beat. Only after Brown submitted his latest entry for Celtics lore, and his teammates took control in overtime, did the night feel secure, even if the series does not. Then again, it wouldn’t be springtime in Boston without a little drama.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/05/22/celtics-pacers-game-1/

I guess it's all true so we can't really say anything 

It’s all a bunch of nonsense.  All year long the criticism of the Celtics was that they couldn’t win close games, dating back years even.  And now they pull off a win where they both forced a turnover and hit a really rough shot in the final 10 seconds, and it doesn’t count because they were supposed to win by more, even after the media says that the Celtics can’t win the title with KP out?  It’s all a bunch of nonsense, and anyone parroting that nonsense here just needs to stop.  It’s the playoffs, wins are hard, and that was a $#*% good win.

[mef730]

Was that the "steal" game for Indy?  Did they put everything into it?  I think so, and I wouldn't be surprised for a sweep now, although I predicted C's in 6.  They may be deflated.

Logically, I would love to believe so. But there has been nothing logical about the way the Cs have played several of these games. We’ve won, and I think that’s what matters, but Indiana is too young and hungry to roll over when they’re down (the same way that we do frequently roll over when we’re up).

[celticinorlando]

I really hope we see the Cs treat this game like a loss and come out like they usually do in game 3s.

They got punched in the face, they know that the Pacers can beat them. Sometimes beating a team by 25 in game 1 is not a good thing...esp with this team.

Maybe a close game one like this will focus them for game 2. I just don't see the Pacers keeping these shooting numbers up. Water finds its level usually.

And some of the 3s Indiana hit yesterday were just circus shots. 2 by Haliburton and one by Turner.

And keep taking their small guards into the post.

[Phantom255x]

The Celtics typically have that game where they are braindead (Game 2 each of the last two series), and the fact that they still won last night despite doing the same + Indiana shooting well is pretty encouraging. Maybe we got the "Game 2" out of our system and will come out and take that rather easily Thursday. Nothing would surprise me with this team but the C's really didn't play that well last night and still eeked out a win. You have to imagine they'll play better, and I can't imagine our bench is gonna be this useless all series. Maybe Kornet but PP/Hauser should theoretically be able to do more. Guys were just missing wide open shots.

[cman88]

if celtics blow out the other team, its they weren't challenged enough...(A narrative i've seen in the media).

if they win a close game in OT well they didn't blow them out! a failure!