| MAN-TO-MAN |
Tinsley |
POINT GUARD
Tinsley (7.8 points, 7.5 assists, 1.71 steals) finished the season relatively well, posting an assist-turnover ratio of 3.43 in the final nine games, but his poor shooting (.396 overall, .277 from the arc) and occasionally bizarre decision-making leave this position as a potential Achilles heel. Tony Delk (9.8 points) is the antithesis of Tinsley - a deep shooter who isn't particularly comfortable running an offense.
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Delk |
R. Miller |
SHOOTING GUARD
Coming off the least productive regular season since he was a rookie, Miller (12.6 points) has annually assumed a dominant role in the postseason. Can he do it again? That's a storyline to follow. Pierce (25.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists) had a poor shooting year (.416 overall, .302 from the arc) but compensated by averaging 9.5 free throws per game. Miller likely will defend the less-threatening Eric Williams.
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Pierce |
Artest |
SMALL FORWARD
Artest (15.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.30 steals) did not play well in his two games against the Celtics (6-of-20) but he won't be required to score much. He'll have his considerable hands full trying to contain Pierce. Artest is at his best when he goes with the flow, offensively. When he begins forcing the issue, the Pacers often struggle. Williams (9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds) is one of several players the Celtics use in a matchup-dictated shuttle at this position.
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Williams |
O'Neal |
POWER FORWARD
Of the many steps taken by O'Neal (20.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.31 blocks) this season, a big one remains, and that is to be consistently dominant in the playoffs. He went cold after scoring 30 in the opener against New Jersey last season, a critical problem in the five-game loss. Walker (20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists) poses an awkward matchup because he likes to spend so much time on the perimeter, but O'Neal might be content to let him gun away, in part because of his 32.3 percent accuracy and in part to deter Walker from giving the Celtics a needed post presence.
|
Walker |
B. Miller |
CENTER
If Miller (13.1 points, 8.3 rebounds) can regain some semblance of his All-Star form, this should be a mismatch. If he remains limited by his foot and ankle injury, the Pacers may have to employ a smaller lineup more than they'd like. Tony Battie (7.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.21 blocks) also has had health issues (sore knee). The Celtics need his athleticism and shot-blocking.
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Battie |
Harrington |
BENCH
Beyond Al Harrington (12.2 points, 6.2 rebounds) the Pacers play a matchup game with their second unit, mainly because they can. With Ron Mercer, Erick Strickland, Austin Croshere, Tim Hardaway and Jeff Foster all healthy, the Pacers have rare depth and flexibility. Boston's second unit has been highlighted by J.R. Bremer (8.3 points) and Walter McCarty (6.1 points), with Mark Blount providing the only real inside depth.
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McCarty |
Thomas |
COACHING
Isiah Thomas is still looking for his first playoff series victory as a coach, but the good news is he has guided the team to the postseason in each of his three seasons. Rebuilding the team's confidence and chemistry will be a major challenge for Thomas. Jim O'Brien received a great deal of credit for directing the Celtics to the conference finals a year ago, but the team has taken an step back this season.
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O'Brien |
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ANALYSIS
The biggest challenge for the Pacers will be mental. If they can shrug off their poor finish to the season (11-19 after Feb. 14), they have the talent to win not only this series, but possibly two more. Boston's hopes rest squarely on Pierce and Walker; as good as they are, that won't be enough.
PREDICTION: The Pacers will win the series in five games.
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