Pacers-Celtics Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Jan 04 2013 1:13AM

Paul George and the Central Division-leading Indiana Pacers aren't thrilled with their latest performance.

At least it came in a win, which is something that has eluded the Boston Celtics over the last week.

Coming off one of their worst shooting performances of the season, the Pacers try for a rare road win in Boston on Friday night while sending the Celtics to a fifth straight loss.

Indiana (19-13) is atop the division thanks to a 9-2 run that continued with Wednesday's 89-81 victory over Washington. George's 29 points and 14 rebounds were key to the Pacers overcoming their 37.7 percent shooting in order to beat the team with the NBA's worst record.

"We didn't do a good enough job executing," said George, who made 9 of 19 from the field. "Luckily, we made enough shots to win, but we didn't do a good job at all of executing. We play tough teams and that's not going to fly."

Indiana is about to find that out soon enough with Milwaukee, Miami and New York all ahead on the schedule. First, though, the Pacers face the struggling Celtics (14-17).

Boston has been outscored by an average of 19.7 points in losing its last four games, and has dropped eight of 10 overall to fall three games under .500 this late into a season for the first time since 2006-07.

"I'm a sore loser," guard Rajon Rondo told the team's official website after Wednesday's 93-83 defeat to Memphis. "It's tough to lose."

Boston's slide has been partly due to defensive struggles, allowing opponents to average 104.5 points and make 50.5 percent from the floor - including 48.3 from behind the arc.

"Whatever we're doing wrong, it's not going to get fixed in a day," coach Doc Rivers said. "That's what happens when things aren't going well: You've got to make them go well."

Rondo is trying to do his part, totaling 20 assists in two games since a bruised thigh and hip forced him to sit out Saturday's 101-83 road defeat to Golden State. However, he's also totaled just 13 points, going 5 for 17 from the field while missing all seven attempts from long range.

Paul Pierce is averaging 14.0 points on 36.1 percent shooting in five games after totaling 75 over the prior two. He's averaging 20.8 points over his last 12 home meetings with Indiana, including a 28-point performance in a 94-87 win Jan. 27.

The Celtics have won 11 of the last 13 regular-season meetings with the Pacers in Boston, holding Indiana to an average of 89.6 points and 40.6 percent shooting. The Pacers are hoping George can continue his strong play to get them out of this funk.

George is averaging 19.6 points and 8.4 rebounds over the past 11 games, and Indiana is 9-2 on the season when he scores at least 20.

"Paul George is becoming a beast of a player on both ends of the court," coach Frank Vogel said. "He's probably the best wing defender in the NBA. We talk all the time about how good his hands are, but his feet are even better. His ability to contain the basketball and really shut down perimeter scorers is unique and special, and it's coming on the offensive end just the same."

George is averaging 14.3 points in three games at Boston, but he was held to two points while missing all seven attempts from the floor in an 86-72 home loss April 7, the team's last meeting.

George Hill was just as brutal in that matchup, failing to convert on six shots from the field to finish with no points. This time, he's expected to return from a strained right groin that has sidelined him for two games.

Rondo leads Celtics to chippy 94-75 win vs Pacers

By JIMMY GOLEN
Posted Jan 04 2013 11:36PM

BOSTON (AP) Kevin Garnett went over the fans sitting courtside to save the ball, and then he ran through the seats halfway up the court before he found an opening - over the broadcast table - to get back on the floor.

By the end of the game, he couldn't get back on the floor at all.

Garnett scored 18 points before he was ejected for a flagrant foul in the fourth quarter, but by then the Boston Celtics were on their way to a 94-75 victory over the Indiana Pacers that snapped a four-game losing streak.

"You could tell we needed this win, and that's how we came out tonight," Garnett said after Boston held the Central Division-leading Pacers to a season-low 31.8 percent shooting. "We needed a win. Tonight was the night to stop the bleeding. I felt like we did that."

Rajon Rondo added 18 points, seven assists and five rebounds for Boston, which had lost eight of 10 to fall a season-worst three games below .500. Garnett also had seven rebounds and made a nice play to keep a ball from going out of bounds in the second quarter.

After going over the thickly padded courtside seats, Garnett couldn't find a gap in them to get back on the court. He ran through the fans until he got to midcourt, then jumped onto and over the broadcast table to return to the game.

Things weren't so comical by the fourth quarter, though. After three Pacers technical fouls, Garnett picked up a Flagrant 2 for hitting Tyler Hansbrough in the face while flailing with his arms.

The Celtics center said he was merely trying to knock the ball away. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he thought referee James Capers was trying to keep the game - which was long out of reach - under control.

"I think he was thinking, `I'm going to do him a favor,' because it was getting chippy," Rivers said.

Asked if Garnett apologized, Hansbrough said: "KG apologize? Are you from here?"

Hansbrough, who scored 19 points, said his immediate concern was his history of concussions; he didn't notice whether Garnett had reached out.

"I took a shot I'm the head," Hansbrough said. "I had to take care of myself. I wasn't really concerned about retaliating at the time. I was just making sure I was OK."

Coach Frank Vogel, who had one of Indiana's three technicals, said the game was physical on both sides.

