Final week’s Celtics-Pacers matchup was determined by a controversial name within the closing seconds.
Wednesday’s rematch required no such dramatics.
Boston dispatched last-place Indiana 119-104 at TD Backyard behind 30 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists from Jaylen Brown and 17 factors on 6-of-8 taking pictures from Sam Hauser, who went 5-for-7 from 3-point vary within the win. Neemias Queta added 17 factors, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks for Boston.
Pascal Siakam — whose late game-winner within the groups’ earlier assembly ought to have been nullified by an unlawful display —- completed with 32-10-4 however received restricted help from Indiana’s depleted supporting solid, which was lacking injured starters Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin.
The sport closed out the season collection between the final two Jap Convention champions, with all 4 conferences happening within the final 30 days. The Celtics, who took three of 4 from the Pacers, improved to 27-16, strengthening their grip on second place within the East standings. Indiana fell to 10-35.
Boston now will play a street back-to-back this Friday and Saturday, visiting Brooklyn and Chicago, respectively.
The Celtics began sizzling Wednesday with two Hauser 3-pointers within the opening 68 seconds, then closed the primary quarter with a 12-2 run to take a 30-20 lead. Luka Garza drew two taking pictures fouls throughout that Boston push, together with one off a contested offensive rebound. Baylor Scheierman contributed a nook three and a steal, utilizing the latter to spark a quick break that yielded a Payton Pritchard triple.
Scheierman has seen common enjoying time since mid-November — he even began two video games throughout Boston’s latest street journey whereas Brown and Pritchard nursed accidents — however the second-year professional not often is a part of Joe Mazzulla’s first spherical of substitutions, as he was Wednesday.
Fellow depth wings Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez chipped in 3-pointers early within the second quarter, with Gonzalez’s halting an 8-0 Pacers rally. The high-energy rookie additionally used a robust lower to the basket to attain off a Celtics inbounds move.
Gonzalez’s buckets have been a part of a 15-0 Celtics run that broke the sport open. Boston led by as many as 23 factors within the first half and carried a 66-46 benefit into halftime.
It was a balanced offensive effort from the Celtics, who had only one scorer in double figures at half (Brown, with 17 on 5-of-13 taking pictures) however 9 others with between three and 9 factors. An aggressive one, too: Boston tried 16 first-half free throws — greater than its shot in 15 full video games this season, together with final Monday’s loss at Indiana — and made all 16.
The Celtics entered Wednesday ranked final within the NBA in free-throw makes an attempt per sport (19.2) and second-to-last in fouls drawn.
Hauser’s fourth 3-pointer of the night time, 4 Derrick White free throws and a pair of sturdy Brown drives helped Boston stay in command till the halfway level of the third quarter. That’s when Indiana started pushing again.
The Pacers staged a 15-4 run that spanned almost 5 minutes and lower Boston’s lead from 20 factors to 9. The Celtics then proceeded to show it over twice within the first 29 seconds of the fourth quarter, together with one on the opening inbounds move. Indiana foul pictures after the second giveaway made it 91-80.
However any hope of a full-fledged comeback bid was extinguished by Hauser and Brown, who hit 3-pointers to offer Boston some respiration room, then scored thrice from contained in the arc as Boston rebuilt a 20-point cushion.
For Brown, it was his third straight 30-point sport and seventh double-double of the season. For Hauser, it continued a stretch of environment friendly, high-volume 3-point taking pictures. The veteran wing, who got here in taking pictures 39.5% from deep this season, has appeared in 10 video games because the begin of January and made no less than 5 threes in half of them.
