NBA 2018-19: 3 Talking points from the Boston Celtics' blowout win over the Indiana Pacers
The Boston Celtics are on a roll as of late, and the visiting Indiana Pacers proved to be their most recent victims. In a show of impeccable ball-movement and sharing the offensive baton, the Celtics beat Indiana 108-135 to take a convincing home victory.
The final Celtics total of 135 was their highest for this season so far, and also the highest that Indiana has allowed any of their opponents to put up this year. They have now won seven of their last nine games ever since their team meeting back in December. The Celtics are currently down at the 5th spot with a 24-15(0.615) record, but with a majority of the upcoming games against losing teams, that can change.
On the other hand, the Indiana Pacers drop 2.5 games below the East leaders in Toronto, though still 2.5 games ahead of the team they lost to. The third spot on the East leaderboard is where they are living right now with a 27-13(0.675) win-loss record next to their name. After winning six in a row, the Pacers have now lost two of their last three matchups.
Let's draw out some key takeaways from this Pacers' blowout loss by the surging Celtics' side.
#1 Marcus Morris puts together an almost-perfect stat line while Jaylen Brown sparks off the bench
Marcus Morris and Jaylen Brown were tied for a game-high total as they combined for 44 points against the Pacers. The Celtic half of the Morris brothers made all of his three attempts from distance along with netting all seven free-throws he was awarded. He missed only a couple of shots on the night, shooting 6-of-8 from the field and committed not even a single turnover throughout.
Even though Brown came off the bench in a game where Boston were coasting, he got the most playing minutes(29) than any other Celtic player and finished with 22 points. Along with shooting a decent 7-of-12 from the field, Jaylen also contributed with 7 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a blocked shot.