Indiana Pacers will travel to the TD Garden as Boston Celtics wait for them in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Having made their way through by defeating teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks, the Pacers will be high on confidence going into the series. However, their matchup against the Celtics is going to be a different and much more challenging one as compared to the others.
Boston has had a relatively easier route to the ECF. They defeated an injury-riddled Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers to make it to the Conference Finals. Having lost just two games so far, the Celtics are the favourites to win the matchup against the Pacers. But taking the team from Indiana lightly will not be a wise decision as Rick Carlisle’s men have shown that they can punish teams on any given day with their resilience.
The regular season saw the Indiana Pacers finishing as the second-best offensive unit in the league. They played at a high pace which helped them generate extra possessions. The Pacers were also a great three-point shooting team in the regular season and have carried that on to the postseason, shooting 38.1 % from beyond the arc, which is the best for any team in the playoffs this season. They will be looking to carry their offensive firepower in the series against Boston as the seventeen-time champions are a solid defensive side. Their backcourt duo of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday has been incredible all year and would make life very difficult for the Pacers’ star guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Can the Indiana Pacers overcome the mighty Boston Celtics?
Indiana Pacers were expected to be a good team at the start of the season as they made some good moves in the offseason. However, they have outplayed the expectations and become one of the contenders to represent the East in the NBA Finals.
The Celtics are a fiery side that has looked good throughout the season. Despite missing out on Kristaps Porzingis, they have managed to keep their guard strong and compete without any hesitation in the playoffs. While many may say that they have not faced any real challenge in the postseason so far, their series against the Pacers is going to be a real test of their brilliance.
The Pacers’ offense was their bread and butter in the regular season, but they were able to add to their game by improving on the defensive end as the season progressed. In the series against the Knicks, the Pacers were expected to be exposed for their defensive frailties, but that never happened as Rick Carlisle showed his experience to help improve the Pacers’ defense.
The Indiana Pacers will need their star to shine
Tyrese Haliburton has had struggles with his shooting in the playoffs, but that is something that he should expect as teams are going to have him on their scouting report. The guard had a breakout year and made the All-Star team because of his stellar numbers. He will have to find a way to unlock the Boston defense as a lot depends on him in the series.
The Pacers have been a side that has not shied away from big teams and once again will be up for a challenge against the Celtics. The odds are stacked against them once again, but that is where the team has thrived the most this season. Boston poses a huge threat, but having reached this far the Pacers will look to bring their best against the Celtics and move to the NBA Finals for the first time in 24 years.
