Haliburton, the Pacers Are Too Much for the Celtics to Handle on Monday Night
The introduction of the in-season tournament marks a fresh approach for the NBA, and if you have not been paying attention to the start of this NBA season and do not yet know what the in-season tournament is, it is an attempt by the league to inject a playoff-like atmosphere into the heart of the regular season. Teams are not only competing for valuable wins but also for prestige and additional incentives that come with winning the tournament. It’s a chance for players and fans alike to experience the thrill of knockout basketball before the traditional postseason.
As the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament gains momentum, basketball enthusiasts got a treat on Monday night as the Boston Celtics took on the Indiana Pacers in the first game of the in-season tournament quarterfinals. With both teams fighting for not only regular-season success but also a shot at tournament glory, the intensity was cranked up a notch in this exciting matchup. Let’s take a look at how the Pacers got this win.
The Pacers entered this tournament with a well-rounded squad led by the formidable duo of Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner. Turner, 17 points per game and 8 rebounds per game regular brings a combination of finesse and physicality, while Haliburton orchestrates the offense with his playmaking skills and scoring ability. Indiana’s depth and defensive prowess have made them a strong contender in this tournament thus far, and a win against the Celtics only solidified their position as serious contenders in this year's eastern conference.
The Boston Celtics on the other hand, led by the dynamic pairing of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown came into this tournament poised to make a deep tournament run. Tatum’s otherworldly scoring ability and Brown’s two-way excellence give Boston the upper hand on offense no matter what team they are playing. With the veteran presence of Al Horford and the defensive tenacity of Jrue Holiday, the Celtics were aiming to navigate and stake their claim as one of the league’s top teams. Unfortunately for Celtic fans, the Pacers put an end to these hopes on Monday night.
While the Celtics did have the lead at the half 55-48, the Pacers proved to be too much for Boston in the second half as they came back to win this one 122-112 in Indiana. Haliburton led the way on the offensive side once again for Indiana, finishing the game with a triple-double that consisted of 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists. Buddy Hield also had a very nice game for the Pacers chipping in 21 points, along with four three-pointers. While the Celtics did lose this one, Tatum and Brown were stellar once per usual combining for 62 points as Tatum had 32 points and 12 rebounds and Brown had 30 points and 9 rebounds. While Brown and Tatum may have outscored Haliburton and Turner in this game, it was the Pacers' role players who outplayed the Celtics' role players and were able to help Indiana achieve this victory. Maybe if Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis, who did not play this game as he is dealing with a calf injury, played the results would have been different.
The Pacers will play the winner of the Knicks-Bucks game happening on December 5 on December 7 for the semifinal game of the in-season tournament. The Celtics, saddened by their heartbreaking loss in this one, will head back home to enjoy some much-needed rest until they take on Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers next Tuesday in Boston.
