Entering Game 3, history is on the side of the Celtics.
In Conference Finals history, teams that take a 2-0 series lead have won the series 58 of the 64 times (90.6%). Across all rounds, teams that take a 2-0 series lead have won the series 92.5% of the time.
However, the Celtics know they can’t afford to be complacent. They were well aware of this reality as they went through their shootaround at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday morning ahead of Game 3.
“It’s not time to relax,” Jayson Tatum said. “They were in this situation last round and ended up winning. So, the series is far from over, and it’s a big test for us tonight.”
This Celtics core is one of those rare statistical anomalies. In 2018, rookie Jayson Tatum and sophomore Jaylen Brown held a 2-0 series lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers, only to fall in seven games. Granted, that was against the LeBron James-led Cavs.
More recently, as Tatum noted, the Indiana Pacers overcame a 0-2 series deficit in the previous round against the Knicks to reach the Conference Finals — a fact the Celtics know well.
“The only thing we should be thinking about is that they were down 2-0 a series ago, and they brought it to Game 7,” Joe Mazzulla said after Boston’s Game 2 win. “And they do a great job protecting their home court.”
Indeed, they do. The Pacers are an NBA-best 6-0 at home this postseason, outscoring opponents by 14.7 points per game. Conversely, the Celtics are 4-0 on the road this postseason, outscoring opponents by 13.5 points per contest.
“Game 3 is always the toughest, just because you’re going to a new environment, their first home game,” Tatum said. “Obviously, they’re excited to be back home, and we expect a great atmosphere. They’ve been really good at home, so we gotta be that much better.”
Things will be a bit more challenging for the Pacers in Game 3, as their star guard Tyrese Haliburton is OUT due to a left hamstring injury. Haliburton. The injury is a recurrence of the left hamstring strain he sustained in January, which forced him to miss 10 games. The Pacers went 6-4 while he was out.
“We went over the game plan in both scenarios, if he is gonna play and if he’s not. We played Indiana this year without him and with him, so we’ve got some things that we worked on today and are just ready for any scenario,” Tatum said.
Haliburton suffered the injury against the Celtics—a game in which the Pacers scored 74 points in the second half to defeat Boston despite Haliburton’s injury.
Against Boston this season, the Pacers are a -17 with Haliburton on the floor and a -65 when he is off.
For the Celtics, Jrue Holiday is questionable due to an illness and was not present at shootaround. Luke Kornet is also doubtful with a left wrist sprain. Kristaps Porzingis will miss his ninth consecutive game with a left soleus strain.
Tipoff from Indianapolis is at 8:30 PM.
Related
