Pacers-Celtics Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Jan 05 2012 6:15PM

The Boston Celtics have thrived since Paul Pierce's return to the lineup, even with one of their other stars missing one of those games.

The Celtics, though, are hoping Ray Allen can return from an illness for Friday night's visit from the Indiana Pacers.

With Pierce nursing a bruised right heel, Boston started 0-3 for the first time in five seasons but has bounced back with four consecutive wins since the forward's return.

After scoring a combined 21 points in his first two games, Pierce has topped 20 in each of his past two and had a season-high 24 in an 89-70 victory over New Jersey on Wednesday.

"He's fitting right in and getting his rhythm," point guard Rajon Rondo said.

Pierce's effort helped the Celtics overcome the loss to Allen, who fought through a cold to score a team-best 27 points during a 100-92 win over Washington on Monday.

Allen was told to stay away from Thursday's practice, but coach Doc Rivers said that the guard was "feeling a lot better." Rivers, though, added that Allen remains questionable for Friday's game.

"I think he'll play, but I have no idea," Rivers said.

If he returns, Allen will try to help Boston earn its eight straight home win over Indiana (4-2) and 12th in 15 overall matchups. The Pacers, however, pulled out a 107-100 victory over the Celtics on March 28 - last season's final meeting - as Roy Hibbert scored 26 points against a depleted Boston frontcourt.

Indiana could use another such performance as it tries to split its season-high, four-game road trip. Hibbert had a team-best 16 points and 12 rebounds during the latest stop on that trek Wednesday, but the Pacers brought little else in a 118-83 drubbing to Miami.

Leading scorer Danny Granger had a season-low six points during another poor shooting performance. Granger, who is connecting at just a 31.7 percent rate, this season missed 11 of 13 attempts against the Heat, including 6 of 7 from 3-point range.

"It's one loss. I believe in this team. I think we have a chance to win every night in every building against any team," coach Frank Vogel said. "The game was a lack of execution, we missed open shots, and their (effectiveness on) defense. The combination was a perfect storm."

Granger has made 35.9 percent of his shots in his last nine games against Boston but has averaged 19.1 points. He made six of his 12 shots during the win in March while scoring 18 points.

The Pacers will also have David West, who scored 32 points for New Orleans during an 89-85 loss to Boston on March 19. West, though, has averaged 11.8 points this season, far fewer than his 19.2 per game over the previous six campaigns.

Pierce has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six matchups with the Pacers and had a team-best 23 during the loss in Indiana in March. He's also scored 20 or more points during three of the Celtics' past four home wins over the Pacers.

Allen, meanwhile, hasn't been as effective over the past three meetings at the TD Garden, averaging 14.0 points, and Kevin Garnett has a combined 45 points over his last five overall matchups with Indiana.

If he doesn't have any more problems with his right hamstring, the Celtics' Jermaine O'Neal will face his former team for the second time since Jan. 19, 2010. He has missed four of his teams' games against the Pacers.

Granger leads Pacers past Boston's Big 3, 87-74

By JIMMY GOLEN
Posted Jan 06 2012 11:25PM

BOSTON (AP) The Indiana Pacers hadn't won a game in Boston since the Big 3 was assembled in the summer of 2007. New coach Frank Vogel had an idea how to end the slump.

"We have confidence that we can beat any team in any building," Vogel said Friday night after the Pacers beat the Celtics 87-74 to snap a seven-game losing streak in Boston. "We knew to win here we'd have to make it like an Eastern Conference playoff-type battle. Just grind it out, have defensive effort."

Danny Granger had 15 points, and Roy Hibbert scored 11 with 12 rebounds for the Pacers. Indiana shot just 40.5 percent from the field but held the Celtics to 39.4 percent, including a 26.5 percent first half in which Boston tied a franchise low with 25 points.

"Both teams set offense back about 50 years today. It was awful to watch," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "I just thought offensively we were horrible. But I give Indiana a lot of the credit."

Granger was just 3 for 14 from the field, one game after he went 2 of 13 in Indiana's 35-point loss to the Miami Heat. But George Hill and Tyler Hansbrough came off the bench to score 13 and 12 points, respectively.

"I feel like things are going great. I'm not worried about my shot," Granger said. "We are already playing well. We're only going to be better. ... We're so talented across the board - I'm talking 1 through 8 - we have guys that could start on other teams. I'm excited."

David West grabbed 10 rebounds against the team he jilted as a free agent. The Boston fans booed West, who turned down a chance to play for Boston to sign with the Pacers.

Ray Allen returned after missing one game with an illness and scored 23 points for the Celtics, who for the first time this season lost a game with their starting lineup intact. Paul Pierce, who missed the first three games - all losses - scored 10 points on 3-for-17 shooting.

