4 takeaways as Celtics fall to Pacers in overtime thriller

On By Littum

The Celtics looked like they were going to suffer their first loss of the season in blowout fashion. Instead, they put together a huge comeback to force overtime. But it was all for naught in the end. The Celtics dropped an overtime thriller to the Pacers 135-132 on Wednesday in Indiana to suffer their first loss of the season. The Celtics fell to 4-1 on the season, while the Pacers improved to 2-3.

Initially, the C’s kept up with the Pacers early, aided by a Derrick White buzzer beater late in the first quarter. But Indiana just hung on in Boston and also handed the C’s their first double-digit deficit of the season. When the Pacers went up by 24 points in the third quarter, they threatened to blow out the defending champions.

But the energy shifted midway through the fourth quarter. The Celtics ripped off a 33-12 run to force overtime to beat the Pacers, erasing a 21-point deficit in less than nine minutes of action. Neemias Queta gets partial credit for that run as he changed the equation with his play down the stretch. But the Pacers got the game-winning 3-pointer from Pascal Siakam in overtime to finally put the C’s to bed.

  • BET: Check out ours MA sports betting guidewhere you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning to play in Massachusetts.

Jayson Tatum led the C’s with 37 points and eight rebounds. Jaylen Brown had another 25 points, while Derrick White had 23. Siakam was huge with 29 points and 11 rebounds – especially down the stretch – for the shorthanded Pacers, who were without big man Myles Turner. Bennedict Mathurin had another 30 points.

The Celtics continue their road trip as they take on the Hornets at 7:00 PM on Friday in Charlotte for their next game. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s loss to Indiana:

Coming up shortly: It looked like the Celtics were going to quietly suffer their first loss of the season. Even when they cut the deficit to 14 points, the Pacers just kept coming at them at the start of the fourth quarter. Then some things changed for the Celtics. Queta’s energy was immediately noticeable as he was seemingly everywhere – reflected in the plus-18 shown in his 14 minutes. Queta also finished with two points and nine rebounds. The C’s also forced turnovers to put all the pressure on the Pacers. For the game the Celtics missed early, they brought it late with a little help from their bench men. But they were unable to finish the job as they lost for the first time this year.

Rotational Wrinkles: When the Celtics put together their huge comeback, it came from some key players like Payton Pritchard and Queta. C’s coach Joe Mazzulla, in particular, rolled with the guys who lifted them up and gave them some life. Pritchard and Queta played their way through the overtime period. Pritchard, in particular, has clearly earned more confidence as he finished with 16 points, four assists and four rebounds in 39 minutes. As a bonus, Jordan Walsh also got a couple of turns as he played eight minutes. That’s despite Sam Hauser returning from a three-game absence, so it’s a plus for Walsh that he still saw some playing time.

Defensive Test: While the Celtics swept the Pacers in the East Finals last year, the young Indiana team gave them fits. It was more of the same to start this season as the Pacers gave the Celtics all they could handle and then some. The Pacers were relentless offensively, forcing the Celtics back on their heels. Indiana finished with 62 points in the paint and 29 fast-break points. It’s basic in this Pacers style as they just kept the pressure on the Celtics. But the Celtics turned up their intensity during that fourth-quarter comeback, allowing just 12 points in the final 8:55 to give them a chance.

Hard shooting night: While Brown contributed elsewhere, it was a tough shooting night for the All-Star. Brown finished 1-for-11 on 3-pointers as he cooled off after a hot shooting start. Tatum was also 5-for-18 on 3s, including a 1-for-7 start to the game. But Tatum was able to help his numbers by going 12-for-15 from the free throw line.