Here we are on the cusp of a sweep, and it feels, I dunno…strange? 3-0 leads either come from consistently dominant performances, or wind up seeming like they did. No one ever plans a “this is why they are a one seed” game sandwiched between two dogfights that had game threads with stretches of despair. But while we hear the excuses of injury, the (technically correct) takes that this series was only a handful of plays away from being 2-1 Pacers, etc. etc., we all know (or should know) that great teams win those kinds of games. Great teams force that turnover with ten seconds left and then nail the corner three. Great teams stare down large second half deficits and counter them with runs of their own. Take this paragraph from The Athletic’s game four preview:
I don’t know why they’d be “wondering how this happened,” when the answer is so obvious: The Boston Celtics happened. Greatness means that when your star center goes down with an injury, your 37-yo backup steps up. It means that you can still get a blowout-style win in game two when your MVP-candidate star doesn’t get it going until late because the guy who was inexcusably snubbed from an All-NBA pick hangs 40 on the opposition. This Celtics team is a great team.
And so tonight we go for the kill shot: a four game sweep of the Indiana Pacers. Make no mistake: Indiana will put up a fight, with or without Haliburton, and they have earned the respect that they are due here. Whether it’s Nembhard, Turner, or Siakam leading the charge, these guys will go down swinging…but ultimately they’ll go down because they are a good team playing a great team, and great trumps good.
Injuries
BOS - Kristaps Porziņģis (OUT - calf), Luke Kornet (QUESTIONABLE - wrist), Jrue Holiday (QUESTIONABLE - illness)
IND - Tyrese Haliburton (QUESTIONABLE - hamstring), Bennedict Mathurin (OUT - shoulder)
Logistics
8:00p EDT tip at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. ESPN/ESPN2/98.5 FM/SiriusXM 212 (Celtics), 86 (Pacers), 80 (National).
WIN.
The Pacers led by 18 points midway through the third quarter. They led by eight with less than three minutes left. They led by five with less than 80 seconds left. Boston closed the game on an 8-0 run and the Pacers are left wondering how this happened.
I don’t know why they’d be “wondering how this happened,” when the answer is so obvious: The Boston Celtics happened. Greatness means that when your star center goes down with an injury, your 37-yo backup steps up. It means that you can still get a blowout-style win in game two when your MVP-candidate star doesn’t get it going until late because the guy who was inexcusably snubbed from an All-NBA pick hangs 40 on the opposition. This Celtics team is a great team.
And so tonight we go for the kill shot: a four game sweep of the Indiana Pacers. Make no mistake: Indiana will put up a fight, with or without Haliburton, and they have earned the respect that they are due here. Whether it’s Nembhard, Turner, or Siakam leading the charge, these guys will go down swinging…but ultimately they’ll go down because they are a good team playing a great team, and great trumps good.
Injuries
BOS - Kristaps Porziņģis (OUT - calf), Luke Kornet (QUESTIONABLE - wrist), Jrue Holiday (QUESTIONABLE - illness)
IND - Tyrese Haliburton (QUESTIONABLE - hamstring), Bennedict Mathurin (OUT - shoulder)
Logistics
8:00p EDT tip at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. ESPN/ESPN2/98.5 FM/SiriusXM 212 (Celtics), 86 (Pacers), 80 (National).
WIN.
