The Boston Celtics soundly defeated the visiting Indiana Pacers 155-104 Wednesday night, cruising to an easy victory and moving to 4-0 to open the 2023-24 regular season. Jayson Tatum led the way for Boston, scoring 30 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in just 27 minutes of action. Overall, a 51-point win for the Celtics ties the third-largest margin of victory in franchise history.
Tatum wasn’t the only player in green scoring the ball with ease. In total, eight members of the Celtics scored 11 or more points, and as a team Boston shot 56.8% from the field. In fact, the Celtics scored 75 points in the first half alone, underscoring how lopsided things were all evening long. On the other side of the action, Boston played stingy defense, especially on the perimeter. In total, the Pacers went 5-for-37 from 3, which includes a few easy looks that came down the stretch when the game was already out of reach for Indiana.
Let’s take a deeper look at Boston’s big 155-104 victory against the Pacers and what helped power the Celtics to victory.
Indiana at Boston: Celtics flatten Pacers with third-highest score ever https://t.co/gOXi4azvSK pic.twitter.com/ITiT2av8pp
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 2, 2023
Boston's offense
Boston’s got out in front early, opening the game with a 20-8 run. By the end of the first quarter, the Celtics had hung 44 points on the Pacers and simply never looked back.
Tatum was really in his element. He once again showed off his improved ability to score out of the post, but his passing was also key for Boston. He logged 4 assists, as did Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. Payton Pritchard ended the game with a team-high 9 assists, though much of this came during garbage time.
The 3-point ball was also a key weapon for the Celtics. Collectively the home team connected on 20 shots from deep, shooting 57.1% on 3-pointers. It’s hard to find something that wasn’t working for Boston on offense.
PHOTOS: All of the Boston Celtics' draft picks since 2000 https://t.co/PKfBgloZKD pic.twitter.com/PQZWPpBCuL
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 2, 2023
Boston's defense
It’s worth noting that Indiana was without star Tyrese Haliburton, who is dealing with an ankle injury. The Pacers’ offense faltered considerably without its top scoring weapon. Boston, meanwhile, was involved and aggressive on defense, taking full advantage of a Pacers team playing without a key contributor.
Scoring was the main entree for the Celtics tonight, but a strong defensive effort can’t be ignored. It was good to see the bench players lock in with a chance to get meaningful burn. With the starters sidelined, Boston’s reserves won the final frame 46-33.
Danilo Gallinari reflects on season spent with Boston Celtics: 'I could have helped the team a lot' https://t.co/Uxt4mraFwR pic.twitter.com/PjsK6zqMnz
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 1, 2023
Final thoughts
The Celtics have started the season looking just about as good as fans could have hoped. The offense has been smooth and at times truly elite. The defense has yet to be sincerely tested but looks equally solid.
Boston’s aims for this season extend far beyond November, but a nearly historic win is always worth admiring. The Celtics now have a few days off before tipping off in Brooklyn against the Nets on Saturday evening.
Watch: Jayson Tatum and Derrick White mic'd up over first two games https://t.co/9BelgOwkAB pic.twitter.com/UQfkajwFQI
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 1, 2023
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