Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Pacers: Tatum and Brown Take Over
In their win against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, the Boston Celtics got off to a fast start. They did the same after halftime, going on an 8-0 run to begin the third quarter. After a sluggish end to the first half, it was in the third frame that they again seized control of the game. They never let the home team make it competitive after that.
Here's what stood out from the Celtics' third-straight win, a victory that at 21-21 got them back to .500.
Tatum and Brown Controlled the Game
The Celtics' two-best players did exactly what you'd want them to, taking over Wednesday's game from the opening tip until they subbed out with 3:06 left and a win in hand. They combined to score 67 points, their highest output in regulation this season.
Jaylen Brown led the way with 34 points while shooting 11/19 from the field, including a scorching 7/11 (63.6 percent) from beyond the arc, and he generated eight points in the paint and five more on five free throws. Brown also grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists. As a result, he registered a plus-minus rating of +14.
Interestingly enough, the other half of Boston's All-Star wing duo also shot 11/19 from the field, finishing with 33 points. Like Brown, Jayson Tatum scored from all three levels, including knocking down four of his nine long-range attempts (44.4 percent). Tatum also produced ten points in the paint, took eight free throws, and made seven. Additionally, he filled up the stat sheet with seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks. He earned a plus-minus rating of +19.
There's no doubt these two can play together. Tatum and Brown have led the Celtics to the Conference Finals twice. But more games have to go this way. The offense must consistently run through Boston's top-two players without a stretch where one of them isn't touching the ball. Tatum and Brown must then reward the team, primarily through their abilities as scorers but also as facilitators.
Lethargic End to the Second Quarter
After Tatum and Brown combined for 24 points in the first frame, helping stake Boston a 10-point lead, the Celtics turned lethargic in the final five minutes of the second quarter.
The pace slowed, they weren't as active, and even their good shots didn't go down. They went scoreless from the 4:28 mark until a Tatum layup with 31.2 seconds left. Defensively, Boston was equally as sluggish. There wasn't much resistance, and the Celtics struggled to keep the Pacers off the glass. As a result, their 14-point advantage shrunk to five going into halftime.
Celtics Regain Control in the Third Quarter; Dominate the Second Half
When they came out of the break, Boston quickly seized control of the game again. It started with a pair of buckets by Horford and turned into an 8-0 run.
The Celtics outscored the Pacers 33-22 in the third quarter. They shot 12/23 (52.2 percent) from the field, generated 14 points in the paint, ten on the fast break, and eight on second-chance opportunities. Despite 16 points in the paint, Indiana was limited to 9/22 (40.9 percent) from the floor, including 1/8 (12.5 percent) from beyond the arc.
The Celtics' performance on both ends sent them into the final frame with an 87-71 lead, just needing to keep a less talented team at bay. Boston did just that, outscoring the Pacers 24-20 from the start of the quarter to the 3:06 mark when the starters got subbed out. During that time, the Celtics shot 7/13 (53.8 percent) from the field, including 3/6 from three; They took and converted on seven free throws, had four assists, and didn't turn the ball over. Defensively, they held the Pacers to 7/16 (43.8 percent) from the floor and 2/7 (28.6 percent) from beyond the arc.
In Marcus Smart's Absence, Dennis Schroder Steps Up
Tatum and Brown's combined dominance is the top story from this game, but Boston also got a needed boost from Dennis Schroder.
With Marcus Smart out due to a right thigh contusion, the veteran point guard, whose future with the Celtics is a topic of frequent speculation, joined the starting lineup and delivered one of his best performances of the season. Schroder scored 23 points while shooting 7/11 from the floor, he made four of his five threes, took six free throws, capitalized on five of them, and he only committed two turnovers.
Udoka Opts for Short Rotation
Considering the game was against an inferior opponent, who, at 15-27, is third-to-last in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics needed to win this matchup.
Understandably, Ime Udoka rode with his top seven and sprinkled in Payton Pritchard and Enes Freedom. Maybe, if Boston avoided the sluggish end to the second quarter, Udoka would have stretched out the rotation. Instead, the Celtics needed to seize control of the game in the third quarter, and the likes of Romeo Langford, playing in his hometown, and Aaron Nesmith, had to wait until the last few minutes to get into the game.
Given how this season has gone, Udoka's approach made sense, but it's fair to argue that the Celtics would have been fine if they extended the rotation to help pace their top players. Instead, Tatum played 37 minutes, and Brown logged 35, not subbing out in the late stages until after Rick Carlisle removed his starters from the game.
Up Next
The Celtics travel to the City of Brotherly Love to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday; tip-off is at 7:00 EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.
Further Reading
Report: Celtics Express Interest in Jeff Green and Jalen Smith; Evaluating Both Options
Should Jaylen Brown be the Celtics' Closer?
What Stood Out in Celtics' Win Over Knicks: Boston Answers the Bell; Must Build Off the Victory
Trade Options for a Celtics Team in Need of Shooters
