IND @ BOS, Easter Conference Finals, Game 1 Game Thread

[SwisherPrice]

Celtics are just too good. It's no surprise these are the remaining teams in the East...if I remember, these are the only 2 teams who made the Mavs look silly in those games after the trade deadline.

[Branduil]

Celtics are just too good. It's no surprise these are the remaining teams in the East...if I remember, these are the only 2 teams who made the Mavs look silly in those games after the trade deadline.

Celtics are good no doubt, but they haven't been forced to play actual playoff basketball at any point yet. Has to be one of the easiest paths to the Finals of all time.

[SwisherPrice]

RC choking again in a clutch situation. Call the timeout and draw up a play

[dirkfansince1998]

Nembhard ruining his great performance. Holiday proving why he is regarded as the best perimeter defender of the last decade.

[Jym]

RC choking again in a clutch situation. Call the timeout and draw up a play

feels like he has been subpar all series 
some WEIRD rotations in this game.

[dirkfansince1998]

feels like he has been subpar all series 
some WEIRD rotations in this game.

Depends on how you view it. With the talent disparity the Pacers shouldn't have a chance to win but RC is getting the most out of role players with limited skillsets to overcome it. Pacers are overperforming the Vegas line. But they cannot close games.

[Jym]

Depends on how you view it. With the talent disparity the Pacers shouldn't have a chance to win but RC is getting the most out of role players with limited skillsets to overcome it. Pacers are overperforming the Vegas line. But they cannot close games.

yeah that was the case here so often 
he'd do some of the weirdest crap imaginable but it'd work so you'd just have to go with it

[dirkfansince1998]

Last play call was great. Getting a wide open look with less than 2s on the clock. Probably should have called a timeout with 12s left on the clock but these days many coaches prefer to attack the defense in semi transition instead of trying to score against a set defense.

[windjc]

Anybody besides me think that the Celtics kinda suck? At least, suck enough to lose easily to the Mavs in a finals?

[Mavs03]

I'm very underwhelmed with the Boston Celtics.

Who have they faced in this year's playoffs?

Round 1: Miami without Jimmy Butler (Entire series)

Round 2: Cleveland without Jarrett Allen (Entire series) and Donovan Mitchell (Last 2 games of the series)

Round 3: Indiana without Tyrese Haliburton (Game 3).

Indiana should have won Game 1 and quite frankly should have won Game 3.

I respect Boston as a worthy opponent, but their path to the NBA finals will be one of the easiest in NBA history

[windjc]

I'm very underwhelmed with the Boston Celtics.

Who have they faced in this year's playoffs?

Round 1: Miami without Jimmy Butler (Entire series)

Round 2: Cleveland without Jarrett Allen (Entire series) and Donovan Mitchell (Last 2 games of the series)

Round 3: Indiana without Tyrese Haliburton (Game 3).

Indiana should have won Game 1 and quite frankly should have won Game 3.

I respect Boston as a worthy opponent, but their path to the NBA finals will be one of the easiest in NBA history

I agree. Whoever they play in the finals, I think they are in for a rude awakening.

[Branduil]

One thing I can say for sure is the Mavs would not play such incompetent clutch defense, nor run such terrible offense in the last 2 minutes.

[SleepingHero]

RC choking again in a clutch situation. Call the timeout and draw up a play

2 games the exact situation arose. Carlisle took blame the first time yet let it happen again. Pacers could potentially be up 2-1 right now vs. being down 0-3.

[dirkfansince1998]

2 games the exact situation arose. Carlisle took blame the first time yet let it happen again. Pacers could potentially be up 2-1 right now vs. being down 0-3.

RC always takes the blame. Not sure if that is always the smartest move because the players have to take responsibility as well. Kidd is the direct opposite. Up to the players. Good or bad.
I think the first game is on Haliburton. Individual mistakes like this cannot happen in the last minute of a playoff game. Two turnovers because he couldn't dribble the ball up the floor against Holiday.
Today was different. Not sure if it is the right decision to let Nembhard (even with him having a great game) control the last possession of the game. Should be the best player with the ball in his hands and that is Siakam. But on the other hand. Pacers iso scoring is bad. Probably easier to attack in transition.