"He was human," Rivers said. "I thought he tried to do too much off the bounce, especially early. And then I thought he got frustrated."

The Pacers scored the last eight points of the first half to open a 33-25 lead. Boston cut it to two points with 8 minutes left in a more wide-open third period, when both teams scored 30.

But it was back to 63-53 right before the final break, and the Celtics got within five points on Allen's 3-pointer early in the fourth. Boston, however, continued to turn the ball over and miss shots down the stretch.

Notes: Boston C Jermaine O'Neal left briefly in the third quarter to bulk up his padding. ... Pacers F-C Jeff Foster played his first game of the season after missing the first six with a sore lower back. ... Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo scored 11 points with nine assists. ... The Pacers bench outscored Boston's 33-14. Indiana had a 47-36 edge in rebounds, including 14-7 on the offensive glass. The Pacers also led 42-28 on points in the paint and 19-5 on second-chance points.

Notebook: Pacers 87, Celtics 74

By Brian Robb, for NBA.com
Posted Saturday January 7, 2012 12:57AM

THE FACTS: Darren Collison scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half, helping the Indiana Pacers snap Boston's four-game winning streak with a 87-74 road victory. Offense was at a premium early on in the contest, as the C's tied a franchise record for fewest points in a first half with 25. Boston only trailed by eight at the break however, thanks to their Pacer counterparts posting a mere 33 points themselves. The scoring picked up over the final 24 minutes, but Indiana managed to keep Boston at bay during the second half, thanks to six players finishing in double figures. Danny Granger led the balanced attack finishing with 15 points overall. Ray Allen had 23 points for Boston in their first home setback of the season.

QUOTABLE: "We have confidence that we can beat any team in any building. This was a game we knew in order to win, we'd have to make it like an Eastern Conference playoff-type battle. Just grind it out, have defensive effort. All of our guys contributed."
-Indiana head coach Frank Vogel

THE STAT: Boston and Indiana posted as ugly as an offensive first half as you'll see, combining for a mere 58 points. Collectively, the two teams hit just 22 of their 73 field goal attempts (30.1 percent).

TURNING POINT: A pair of steals from Granger and Roy Hibbert on consecutive possessions with three minutes remaining in the game shut the door on a late 7-2 Boston run that had cut Indiana's double-digit lead to seven points. Indiana converted both those turnovers into points, putting the game out of reach during the closing moments.

QUOTABLE II: "Both teams set offense back about fifty years tonight. It was awful to watch."
-Head coach Doc Rivers

HOT: Allen. The shooting guard continues to dazzle NBA fans with his performance from beyond the arc. The all-time three-point field goal leader hit three-of-four tonight, pushing up his season average to an incredible 63.4 percent from downtown through his first seven games.

NOT: Paul Pierce. The C's captain has had just one practice on the young season with his teammates due to a sore right heel and it showed tonight. The C's captain looked out of sync, scoring just 10 points, and missed 14 of his 17 attempts from the field. He also had five turnovers.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Hibbert. The fourth-year center posted his second consecutive double-double, and his fifth overall in just seven games played. The big man finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds, and is averaging career highs in both categories with 13.2 points and 10 boards during the young season.

ROOKIE WATCH: Boston center Greg Stiemsma tried to provide the C's with some defensive energy off the bench during the second half with limited success. He was whistled for three quick fouls in his six minutes of action, while grabbing just one rebound.

NOTABLE: Lance Stephenson did not play due to a sprained right ankle for Indiana. New Celtic free agent signee Mickael Pietrus practiced for the first time with his teammates this week. The swingman hopes to debut for Boston sometime next week. Indiana dominated Boston on the glass on both ends of the floor. They outrebounded Boston 47-36, as well as 14-7 on the offensive glass. That margin showed in a number of categories, as Indiana beat Boston handily in points in the paint (42-28) and second chance points (19-5). All 10 Pacer players that entered the game scored at least two points. Rajon Rondo was one assist shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine assists. Indiana hosts Boston January 14th at Conseco Fieldhouse.

UP NEXT: For the Pacers, Saturday vs. Charlotte, Monday @ Philadelphia, Wednesday vs. Atlanta. For the Celtics, Wednesday vs. Dallas, Friday vs. Chicago, Saturday @ Indiana.

• Pacers: --
• Celtics: Moore, Pietrus

• Pacers: --
• Celtics: Rondo

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 5

• Arena: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• Officials: #32 Eddie F. Rush, #47 Bennie Adams, #73 Tre Maddox
• Attendance: 18624
• Duration: 2:10