Playoffs: 1st round vs. Boston Celtics

[Scoot McGroot]

Use this for game one, or for whole playoffs if we don't want to thread them out.

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Indiana Pacers

Game 1: Sun, April 14 Indiana at Boston, 1 ET, TNT
Game 2: Wed, April 17 Indiana at Boston, 7 ET, TNT
Game 3: Fri, April 19 Boston at Indiana, 8:30 ET, ABC
Game 4: Sun, April 21 Boston at Indiana, 1 ET, ABC
*Game 5: Wed, April 24 Indiana at Boston, TBD, TBD
*Game 6: Fri, April 26 Boston at Indiana, TBD, TBD
*Game 7: Sun, April 28 Indiana at Boston, TBD, TBD

Marcus Smart has been ruled out for at least the first series, and likely the 2nd as well.


And for some humor, look at what TNT put together. How many failures can you find?

Read on Twitter

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2019/04/12/nba-playoffs-2019-indiana-pacers-nbaontnt-boston-celtics-playoff-promo-terrifying/3445774002/

EDIT: TNT removed the tweet..

[Wizop]

lots of tweets on the graphic. apparently the IMS failed to respond to the request for a picture and the artist had to use this. she's actually from Indy.

game one has been determinative in most Pacer playoff series. hope we game plan.

[Scoot McGroot]

lots of tweets on the graphic. apparently the IMS failed to respond to the request for a picture and the artist had to use this. she's actually from Indy.

game one has been determinative in most Pacer playoff series. hope we game plan.

Maybe just don't use a track, then? Or use a stock photo of IMS?

[Wizop]

reports say the team jumped in to help them get a better image.

Read on Twitter

[Pacers_Freak]

lots of tweets on the graphic. apparently the IMS failed to respond to the request for a picture and the artist had to use this. she's actually from Indy.

game one has been determinative in most Pacer playoff series. hope we game plan.

C'mon now this is silly. Of course they are gameplanning. They are pro's. Now does it mean it will work, or it is what you or I prefer? Who knows. But to act as if they are just going to roll the ball out there and play is silly.

[Wizop]

C'mon now this is silly. Of course they are gameplanning. They are pro's. Now does it mean it will work, or it is what you or I prefer? Who knows. But to act as if they are just going to roll the ball out there and play is silly.

Does doing the same thing you've done all year and telling the players they have to execute better count as game planning? (see Chuck Pagano). Maybe I should have said I hope they come up with a game plan specific to Boston.

[Tom White]

lots of tweets on the graphic. apparently the IMS failed to respond to the request for a picture and the artist had to use this. she's actually from Indy.

game one has been determinative in most Pacer playoff series. hope we game plan.

Maybe just don't use a track, then? Or use a stock photo of IMS?

Yes, there is nothing like a promo of this nature to reinforce the image that Indianapolis is just a race track in the middle of a corn field.

[boomershadow]

I don't think we're gonna come into this series with an entirely new game plan. I highly doubt we see much or any of Leaf or Holiday. I definitely don't think we see any chess moves like Thad at the 3 or anything like that. I don't think we can completely rule out seeing the Turner/Sabonis combo, but that's likely the most radical thing I can imagine happening, and even then I wouldn't count on it being a big part of the strategy.

I think we can expect to see the team do a couple main things, and we're gonna have to hope they work. And I think there's definitely some chance they do.

1. Bring the defensive intensity. We blew out the Nuggets not too long ago because we came in and drained the life out of them on the defensive end of the floor. Playoff games get tougher, and we got the defenders to grind out a tough win if we're given the chance. The Celtics have had some well documented chemistry and personality issues this season, and Brad Stevens hasn't managed to get them looking like the team everyone thought they were gonna be all year. If we can stop them from getting on track early, it's entirely possible they never get on one.