Just need to look at the Wolves. They can create open looks from three for their role players but when it is up to the start to close the game Edwards and Towns cannot get it done. Reid or McDaniels can score 20 and help with the scoring load but they shouldn't be taking the last 2-3 shots of the game.

Feels pretty good to be a Mavs fan because Luka and Kyrie might be the two best iso scorers in the league. If you don't have players like this it is difficult to close playoff games.

[MarkAguirreWrathofGod]

yeah that was the case here so often 
he'd do some of the weirdest crap imaginable but it'd work so you'd just have to go with it

You mean like Wes Matthews playing C and guarding DeMarcus Cousins in the post down the stretch of a close game? I think I’m remembering that one right.

[SleepingHero]

RC always takes the blame. Not sure if that is always the smartest move because the players have to take responsibility as well. Kidd is the direct opposite. Up to the players. Good or bad.
I think the first game is on Haliburton. Individual mistakes like this cannot happen in the last minute of a playoff game. Two turnovers because he couldn't dribble the ball up the floor against Holiday.
Today was different. Not sure if it is the right decision to let Nembhard (even with him having a great game) control the last possession of the game. Should be the best player with the ball in his hands and that is Siakam. But on the other hand. Pacers iso scoring is bad. Probably easier to attack in transition.

Just need to look at the Wolves. They can create open looks from three for their role players but when it is up to the start to close the game Edwards and Towns cannot get it done. Reid or McDaniels can score 20 and help with the scoring load but they shouldn't be taking the last 2-3 shots of the game.

Feels pretty good to be a Mavs fan because Luka and Kyrie might be the two best iso scorers in the league. If you don't have players like this it is difficult to close playoff games.

They should've called a timeout in both cases. First to stave off Boston and to reset the game in one where Haliburton already had made a ton of mistakes. Carlisle fucked up again this time by letting Nembhard dribble the entire court with Jrue on him and instead of calling a timeout to get a set shot down by 1, he puts his player in the worst position. 

I don't disagree RC has had his role players over perform to the point they have a chance to win, but he has made 2 mistakes that's prevented the Pacers from being in the best position to win. Difference between being down 0-3 instead of maybe up 2-1 or down 2-1.

That last play for Nesmith was a beauty though. Unfortunate it didn't go through. Imagine what he could've drawn up only down 1 with 10 seconds to go!

[Chicagojk]

credit to the Celtics. I did not watch the game. This series was never in doubt for me. The Pacers have played better than I expected. Last night, the Pacers just don't have that closer. The Celtics stayed close and used their experience to close that game.

They are just a perfect put together team. With KP, they are so much better on defense too. But even last night, Pacers want Horford to beat him and they get him wide open looks and he makes 7 threes. They just don't give you many answers to put them in bad spots. Take away the Horford threes and someone else gets wide open looks.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

https://x.com/NekiasNBA/status/1794566031853380017


This was a great play drawn up by RC, that almost worked. Looks like the bunch formation in the NFL.

[RGP1981]

credit to the Celtics.  I did not watch the game.  This series was never in doubt for me.  The Pacers have played better than I expected.    Last night, the Pacers just don't have that closer.  The Celtics stayed close and used their experience to close that game. 

They are just a perfect put together team.  With KP, they are so much better on defense too.  But even last night, Pacers want Horford to beat him and they get him wide open looks and he makes 7 threes.  They just don't give you many answers to put them in  bad spots.  Take away the Horford threes and someone else gets wide open looks.

I have to say, it's so very annoying to watch Horford make his threes, lol. Hats off to him though.

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

I have to say, it's so very annoying to watch Horford make his threes, lol. Hats off to him though.

Why is it annoying?  Dude has been a good 3 pt shooter since he started taking them.  Horford is the type of veteran all teams need. He makes winning plays on both sides of the ball.