The Boston Celtics have officially swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
The Indiana Pacers season is over. They finally had a game without a terrible offensive quarter, but this time their defense couldn’t get it done and they dropped Game 4 at home.
There is no way to put this in a rosy way. A sweep is terrible. Obviously, the team was less talented than Boston and was going to lose the series. But a sweep is awful. It looks like 5 or 6 out of the 8 lower seeded teams are going to get at least one win. For the Pacers to not get one is tough.
In this game, in particular, the Pacers finally got their offense going at least somewhat, dropping in 106 points against a terrific Boston defense. They hit their outside shots and got to the free throw line well, and the free throws were falling in this one.
But the defense struggled. Mightly. The Cs were getting copious open looks from the outside and they too were getting to the free throw line with ease. Their bench specifically was terrific, hitting 18 out of 26 shots. They were in great form.
And that’s a wrap. The Pacers finally put together the offensive performance we were all looking for and couldn’t maintain the defense. Now, the season is over.
Nobody stepped up.
Most of the dudes who suited up for the Pacers today played a pretty “meh” game. Nobody played bad, necessarily, but nobody rose to the occasion and had a performance good enough to keep the team’s season going.
Changing the rotation.
The Pacers had their backs against the wall, and they made an adjustment that showed it. They completely cut Doug McDermott from the rotation.
It was the first game of the postseason that McD didn’t play in. Instead, the Pacers ran out some three-guard lineups that were moderately more effective. Those minutes, combined with the “Sabonis at the 4″ minutes”, were enough rotation alterations to give Thaddeus Young and Bojan Bogdanovic enough rest.
It didn’t quite work, but it did improve things.
Tough decisions ahead.
That’s the season, folks. All that stands between the Pacers and the offseason is exit interviews.
There are some tough decisions to be made. Team options are on the horizon. Multiple players are becoming free agents. The trade market is about to open up. The draft is happening.
We will cover it all here. It will happen sooner than you think.
Player grades:
The Pacers play next… in July. In Vegas summer league. Don’t cry cause it’s over, smile because it happened. Signing off.