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PACERS vs. BOSTON CELTICS Tonight at 6:00, Conseco Fieldhouse TV: Fox Sports Indiana Radio: 1070 The Fan Injury Report presented by Ortho Indy | Buy Tickets |
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 Jim O'Brien |
Scouting Report
A team that had taken pride in its competitiveness regardless of circumstances has suffered its most lopsided margins of defeat in the last three losses – 14 to Orlando followed by 18 to Boston followed by 24 to Cleveland. The Pacers' first nine losses came by a total of 56 points; their last three have come by that same total. This will be the third meeting of the season and second in less than a week with the defending champions as the Pacers play their fifth game in a row against a current division leader; those opponents carried winning streaks of a combined 36 games into their matchups with the Pacers. Boston had won nine in a row prior to Wednesday's 114-96 drubbing and now has won 11 straight. The Pacers (7-12) have lost two in a row, four of five and nine of 12. Defense has become a consistent problem. The last four opponents each shot better than 50 percent from the field and averaged 109.5 points. The Celtics have won by an average of 13.9 points in their streak while holding opponents to 90.4 points per game.
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 Doc Rivers |
 T.J. Ford |
Point Guard
T.J. Ford tied his season-low with just two assists in Cleveland and his numbers have dipped to 12.9 points, 4.6 assists and .397 shooting in the last 10. He was simply overwhelmed by Rondo last time out. Boston's young point guard posted his first career triple-double with 16 points, 17 assists and 13 rebounds and is in a major roll. In the last three games, he has averaged 16.0 points, 12.0 assists and 8.3 rebounds.
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 Rajon Rondo |
 Marquis Daniels |
Shooting Guard
One of several Pacers to post season-lows in Cleveland, Daniels had just four points in 28 minutes, failing to reach double figures for just the second time this season. He has shot 13-of-40 (.325) in the last three games and may be showing signs of a run of brutal defensive matchups. He'll get no breaks against the Celtics as he'll draw either Ray Allen or Paul Pierce. Allen torched the Pacers for 31 points and six 3-pointers, most remarkably open, Wednesday night.
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 Ray Allen |
 Danny Granger |
Small Forward
Granger failed to reach double figures for the first time this season in Cleveland (four points), snapping his NBA- best streak of 23 in a row with at least 15 points. Opposing defenses are beginning to load up on him and daring someone else to step forward and he has shot .388 in the last three games but dished out 15 assists. Paul Pierce has been in a strange slump, shooting .382 in the last six games. In two against the Pacers, he's just 8-of-32 overall and 3-of-13 from the 3-point line. If the law of averages is enforced, look out for Pierce in this one.
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 Paul Pierce |
 Troy Murphy |
Power Forward
Troy Murphy has been a steady contributor, averaging 14.7 points and 12.0 rebounds in the last seven games. As he becomes more active in the offense, driving and/or posting up rather than just spotting up for the 3-pointer, he becomes a bigger threat. He'll have his hands more than full with Kevin Garnett, who has totaled 42 points, 28 rebounds and five blocks in two games against the Pacers.
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 Kevin Garnett |
 Rasho Nesterovic |
Center
When the Pacers beat the Celtics in the second game of the year, Kendrick Perkins did not score and pulled just three rebounds. When the Celtics beat the Pacers Wednesday, he had 16 points and 10 rebounds. It might be a stretch to suggest whoever wins the center matchup will win the game but Perkins' presence inside has become increasingly vital to a Boston team otherwise thin on post presence.
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 Kendrick Perkins |
 Stephen Graham |
Bench
With Brandon Rush slipping back into a bit of a funk, Coach Jim O'Brien bumped Stephen Graham up in the rotation and the veteran responded with a season-high 14 points against Cleveland. It's uncertain if Graham will continue to get the lion's share of the backup minutes at wing. Rush's development is critical to the rest of the season but Graham may give the Pacers the best chance to win now. Boston got just nine points from its bench Wednesday night but missed Tony Alllen, who's been out the last two with a sprained ankle.
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 Tony Allen |
