Post-Game Grades: Pacers literally give game away to Celtics

The Indiana Pacers drop one to Celtics in a wacky, dispiriting finish

Welp. Let’s get into it. The Indiana Pacers reluctantly welcomed the Boston Celtics to the Fieldhouse Monday night for their second meeting of the young season. Nate McMillan and co. hoped to avenge November’s 10-point loss to the Celtics, who are currently sitting proudly at the top spot in the East despite going just 3-3 in their last six games after a hot start to the season.

Last time these two teams met, the Pacers were without Victor Oladipo and they played an atrocious second half after leading by as many as 13 points. So, even though the guys played just last night in Brooklyn, maybe this one wasn’t necessarily going to be your classic NBA Schedule Loss.

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Boston came out blazing with a 12-0 start, finishing the first quarter shooting 68%. Sure looked like a schedule loss from that vantage point. But the Pacers kept playing.

Throughout much of the second half, the Pacers made a handful of runs, bringing it to within five points several times, but never closer than that. Each time the Celts were ready with an answer. Frustrating, sure, but it was nice to see these Pacers refuse to give up.

The Pacers continued fighting. Typical late game Dipo heroics gave the Pacers the lead for the first time all night. They were even up by five at one point! It was amazing, I swear! The game was in the bag for the Pacers! All they needed to do was get stops, make their free throws, and take care of the ball…

Well, they made their free throws. Kyrie hit two three-pointers to make things just scary enough, bringing it to within one. All the team had to do was inbound the ball, take the foul and sink the free-throws.

But, um, this happened instead.

*long, loud fart noise*

That was a tough L to swallow.

The Good: This CoJoe block.

The Bad: WHY WOULD YOU MAKE THAT PASS!?!?!?!?!?

MVP: Jayson Tatum’s leaping ability.

Good effort, Domas.

LVP: Was gonna give LVP to a largely ineffective Myles. BUT THEN BOJAN MADE AN UNNECESSARILY HIGH-ARCED, EASILY INTERCEPTED PASS. So I’ll give the LVP to Bojan.

X-Factor: Marcus Smart, who’s shooting 32% from deep this season, went 4 of 4 from behind the arc tonight. That’ll give the Celtics a win any night.

Next: Point guard Mondays: Darren Collison

Next up, the guys get a day off before taking on the Hawks in Atlanta on Wednesday with a 7:30 ET tipoff.