"It was only a matter of time before their defense bounced back and it bounced back in a big way tonight," he said.

David West and Roy Hibbert had 10 rebounds apiece for the Pacers. Indiana had won six of seven and nine of 11. West and Paul George each went 4 for 18 from the floor.

Paul Pierce scored 13 for the Celtics, and rookie Jared Sullinger had seven points and 10 rebounds before fouling out for the fourth time in seven games.

Indiana led 16-15 after one, with Hibbert collecting five points and six rebounds in the opening quarter. The Celtics trailed 20-19 early in the second when they scored 17 of the next 20 points to open a double-digit lead. Boston made it a 15-point game before the end of the half but led 47-35 at the break.

The Pacers cut the deficit to 10 points with the first basket of the third quarter but Boston soon went on an 11-2 run to make it a 19-point game. It was 24 in the fourth quarter.

NOTES: Indiana's Lance Stephenson was called for a technical foul for taunting after hitting a 3-pointer in the first quarter. Pierce missed the free throw. ... Vogel was called for a technical in the second quarter and West picked one up for shoving in the third. ... Pierce converted a four-point play in the second quarter, his first since 2008, according to Celtics.com. ... The Celtics used their ninth different starting lineup this season in 32 games.

Notebook: Celtics 94, Pacers 75

Brian Robb, for NBA.com
Posted Sat Jan 05, 2013 12:11 AM - Updated Sat Jan 05, 2013 12:11 AM

THE FACTS: The Boston Celtics bounced back from a slow offensive start and dominated the Indiana Pacers for the final three quarters, cruising to a 94-75 win at the TD Garden. Rajon Rondo scored a team-high 18 points in the victory, as the Celtics snapped a four-game losing streak, largely thanks to their stifling defense. The hosts played a physical brand of basketball as they limited the Pacers to a paltry 31.8 percent from the field. Tyler Hansbrough had a game-high 19 points off the bench for the visitors who dropped just their third contest over the past 12 games. Kevin Garnett also scored 18 points for the victors, but was ejected in the fourth quarter after being assessed a flagrant two for hitting Hansbrough in the face while trying to knock the ball away.

QUOTABLE: "You know, since we've been in this funk, Doc's been saying that through out this tough ordeal that we have to continue to play defense no matter what we're doing. Offense can not dictate defense. I feel like for the most part we did just that."
-- Garnett

THE STAT: After starting the game shooting a mere 7-for-24 from the field (29.2 percent), the Celtics offense was firing on all cylinders for the remaining 36 minutes against one of the top defensive teams in the league. Over those final three quarters, Boston shot 50.8 percent from the field, posting 79 points in a balanced scoring effort.

TURNING POINT: After trailing 20-19 early in the second quarter, Boston jumped out to a 17-3 run behind the energy of Rondo pushing the ball off Indiana's frequent misses. The outburst gave the Celtics a double-digit lead they never relinquished as they continued to clamp down defensively against the Pacers for the remainder of the contest.

QUOTABLE II: ""I give credit to Boston's defense and bouncing back out of their slump. You know, we knew it was going to be a tough game. We knew they got championship level people over there with great pride and great experience, great know how. And you know it was only a matter of time before their defense bounced back, and it bounced back in a big way tonight."
-- Frank Vogel

HOT: Rondo.The All-Star point guard shook off a sore right hip injury which had limited him over the past two games and attacked relentlessy in the first half, scoring 12 of his 18 points before intermission on 6-of-8 shooting from the field.

NOT: Paul George. The 6'10'' small forward scored in single digits for the Pacers for just the third time all season against a frisky Celtics defense. George finished with nine points on 4-of-18 shooting, went scoreless from beyond the arc, and tied a team-high with three turnovers.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Paul Pierce. Boston's captain stuffed the box score with production nearly everywhere on the floor. The veteran small forward posted 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, along with a steal and a block over 29 minutes of action.

ROOKIE WATCH: Jared Sullinger. The undersized power forward continues to rebound as well as nearly anyone on the Celtics and has been rewarded with additional playing time with the starters because of his effort. Unfortunately for Sullinger, he also continues to battle whistles from the referees for his physical play as he fouled out in just 28 minutes of action against Indiana, while posting seven points and 10 rebounds. The 20-year-old has fouled out in four of his last seven games overall.

NOTABLE: George Hill did not play for the third straight game due to a sore right groin. D.J. Augustin started in his place. Indiana's 75 points was the team's lowest scoring output of the season. Doc Rivers switched his team's starting lineup before the game, starting Brandon Bass in place of Jason Collins. It was Boston's ninth starting lineup of the season. ... Sam Young sat out with sprained left ankle.

UP NEXT: For Indiana, Saturday vs. Milwaukee, Tuesday vs. Miami, Thursday vs. New York. For Boston, Saturday @ Atlanta, Monday @ New York, Wednesday vs. Phoenix.

• Pacers: Granger, Plumlee
• Celtics: Joseph, Melo, Wilcox

• Pacers: Stephenson, Vogel, West
• Celtics: --

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 5

• Arena: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• Officials: #19 James Capers, #61 Courtney Kirkland, #68 Marat Kogut
• Attendance: 18624
• Duration: 2:15