What went wrong in the Boston Celtics’ recent loss to the Indiana Pacers? Given the clear desire from the Celtics to compete in the NBA’s new in-season tournament as was on display in the Celtics’ brutal beatdown of the Chicago Bulls, one would think an even greater level of focus and intensity would have been brought to bear against the Pacers in the quarterfinals.
But lost the Celtics did in the knockout round, with the Celtics’ defensive struggles, poor showing from the bench mob, mediocre play by the backcourt, and tough second half from star forward Jayson Tatum all contributing to the loss — to say nothing of how Indiana caught fire.
The hosts of the CLNS Media “Big Three” podcast got together to talk it over on a recent episode.
The crux of the issue lies in a pervasive problem for Boston in recent games — turnovers.
In the aftermath of the Boston Celtics‘ recent loss to the Indiana Pacers in the quarterfinals of the NBA’s new in-season tournament, questions loom over the team’s offensive play of late. Once positioned in the top tier of the league’s scoring charts, the Celtics have since witnessed a concerning dip in their production on that end of the court, currently at the ninth spot in offensive rating over the last nine games.
The crux of the issue lies in a pervasive problem for Boston in recent games — turnovers. The team finds itself mired in the 25th spot in turnover rate, with a glaring 15% of possessions ending in turnovers over the past nine contests. This trend is hampering their offensive flow, leading to a struggle in executing plays and a noticeable breakdown in spacing.
CLNS Media reporter Bobby Manning recently broke down the situation after speaking with Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla after practice on Wednesday, check it out in the clip below.
Analysts are suggesting that the reason Boston is not headed to Las Vegas, Nevada to play in the IST’s semifinals is because of how the St. Louis native comported himself.
Was the Boston Celtics‘ in-season tournament (IST) loss to the Indiana Pacers Jayson Tatum‘s fault? From afar, the Celtics are rolling and Tatum is the NBA’s Player of the Month for November, currently on the fringes of the league’s 2024 Most Valuable Player conversation.
But in the Celtics’ recent loss to the Pacers in the IST, some prominent analysts are suggesting that the reason Boston is not headed to Las Vegas, Nevada to play in the IST’s semifinals is because of how the St. Louis native comported himself in the second half of that tilt that sent the Celtics packing for a Friday tilt against the New York Knicks instead.
The analyst would be Jason Timpf of the eponymous “Hoops Tonight with Jason Timpf” podcast from the folks at Volume.
Kevin Durant and Devin Booker saw that Lakers “timeout” VERY differently.
The Phoenix Suns had a berth in the NBA’s In-Season Tournament semifinal in the palm of their hand. Almost quite literally, in fact. But a “phantom timeout” that allowed the Los Angeles Lakers to keep possession in a thrilling 106-103 win on Monday night nullified Phoenix’s chances of advancing.
After the loss, Phoenix’s two franchise players — Kevin Durant and Devin Booker — sounded off on what sure seemed like a horrific call in the worst possible moment. To put it lightly, let’s just say that both approached the situation … very differently.
First, there was Durant. The prolific scorer said he didn’t want to complain about calls and that he felt Phoenix had lost the game long before that, particularly with 20 turnovers as a team. This, to me, is an excellent response from a leader. The sign of a superstar who knows he and his teammates simply have to play better so a win or loss isn’t decided by one instance of poor officiating. Sometimes, you just have to take responsibility for not bringing your absolute best to the court.
Here’s a short transcript of Durant refusing to blame officials for the Suns’ elimination:
Kevin Durant on the timeout “That's not the ballgame. That's 1 play. It's a 48-minute game. I don't like to complain about calls. Sometimes the ref ain't gonna get it right. Sometimes it's on us to play through all that stuff & not worry about putting the game in the ref's hands”
Meanwhile, Booker didn’t seem as enthused or measured, at least in comparison to Durant.
Booker spent a lot more time fielding questions about the phantom timeout and did not, in fact, say he didn’t want to complain about officiating costing the Suns.
What’s more, Booker posted (and then later deleted) an Instagram story that seemed to signal he was complaining about the key final sequence.
Gee, I wonder why he deleted it?
Credit: @dbook on Instagram
This defeat should not cost the Suns any of their long-term ambitions this season. They remain a top Western Conference power. But the contrast between their two leaders’ reactions in another elimination game is eye-opening. That’s not even mentioning the difference in their performances in a win-or-go-home affair, which was as follows:
31 points, seven rebounds, and four assists on 12-of-17 shooting for Durant
16 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists on 6-of-16 shooting for Booker
Call it a hunch, but this kind of contrast will be something to monitor as the Suns try to get in a groove for an NBA title push over the next few months.
Was the Celtics’ loss a warning sign that they might not be able to win high-leverage games in the playoffs? Or just an artifact of an opponent getting hot on a night Boston was a little off their game?
The Boston Celtics were eliminated from the NBA’s in-season tournament quarterfinals after a challenging matchup against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night at Gainsbridge Fieldhouse. The Celtics strong start and fierce competition in the first half were offset by difficulties in execution, missed shots, and defensive missteps in the second.
