The Boston Celtics advanced to 4-0 for the first time since the 2009-10 season with their 155-104 beatdown over the Indiana Pacers at TD Garden.
The Celtics also made some history in their rout of the Pacers.
Their 155 points scored were the second-most in franchise history and marked just the 10th time the Celtics have scored over 150 points in a game.
Boston's 51-point victory also tied the franchise record for third highest margin of victory and marked just the fourth time the Celtics have won by a margin of 50 points or greater.
As a team, the Celtics shot a ridiculous 54-of-95 (56.8%) from the field, 20-of-35 (57.1%) from three, and 27-of-28 (96.4%) at the free throw line, finishing with 27 assists.
Jayson Tatum led the way for the Celtics with 30 points, as eight Celtics finished with double digit scoring. Every Celtic that dressed recorded a bucket.
Here are three takeaways as the Celtics remain perfect on the season with their 51-point win over the Pacers.
Another hot start
The Washington Wizards never led during Boston’s win on Monday night – The Pacers led for just 34 seconds on Wednesday.
Much like Tuesday, the Celtics got off to a scorching hot start. The C’s opened the game shooting a perfect 5-of-5, scoring on six of their first seven possessions, jumping out to an early eight-point lead.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle called a timeout to try and stop the bleeding, but the Celtics kept coming, building their lead up to double digits just 3:10 into the game.
Also like Tuesday in Washington, the early double-digit hole, paired with Boston’s talent and ridiculously hot shooting, was too much for Indiana to crawl out of.
The Celtics finished the opening frame with 44 points on 16-of-21 (76.2%) from the field and 8-of-11 (72.7%) from deep, building a 17-point lead heading into the second quarter.
After posting 42 points in the first quarter against the Wizards Monday and 44 Wednesday night, it marked the first time the Celtics had consecutive 40-point quarters since February of 1982.
Over their last two first quarters, the Celtics are outscoring their opponents 86-46 while shooting 34-of-49 (69.3) from the field and 12-of-19 (63.1%) from deep.
The talent is as advertised
It still feels like a video game when the Celtics’ starting lineup is introduced before games.
It was known coming into the season that Boston possessed one of the best rosters in the league after all their offseason moves, and so far, that talent has been as advertised.
Boston’s starters were phenomenal again on Wednesday night, combining for 92 points on 32-of-56 (57.1%) shooting from the field and 11-of-20 (55%) from deep, each finishing in double digits scoring and registering a plus-minus of +20 or better, in just three quarters of work as they got the fourth quarter off for the second consecutive game.
https://twitter.com/itsbrianbarrett/status/1719901564406759609.
“I think I’m pretty comfortable,” Jrue Holiday said postgame. “I feel like the talent that we have makes the game easy for me.”
Understandably, it was expected that the new-look Celtics would need time to build chemistry. However, through just four games, the fit of the new-look Celtics appears to be coming naturally due to the absurd amount of talent.
Bench finds its groove
Entering Wednesday night, the Celtics’ bench ranked last in points, totaling just 46 through the first three games. When asked pregame what it would take to get more scoring from the bench, Joe Mazzulla did not appear too concerned about what was becoming a worrying trend.
“Nothing,” the second-year head coach said. “Just keep doing what they’re doing. We’re getting really good looks. Especially Payton [Pritchard] and Sam [Hauser], those two guys can’t pass up open shots. They have to continue to be aggressive. Those are two guys who have done a lot of good things for us over the last couple of years. They’ll be fine.”
Mazzulla was right.
Led by Hauser, who finished with 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting from three, and Pritchard, who finished with 15 points on 6-of-10 (60%) shooting from the field and 2-of-3 (66.7%) from deep, the Boston bench poured in 63 points.
Forty-six of Boston’s 63 bench points came in the fourth quarter, which matched their season total entering Wednesday night.
Boston’s bench, specifically Hauser and Pritchard, bounced back in a much-needed, big way Wednesday night.
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