Post-Game Grades: Indiana Pacers Late Game Rally Falls Short to Boston Celtics
By Josh Padmore
100. Final. 109. 18. 102
The Indiana Pacers’ furious comeback fell just short, losing to the Boston Celtics in Indianapolis.
The Good: The Indiana Pacers made a nice comeback in the fourth quarter, but ultimately fell short. It’s always refreshing to see a team never give up. Jeff Teague continued his rock solid play, so that’s a positive to come out of this.
The Bad: Things got really ugly in the second quarter. The Pacers were outscored 29-9 in the second. Glenn Robinson III really struggled, and Paul George couldn’t get much to go either. Maybe the most important thing is that the Celtics officially won the season series against Indiana after this win. That matters, especially when you’re battling for positioning in the playoffs.
MVP: Isaiah Thomas took this game over in the 4th quarter. He and Jeff Teague had an entertaining dual, but Thomas ended up getting his team the win. He finished with 28 points, 9 assists and 0 turnovers.
LVP: Glenn Robinson III. The basket must have looked really small to Glenn because he finished just 1-9 from the field for 2 points in 35 minutes. He had his struggles at times on the defensive end, too.
X-Factor: Al Horford. Horford shot only 3-12 from the field, but his presence was definitely felt by the Boston Celtics. He kept possessions alive down the stretch, which resulted in giving Isaiah Thomas more opportunities to close the game.
C. George struggled with his shot again, shooting just 5-16 from the field. He scored 19 points and added 8 rebounds and 5 assists. He turned it over 5 times, though. Worth noting that he also tweaked his left ankle during the game.. Small Forward. Indiana Pacers. PAUL GEORGE
A. Teague was the offense for the Pacers. He was dueling with Isaiah Thomas and ended up scoring a game-high 31 points. He shot 9-15 from the field and 11-11 from the foul line. Teague added 8 assists.. Point Guard. Indiana Pacers. JEFF TEAGUE
Turner was very quiet tonight. He shot 5-11 from the field for 10 points and 8 rebounds. He just couldn’t get in a good rhythm tonight.. Center. Indiana Pacers. MYLES TURNER. C
D-. Glenn really struggled, as he shot just 1-9 from the field for 2 points in 35 minutes. He didn’t fair well on the defensive end, either. The Pacers needed a lot more production at the shooting guard position tonight.. Shooting Guard. Indiana Pacers. GLENN ROBINSON III
B+. Thad was really solid tonight, finishing with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. He knocked down 3 three-pointers. Thad also was the only Pacer starter to have a positive plus-minus, posting a +1.. Power Forward. Indiana Pacers. THADDEUS YOUNG
C.J. MILES. B. Miles struggled through the first three quarters, but caught fire in the 4th. He scored from deep (2 threes) and put the ball on the floor as well. He finished with 19 points off the bench.. Small Forward. Indiana Pacers
Once again, Al didn’t get anything done on the defensive end. He finished with 4 points and 7 rebounds in 14 minutes.. Center. Indiana Pacers. AL JEFFERSON. D
D-. His mega slump continues. Brooks went 0-3 from the field and finished with 2 points and 2 turnovers in 12 minutes.. Point Guard. Indiana Pacers. AARON BROOKS
Only played 5 minutes. Grabbed 2 rebounds.. Power Forward. Indiana Pacers. LAVOY ALLEN. C-