The end result? A painful loss to the Pacers with a familiar feel for Celtics fans used to watching their favorite team struggle in the third quarter and in crunchtime. At times, it seemed as if Boston leaned into poor shot selection, instead of controlling the controllable factors to regain their composure.
Was the Celtics’ loss a warning sign that they might not be able to win high-leverage games in the playoffs? Or just an artifact of an opponent getting hot on a night Boston was a little off their game?
The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast weighed in on all this on their recent postgame podcast. Check it out above!
The Celtics may not be headed to Las Vegas for a chance at the IST’s half-million in prize money, but they may well have learned a valuable lesson about themselves just the same.
The key to the Boston Celtics’ in-season tournament loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, according to Jaylen Brown? “We just had a bad night taking care of the ball,” said the Georgia native postgame per the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn. “They put a lot of pressure on us … we just couldn’t get organized.”
“We had some turnovers, some bad shots that turned into transition points for them,” added Brown. “We got caught up in the rat race, and we should have just settled down a little bit, and we didn’t in that third quarter and that was the game.”
“It’s a combination of poise from our guys, getting to our spacing,” he explained. “Sometimes in those environments, like a playoff environment, you have to remain poised and stick to the game plan.”
“We took ill-advised shots,” said Brown. “We didn’t get to the right spots. That’s on our veteran guys to make sure we’re in the right position, and we’re poised. Make sure we keep control of the game.”
The Celtics may not be headed to Las Vegas for a chance at the IST’s half-million in prize money, but they may well have learned a valuable lesson about themselves just the same.
Whether they remember it this summer when it matters most is another question. But should they convert the wisdom gleaned in this loss to action, there will be plenty of value from the loss to be had, even if it’s not the sort one can deposit in the bank.
Despite a promising first half and a competitive, intense vibe coming from both sides, the Celtics faltered in key moments late in the game.
The Boston Celtics had a disappointing exit from the NBA’s new in-season tournament, with a 122-112 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the quarterfinals on Monday night. The defeat highlighted recurring issues for the Celtics, particularly their struggles in the game’s third quarter, which have plagued them throughout the season.
Despite a promising first half and a competitive, intense vibe coming from both sides, the Celtics faltered in key moments late in the game. It allowed the Pacers to seize control just when their momentum began to pick up, a sequence that saw Jaylen Brown foul Tyrese Halliburton on a 3-point play, followed by a dunk from former Celtic Aaron Nesmith to seal the deal.
NBC Sports Boston’s Eddie House, Chris Mannix, Brian Scalabrine, Drew Carter and Amina Smith linked up after the loss on “Postgame Live” to talk it over.
Ryan et al also talk about the in-season tournament and its impact on the game.
Will Jaylen Brown live up to his supermax contract extension with the Boston Celtics? In a recent episode of the CLNS Media “Bob Ryan, Jeff Goodman, and Gary Tanguay podcast, the hosts discussed whether the star Celtics forward will be able to balance his game and contribute enough consistently to satisfy critics of his historic supermax contract extension.
Ryan et al also talk about the in-season tournament and its impact on the game, changing dynamics of fan loyalty and the role of technology in shaping engagement. While some players and fans are embracing the tournament format, others express concerns about running up the score and the risk of injury. The hosts debate whether it will help keep the sport relevant in the evolving landscape of entertainment.
Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what Ryan, Goodman, and Tanguay had to say about Brown’s play and the IST.
Bolster the frontcourt? Improve the bench depth? Play a different way? Celtics Lab breaks out the magnifying glass in search of answers.
The Boston Celtics have been booted from the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament by the Indiana Pacers after a performance that was all too familiar for some. Fans have seen hungrier teams outwork the Celtics on nights when the 3-ball isn’t falling. But there was more to the loss than those familiar flops from the past, and not all of it was bad.
What can the Celtics take away from the IST loss, and how can Boston get better moving forward? Are there players or lineups we would like to see more of? And if the current supporting cast isn’t quite enough, who might make sense for the Celtics to make some calls about with many players around the league becoming moveable after Dec. 15?
The hosts of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast put on their thinking caps after the loss to focus on what’s next for Boston, how they might make that happen, and even debate whether Jayson Tatum deserved his Player of the Month nod, so strap in and join us for a bumpier ride than usual.
The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by FanDuel.
The Celtics are eliminated from the NBA’s in-season tournament as Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers sped past Boston Monday night.
The Boston Celtics have been eliminated from the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament after falling to the Indiana Pacers 119-112 in the quarterfinals Monday night. Tyrese Haliburton led the way for the dynamic Pacers, logging 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists, grabbing his first career triple-double and punching Indiana’s ticket to Las Vegas in the process. Boston heads back to the Hub empty-handed for now.
The last time the Celtics played the Pacers, they cruised to a 155-104 victory, but this time around Indiana’s lightning fast pace on both ends of the ball really challenged Boston. Not only did Indy’s speed stretch the Celtics on the defense end, but it seemed to force Boston into take rushed shots and making unforced errors. For the game, the visiting team logged 17 turnovers compared to just 6 for Indy. Combined with a lukewarm night shooting the ball from deep, and the Celtics just never found the right gear.
Boston is back in action Friday night. For now, here’s what you missed from a 119-112 Celtics defeat in Indianapolis.