2. Hope to see the best versions of our guys possible. The Tyreke Evans that we have seen flashes of this year would be great to see show up for the playoffs. I've mentioned before, if we get a good series out of him then a lot of the criticisms I've had of him this year will be forgiven in my eyes. Joseph is gonna be solid defensively and in the glue guy areas of the game no matter what, so if he looks even semi-competent on offense then he'll be a net positive for the team. Turner is gonna have to look more like the player we saw the second half of the season than in the first. Bojan is gonna have to put in some offensive performances we know he is capable of even if Boston puts more pressure on him defensively than he is used to seeing. Resting up a bit before the playoffs might be the best thing this team could do to help see these things come to pass.

3. Play the team game. Oladipo ain't here to do any heavy lifting. We're gonna have to share the ball and share the load. This team has looked best all season when you aren't quite sure who is gonna do the stepping up, but someone is gonna have to. It might have to be different guys on different nights. Conventional wisdom says that doesn't happen in the playoffs, but there are some seriously underrated guys on this team.

Can this strategy work? Well...probably not, no. I sure wouldn't bet money on it, but I am not ready to count this team out completely yet. Not one bit. Boston no doubt has more firepower and more faith from the fans and media than the Pacers do, but I'm not sure there's a team in the league with guys more capable of carrying a heavy load uphill. And that's good, cuz they're gonna have to.

[boomershadow]

https://www.indycornrows.com/2019/4/12/18298054/maybe-the-pacers-should-meet-the-celtics-at-their-weird

Ms. Cooper always has some interesting takes and some of the most solid Xs and Os coverage on the Pacers there is. Definitely worth a read.

[Pacers_Freak]

C'mon now this is silly. Of course they are gameplanning. They are pro's. Now does it mean it will work, or it is what you or I prefer? Who knows. But to act as if they are just going to roll the ball out there and play is silly.

Does doing the same thing you've done all year and telling the players they have to execute better count as game planning? (see Chuck Pagano). Maybe I should have said I hope they come up with a game plan specific to Boston.

Changing what you do and having a game plan are two entirely different things. How you are going to play Kyrie in the pick in roll is a game plan. Studying sets and how you want to defend those is a game plan. You don’t have to change stuff to gameplan. There is a Tom Crean article floating around where when he was unemployed he spent time with the Sixers when they were in Indy. Talks about the depth or game planning and preparation that goes into an NBA game. These guys are professionals and work hard at what they do. Doesn’t mean it will work. Doesn’t mean they will do what you want. But to think they haven’t done their due diligence on Boston is ridiculous.

[boomershadow]

I've been reading comments on the general board about how it's gonna be an easy series for Boston. I doubt that happens at all. No matter the outcome, I bet this will be a hard fought series. No doubt in my mind.

[pacers33granger]

I've been reading comments on the general board about how it's gonna be an easy series for Boston. I doubt that happens at all. No matter the outcome, I bet this will be a hard fought series. No doubt in my mind.

Yesterday's games should show that, for the majority of teams, there are no easy playoff series. And honestly, Boston is the worst of the home court teams in the East, not just by record but overall.

[ducler]

Read on Twitter

[Wizop]

will Boston forum game thread have more pages than we have posts? for sure.

Wesley with 2 early 3s. hope break helped him.

Sent from my phone.

[Vorda]

What... DC cant guard Irving? Why does is he still in Boston? Let Aaron plays... he cant be worse...

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[Wizop]

What... DC cant guard Irving? Why does is he still in Boston? Let Aaron plays... he cant be worse...

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Matthews is on Irving. not many players can guard him though so hardly a Collison issue.

Sent from my phone.

[Vorda]

We dont need PG who cant play defense... especially when he is average attacker

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[Tom White]

Wesley with 2 early 3s. hope break helped him.

Does this happen to anyone else - Every once in a while, when watching Wesley play with that headband and bit of scraggle for a beard, I have to look twice. I swear he looks like Stephen Jackson at a quick glance and the camera not doing a close-up on him.

That is a bit unsettling, to say the least.

[Vorda]

DC will kill us

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[Vorda]

Again bad start in 3rd quater...

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