Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Cameron Tabatabaie

Celtics can’t complete comeback, lose to Pacers 117-112

The Boston Celtics came up short against the Indiana Pacers Wednesday night, losing 117-112 at home. Though Boston teased a comeback in the second half, the Pacers were ultimately the better team from start to finish.

Boston’s Jayson Tatum played great, but it was Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton who stole the show. Haliburton finished with 33 points and 8 assists on the night, decidedly dictating the flow of the game for much of the contest. Former Celtic Aaron Nesmith also had a nice night, turning in 15 points and 6 rebounds. Nine Pacers players scored 7 or more points overall.

The Celtics now drop to 4-6 in the month of December and have now logged three straight losses at home. The Celtics will look to right the ship Friday night against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. Here’s what you might have missed from Boston’s loss to the Pacers.

Defensive woes haunted the Celtics

Indiana shot a blistering 8-for-11 from 3-point range in the first quarter, and the visiting team won the first period 42-22, never really looking back from there. For the game Indy shot 46.9% from the field, including 18-for-39 from 3.

It wasn’t just perimeter defense that flummoxed the Celtics, though. Boston struggled to protect the paint. The Pacers feasted at the rim, with 52 seemingly easy points in the paint.

Shots weren’t exactly falling for the Celtics. Boston finished the game shooting 38.6% from the field. Likewise, it was once again a cold night from the Celts from distance, as well. The guys in green shot 13-for-41 from deep.

Payton Pritchard earned a rare start

Marcus Smart was unavailable against the Pacers with a non-covid illness, certainly a factor in Boston’s uninspired defensive effort. Smart’s absence also allowed Payton Pritchard to take his place in the starting lineup. This was Pritchard’s seventh career start, and the first since December of last year.

Pritchard earned considerable burn, even with Boston’s sluggish start. The former Oregon Duck played 7 minutes in his opening stint, but didn’t impact the game much. For the night, Pritchard had 3 points and 4 assists in 17 minutes on the floor.

Boston did get meaningful contributions from Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams. But whether off the bench or among the starters, the Celtics role players by and large didn’t have the necessary juice.

Jayson Tatum went for the win

By far the brightest takeaway from Wednesday’s loss was Jayson Tatum’s MVP-caliber performance. Though he was a little slow to find his groove, the All-Star forward was a major catalyst for Boston’s near comeback. The Celts cut what was once a 30-point lead down to just 5 in the fourth quarter.

Tatum finished the game with 41 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Robert Williams also deserves massive credit here. The big man contributed a critical his 6 points and 12 rebounds in 22 minutes of action.

Boston won the third period 42-29, and ultimately outscored Indiana 69-46 overall in the second half. When the final horn sounded, however, the Celtics weren’t able to complete the comeback, even with the team’s top dog playing his best.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.