NBA Playoffs: 1) Boston Celtics @ (6) Indiana Pacers, Game 3

Well, for those of us that were concerned that the Celtics (64-18) would struggle in yet another Game 2 in front of their home crowd, those fears were put to rest in the form of Thursday night's 126-110 victory, granting them a 2-0 lead in this Eastern Conference Final. Any anxiety exhibited in the opener was long gone by this affair, as the hosts owned this matchup from the second quarter onward; the hosts shot 53.4% from the field, including 15-of-37 from beyond the arc (40.5%), along with 17-of-20 from the charity stripe (85.0%). Furthermore, (HC) Joe Mazzulla's troops relegated their opponent to just twenty-three assists and seven fastbreak points, which are well below their standards. As they dd int he opener, the triumvirate of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday combined for 78 points on 29-of-54 shooting (53.7%), led by Brown with 40. Furthermore, (underrated Guard) Derrick White added 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting (53.3%). To give you an idea as to how strong this team has been this season, Boston has held a 20-point lead in exactly HALF of their games (including playoffs), which is nothing short of remarkable.

Things to Know: After winning the first 2 games of this series, the Celtics are garnering more faith from the public, but not a majority as roughly 37% of all bets wagered on tonight's affair in Indianapolis is riding on the visitors. It may only be minor, but Boston has turned a profit for those who have chosen to bet on the spread, posting a 48-42-4 record ATS equating to a net profit of 1.64 units. Mazzulla's troops are undefeated on the road in these playoffs, sporting a 3-1 mark ATS. At 6.5 points, this is one of the smaller spreads that Brown & Co have seen this season, posting a 13-15 record ATS when the line in no more than that threshold. The Celtics are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite of 5.0-10.5 points. Boston outscored Indiana 54-34 in the paint in Game 2. On the injury front, Holiday, who was indispensable in the opener, is questionable due to an illness, and is listed as questionable, while (Backup Center) Luke Kornet is doubtful due to a sprained wrist. (Veteran Center) Kristaps Porzingis, who has missed the last 8 games due to a right calf strain, is expected to return to action on Monday night in Game 4. Historically, this is a franchise that is 45-1 all-time in series after taking a 2-0 lead.

Playmaker to Watch: Who else could this legitimately be but Brown? The swingman may get a little lost in the shuffle given all the attention that his teammates receive, but he has nonetheless been a force in this postseason, averaging 24.8 points on 54.4% shooting, 36.5% from three, 6.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists. His 40 points in Thursday night's victory were the third highest of any Celtics in the Conference Finals/NBA Finals, while being the seventh player in the long history of the franchise to produce multiple 40-point games in the playoffs. After earning All-NBA honors last season, Brown was curiously left off this season's iteration, which were announced earlier int he week. Perhaps that outburst in Game 2 was in direct response to his omission? Either way, he and the Celtics have designs on a much greater goal as they stand 2 games away from returning to the Finals for the second time in 3 years.

Meanwhile, after drawing so damned close to taking Game 1 at TD Garden, the Pacers (47-35) were hammered in Thursday night's sequel, a 16-point defeat that has left them trailing 0-2 for the second consecutive series. Of course, the concern for everyone in Indianapolis is the health of (All-Star Guard) Tyrese Haliburton, who exited Game 2 midway through the third quarter due to what has been described simply as "leg soreness". This is a problem for the highest-scoring team in the NBA, who rely heavily upon the distribution provided by the reigning assist champion. As a result, (HC) Rick Carlisle's unit had just seven fastbreak points, which less than half of their season average (16.6), while getting hammered in the paint (-20), as they were pushed around far too easily in that area of the court. Haliburton had 10 points and 8 assists before heading to the locker room, while Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard combined for 44 points on 19-of-29 shooting (65.5%). The hosts will need to rely upon their depth, which has been the most productive in the Association this season, logging 46.6 points per game. Through 2 games in this series, the reserves have fallen well short of that mark with 34.5 points per contests.

Things to Know: Even after letting the opener slip through their fingers before getting throttled in Game 2, the Pacers still own the favor of the public as they return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with approximately 65% of all the money wagered on this Game 3 siding with the hosts. Carlisle's charges are a solid 52-43-2 ATS this season, parlaying to a net profit of 4.27 units. In these playoffs, they are 8-6 ATS, though are 4-2 in that regard at home. Indy is unbeaten (SU) in Indianapolis in this postseason, where they are +14.6 points shooting 50.8% and dishing out 31.0 assists. The money ball has been a big part of their success in this respect, netting 37.5% of their attempts for a +60 differential. Haliburton & Co are a resilient group, riding a 5-0 streak ATS when following a SU loss of 10+ points. Speaking of Haliburton, he is officially listed as questionable with what appeared to be a reaggravation of a hamstring that caused him to miss 10 games during the middle of the season. Historically, this is a franchise that is 1-8 all-time after falling behind 0-2 in a series, though the lone exception should remain fresh in our minds as the Pacers rallied back to eliminate the Knicks in the Eastern Semifinals last week.

Playmaker to Watch: In the event that Haliburton is unable to go, then the Pacers are going to need a HUGE game from (veteran Forward) Pascal Siakam, who on such a young team is the only player on the roster with legitimate championship experience. The 30-year-old was a key piece of the 2019 Raptors, who ended the Warriors dynasty 5 years ago, and arrived via trade back in mid-January. In these playoffs, the Cameroon International has put in work, averaging 21.7 points on 55.1% shooting from the field, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Furthermore, in this series versus the Celtics, Siakam has been nothing short of consistent with 26.0 points on an efficient 62.5% shooting, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, including a postseason-high 28 points on 13-of-17 shooting on Thursday night. An unrestricted free agent this summer, he can make himself A LOT of money if he can help will Indiana back into this series.

Our Take: Celtics 119, Pacers 105