EC FINALS, Gm 1 – Pacers @ Celtics – 8:00PM, Tues, May 21, 2024

[Fierce1]

All that hunting the Cs did in the regular season is paying off in the playoffs.

It was an issue in the regular season because some of the Cs fans wanted the Cs to stop hunting.

[KingofTheClay]

Oh man everyone is super silent.

Nuggets are gone it’s time to celebrate.

Pacers will be a breeze


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[165bows]

I don't usually root for the Celtics, but I hope you beat the Pacers by 40 pts, every game. Easy 4-0 victory. Pacers deserve some Ls after playing two injury riddled teams to get this far.

We'll take it. And your team played with so much heart and grit despite the circumstances. Nothing to be ashamed of.

I get that. Knicks played hard and played hurt. It still hurts to be up 3-2 and lose 4-3. Fans are disappointed, even if we didn't expect to win the ECF, we wanted to get there.

But, wow are we banged up. It's crazy.

Yup, stinks when it happens but definitely have to feel good about what the Knicks did, they were under rated quite a bit imo.

And agree, something sort of annoying about this Pacers team lol.

[Fierce1]

Expect Kornet to play significant minutes in this series.

Pacers are not physical like the Knicks.

Kornet 8 to 10 ppg is possible.

[165bows]

I think Boston is the better team but Indy can score. Even this late into the season Boston continues to take quarters or entire games off. Fully expect indy to take one of the first 2 game as the celtics will inevitably miss 75% of the threes they take either game 1 or 2.

Also not expecting KP back for this series either.

I hear you on the let downs but I think two factors here - Indiana was 21-20 on the road this year, and they are playing on one day's rest after a tough seven game series (games are every other day from now until game 4 at least).

So long story short, Celtics imo really need to put their foot down early and get two wins before going to Indiana. As Bobby Portis said, this Indy team are big time front runners, squash them early and it seems set up to be able to do so.

[165bows]

Expect Kornet to play significant minutes in this series.

Pacers are not physical like the Knicks.

Kornet 8 to 10 ppg is possible.

Indy 26th in DRB% have to take advantage of that.

[Fierce1]

Expect Kornet to play significant minutes in this series.

Pacers are not physical like the Knicks.

Kornet 8 to 10 ppg is possible.

Indy 26th in DRB% have to take advantage of that.

True.

Indy plays fast and the games are every other day, so Joe will most likely monitor Al's minutes.

This is Kornet's chance.

[leper-con]

The key to the series is controlling the pace of play snd Halliburton

[Fierce1]

The key to the series is controlling the pace of play snd Halliburton

Keep attacking the weak defenders of the Pacers so that Cs will go to the FT line a lot and the pace will favor the Cs.

[WeLikeOurGuys]

The Celtics should easily win this series. Everyone says the Celtics have had an easier path, but what about the Pacers?
They got the bucks without Giannis and a banged-up Dame, and they still had some trouble in that series, and then they played a depleted Knicks team and went 7 games.

[Celts17Pride]

In 5 games against the Pacers this year:

Bos FG Pct - 52.3%
Ind FG Pct - 46.3%

Bos 3PT Pct - 43.6%
Ind 3PT Pct - 31.8%

Boston RPG - 50.2
Indy RPG - 39.8

Boston turnovers - 14.0 per game
Indiana turnovers - 8.8 per game

Defend, rebound and take care of the ball and this series will be over quickly.

Pretty Simple

[zoyathedestroya]

The Celtics should easily win this series. Everyone says the Celtics have had an easier path, but what about the Pacers?
They got the bucks without Giannis and a banged-up Dame, and they still had some trouble in that series, and then they played a depleted Knicks team and went 7 games.

No disrespect to the Pacers, but it really is up to the Cs (w/ or w/o KP) how long they want the series to last.

[Bad-Thoma]

I think C's win, but i'm more interested in seeing what happens with KRistaps. There's a part of me that hopes he never really had a serious injury, and C's were just resting him once it became apparent MIA, MIL, NY, and PHI weren't at 100%.

He needs to get a few games under his belt before the finals, assuming we make it. The last thing I want is to have a Jameer Nelson type of situation were an All-Star level player comes back after a long layoffs in the finals, and just costs his team the series because they aren't ready mentally, or the team has a rough time conexisting after playing so long without them.

Really hope we've just been super cautious with him, and he's good to go for the last few games of this series.

Experience is everything in the playoffs, and I like this group to finally put it all together this round. If/when they lose a game, I think it will light a fire, this team doesn't want to go out like that again in the ECF. I expect the nerves of the moment show at times for both teams, but Hali, Nesmith, and that young bench of theirs might show it more.

I think Turner is low key their X-Factor. If he's banging 3's on offense and raising hell as a shot blocker on defense that would be trouble.

I think Celtics take this in 5, 6 if Pascal and Turner are on one game

I don't think Turner is ever an x-factor against anyone. I'm not saying he's trash but he's Super Meh and is prone to disappearing, not a great defender outside of blocking shots and a terrible rebounder for someone with his physical gifts. For me the keys to the series are transition defense, running them off the 3pt line, and rebounding but that's hardly unusual.

[bisme37]

I'm thinking Celts in 6. Gotta allow for one game where the Celtics suck and one game where the Pacers are super hot and just beat us.

[zoyathedestroya]

Read on Twitter

[keevsnick1]

Read on Twitter

Given that he's expected to be out game 1+2 that's not surprising. Going through a practice, especially if he's a "full participant" will mean he's very close.

I think we'll see him in either game 4 or 5.

[Fierce1]

Read on Twitter

Given that he's expected to be out game 1+2 that's not surprising. Going through a practice, especially if he's a "full participant" will mean he's very close.

I think we'll see him in either game 4 or 5.

There might be no Game 5.

[Lee Van Cleef]

We must be able to beat them in 5 or 6.

I would get whole team vaccinated against rabies. They'll play against Nesmith after all. I hope he doesn't injure anyone.

[165bows]

The key to the series is controlling the pace of play snd Halliburton

Keep attacking the weak defenders of the Pacers so that Cs will go to the FT line a lot and the pace will favor the Cs.

Celtics league best at not fouling, Indy league worst (as measured by FTA/FGA allowed).

[Fencer reregistered]

The key to the series is controlling the pace of play snd Halliburton

Keep attacking the weak defenders of the Pacers so that Cs will go to the FT line a lot and the pace will favor the Cs.

Celtics league best at not fouling, Indy league worst (as measured by FTA/FGA allowed).

Wish: The Celtics should please have a large advantage in FT attempts.
Distorting response: Wish granted, but they'll all be shot by Jaylen.