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9 days ago

Paul Pierce’s Contract: Dispelling The Myths and Stating The Facts

The first domino to fall this offseason is Paul Pierce’s contract. Until Danny Ainge figures out what he’s doing there, little else matters. As we wait for this decision, we also must face the rest of the offseason, which means it is also rumor season. With that time of year, comes plenty of information floating [...]

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10 days ago

Final Grade: Avery Bradley (C+)

In his third year in the league, in which promising players often make brash leaps from benchwarmer to starter, from starter to star, Avery Bradley took a big step back. But his regression might be deceptive. When he returned to the Celtics’ lineup on January the 2nd after two in-season months recovering from offseason shoulder [...]

9
10 days ago

Danny Ainge Expects Doc Rivers & Kevin Garnett To Return, Unsure About Paul Pierce

A long, challenging offseason awaits Danny Ainge this summer. Before he dives in head first, he joined Salk and Holley on WEEI-FM 93.7 to discuss the multitude of decisions facing him this offseason, as well as the progress of Rajon Rondo in his rehab from ACL surgery. A few of the notable highlights from the interview. Ainge [...]

11
10 days ago

Suns Hire Away Celtics’ Assistant GM Ryan McDonough

In one way or another, there will be change this offseason in Boston. That process started in the past couple days, with the first piece moving out coming as a name most C’s fans might not be familiar with. Yet, it was Celtics’ assistant general manager Ryan McDonough, one of Danny Ainge’s top lieutenants, who [...]

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11 days ago

Doc Rivers Finishes 13th in Coach of the Year Voting

It was a tough season for the Boston Celtics, and that includes for head coach Doc Rivers. The long-time coach battled to find the right fit for a lot of new pieces that were both underperforming and/or failed to pick up his schemes on both ends of the floor. Naturally, an unfortunate plethora of injuries [...]

23
13 days ago

Overconfident Answers To Offseason Questions (Part 1)

It seems like every offseason since 2010 we’ve been through this: a myriad of questions and concerns about the Celtics’ roster that usually involve the possibility of the core of the team being dismantled. As we head into the summer of 2013, we’ve got a whole batch of questions, many of which will be familiar.  [...]

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Game 55/66: Celtics (30-24) @ Pacers (34-21) Open Thread

 

Boston @ Indiana
Bankers Life Fieldhouse
7:00 PM EST
CSNNE

Offensive Efficiency
Boston: 100.5 points/100 possessions (28th)
Indiana: 106.2 points/100 possessions (8th)

Defensive Efficiency
Boston: 98.8 points allowed/100 possessions (2nd)
Indiana: 103.0 points allowed/100 possessions (8th)

Probable Indiana Starters: Darren Collison (PG), Paul George (SG), Danny Granger (SF), David West (PF), Roy Hibbert (C)

Injury Report: Mickael Pietrus, Out (Concussion)

View From The Opposing Bench: 8 points, 9 seconds

Thumbnail: The Indiana Pacers are a strange bunch, not quite among the league’s elite, yet their youth, energy, and overwhelming confidence makes them one of the NBA’s most competitive teams. If you were to compare each player in their starting five with each player in Boston’s starting five, the Celtics would have a distinct advantage at almost every position. But, of course, this isn’t how basketball teams are weighed against one another, nor is it how the game is played

Last night Indiana dominated perhaps the league’s best team, Oklahoma City. It was a wonderful example of why the Pacers are so unrelenting and dangerous. When Roy Hibbert makes himself a focal point (21 and 12 last night), their offense becomes so versatile and unpredictable that defending it is nearly impossible. Almost everybody on their roster is capable of going off for a 20-point night, and no matter the unit Frank Vogel puts out there, the Pacers are giving 48 minutes of top notch defensive effort.

As was previously mentioned, this is the second night of a home back to back for the Pacers, and an opportune time for the rested and (hopefully) angry Celtics to attack. Rajon Rondo hasn’t had much success in the two games he’s faced them this year, but after putting up just eight shots in Thursday night’s clunker, expect him to be much more aggressive against the undersized Darren Collison. If he’s able to enter to the paint at will, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Indiana use the longer, more effective Paul George to try and slow him down, but if that happens look for Boston to exploit different mismatches elsewhere on the court.

The Pacers are a good team, but far from a great one. Watching them destroy the league’s best team in such a convincing fashion last night made me pause and wonder just how much noise they could make this postseason. But that’s just one game. In a playoff series, this team only has so much firepower they can throw, and after already seeing them three times this season, Boston should be well rested, and ready for everything they see.

Prediction: Boston 101 – Indiana 87

Twitter: @ShakyAnkles

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