NBA Starting Lineups and Match Prediction - Boston Celtics vs Indiana Pacers, Game 4
Match Details:
Indiana Pacers (48-34) vs Boston Celtics (49-33)
21st April 2019, 10:30pm IST,
Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Head to Head (Playoffs):
Games played: 28 matches
Won by Boston Celtics: 16 matches
Won by Indiana Pacers: 12 matches
Match Overview:
The Boston Celtics play the 4th game of the series on the road in Bankers Life Fieldhouse against the Indiana Pacers. This is a do-or-die game for the Pacers in this series as the Boston Celtics lead 3-0.
The Indiana Pacers have faced some heavy odds to make to the playoffs this season, after flying high in the regular season, even without Victor Oladipo. They finished the season with a 48-34 record and the 5th place as the other big teams in the East pushed them aside as the playoffs got closer.
The Boston Celtics had a really peculiar regular season, as they struggled to get any rhythm going in the 82 games they played, but the favourites for the Eastern Conference title finished 4th with a 49-33 record in the end.
Injuries:
Boston Celtics: Guard Marcus Smart is out with an oblique injury.
Indiana Pacers: Guard Victor Oladipo is out with a knee injury.
Players to watch out for:
Kyrie Irving (Boston Celtics):
Even though Kyrie was having a really weird regular season and his upcoming free agency is a big factor in his games, he seems to have put all of it on the back burner and has been enjoying one hell of a playoff series here against the Indiana Pacers.
He was assumed to be the best player on that roster and has shown us why. Kyrie is averaging 25.3 points, 8 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1 block per game in 36.7 minutes he has spent on the court.
He has also been shooting a superb 47.6% from beyond the arc, which has made it really difficult for the Pacers in terms of defending him. They need to find a way to silence Kyrie, otherwise this playoff series might just be over.
Last game stats: 19 points, 7-19 FG, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block and 3 TOs against the Indiana Pacers
Bojan Bogdanovic (Indiana Pacers):
The Indiana Pacers were one of the feel-good stories of the regular season. Even without having their star guard Victor Oladipo for a major portion of the season, the Pacers managed to fight toe to toe with the big teams and fight for home court advantage and Bogdanovic was their biggest contributor in this push.
The Pacers have since then not been able to compete at all with the Boston Celtics in this playoff series and find themselves facing the barrel in Game 4. This loss in form for them has coincided with shooting woes from Bogdanovic and the rest of the team as well.
Bogdanovic is averaging a healthy 16.7 points, 5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and a huge 2.7 steals per game in 36.7 minutes on the court. He has not been shooting well as of late, just averaging 25% from beyond the arc. They need Bogdanovic to lead them from the front if they stand any chance of taking a game back at home against the rampant Celtics.
Last game stats: 15 points, 6-17 FG, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 TO against the Boston Celtics
Predicted Match lineups:
Boston Celtics: Kyrie Irving (G), Jaylen Brown (G), Jayson Tatum (F), Aron Baynes (F), Al Horford (C)
Indiana Pacers: Darren Collison (G), Wesley Matthews (G), Bogdan Bogdanovic (F), Thaddeus Young (F), Myles Turner (C)
Predicted Match Result: Boston Celtics to beat the Indiana Pacers
The Boston Celtics have been unstoppable in this series against the Indiana Pacers and no matter what the Pacers do, the Celtics seem to have a counter ready to bring them back and win again.
The Celtics have the superior players as well as the better personnel to take this series and win to move on to the next round.