Eddie House offers instant reaction following the Boston Celtics’ 123-114 loss to the Pacers and breaks down what went wrong for Boston during a crucial stretch where Indiana scored 13 straight points after the C’s had cut the lead to two.
What to Know
The Pacers shot 52.9 percent from the floor.
Tyrese Haliburton led Indiana with 31 points, including 18 in the paint.
Jaylen Brown scored a team-high 31 points for the Celtics.
Payton Pritchard dropped 21 points with five 3-pointers off the bench for Boston.
The C's (23-9) will look to bounce back Tuesday vs. the Toronto Raptors (7-24).
Boston struggled to get stops throughout the game as Indiana shot 52.9 percent from the floor. Tyrese Haliburton led the way for the Pacers with 31 points, including 18 in the paint.
Jaylen Brown followed his 44-point outburst with a team-high 31 points in Sunday's loss. Payton Pritchard chipped in 21 points off the bench, but it wasn't enough to keep up with the Pacers' offensive onslought.
With this defeat, the C's have lost the season series to the Pacers, 2-1. They will look to bounce back when they host the Toronto Raptors on New Year's Eve. Tip-off for that matchup is set for 3 p.m. ET.
Check out our live blog below for a full recap of Sunday's game:
Tyrese Haliburton dropped a team-high 31 points to lead the Pacers to victory in Sunday’s rematch at TD Garden.
The Indiana Pacers got their revenge in Sunday's rematch vs. the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.
They followed Friday's 142-105 loss to Boston with an impressive bounce-back performance, particularly on the offensive end as they shot 52.9 percent from the floor. All five Indiana starters scored in double figures, including Tyrese Haliburton with 31 points (11-19 FG) and seven assists.
Celtics star Jaylen Brown stayed hot in the losing effort with a team-high 31 points on 13-of-21 shooting to go with six assists. Jayson Tatum added 22 points and nine rebounds while Payton Pritchard contributed 21 points with five 3-pointers off the bench.
Boston has now lost two out of its three meetings with Indiana this season and four of its last six games altogether. The C's will look to bounce back Tuesday when they welcome the Toronto Raptors to TD Garden.
Jaylen Brown spoke after Sunday's loss about the Celtics' lack of intensity on the defensive end and why the team's recent struggles could prove beneficial in the long run:
Jaylen Brown reacts to the Celtics' recent struggles and lack of intensity on the defensive end and explains why it will help the team in the long run if they look at it and learn from it with the right perspective.
DEC 29, 20249:56 PM EST
House: Celtics not giving ‘championship effort' on defense
Eddie House reacts to the Celtics allowing 66 points in the paint against the Indiana Pacers and explains why the team isn’t playing up to their championship standard on the defensive end this year.
The Boston Celtics couldn't get stops in Sunday's 123-114 loss to the Indiana Pacers, and that has become a troubling trend for the reigning NBA champions.
They've lost four of their last six games largely due to their defensive woes. It looked like they got back on track in Friday's blowout win over Indiana, but the Pacers shot 52.9 percent from the floor with a whopping 66 points in the paint during Sunday's rematch.
Just how concerning are Boston's recent defensive struggles? Former C's guard Eddie House didn't hold back while sharing his take on Celtics Postgame Live.
"I think we've taken a step back," House said. "And I can say this: Defensively, I feel like we aren't engaged the way that we need to be engaged to win a championship. It has to start happening right now. I'm talking about on an every-game basis. That's the one thing that travels. The shot doesn't travel, but your defense does travel. We can't have these lapses.
The Celtics will head out west this week and won't have consecutive days off until Wednesday and Thursday of the following week. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla is looking forward to the challenge:
With his fourth-quarter 3-pointer, Al Horford (650) passed Larry Bird (649) for the seventh-most 3s in Celtics history, per Celtics stats guru Dick Lipe.
Score: 105-100 Pacers, 8:23 left in fourth quarter
The Celtics cut the 11-point deficit to five with a quick 6-0 run capped off by a clutch Al Horford 3-pointer. It was Horford's first 3 of the night after starting 0-for-8 from deep.
Indiana has its largest lead of the night as Boston's defensive woes have carried into the fourth quarter.
The Pacers are shooting 57.4 percent from the floor. The C's are a solid 49.3 percent, but they simply haven't been able to get stops on the other end.
Get your popcorn ready for the final 12 minutes of tonight's showdown at TD Garden.
The Pacers take a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter after shooting 57.1 percent from the floor through the first three quarters. Tyrese Haliburton has led the way for Indiana with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting.
Jaylen Brown (26 points) has starred for the second straight game against the Pacers. Payton Pritchard has come up big off the bench with 19 points on 5-6 from 3-point range. Jayson Tatum and Derrick White have added 17 points apiece.
Fouls have been the difference. Boston has committed 19 fouls to Indiana's nine. That has resulted in 19 free throw makes for the Pacers and only six for the C's.
If you enjoy defense, this hasn't been the game for you. Both teams are shooting the lights out with the C's 55.6 percent from the floor and the Pacers at a blistering 64 percent.
Andrew Nembhard and Tyrese Haliburton lead the Pacers with 17 points apiece. Jaylen Brown (26 points) and Payton Pritchard (19 points) are keeping Boston in it.
The Pacers take a seven-point lead into the locker room after shooting 58.1 percent from the floor in the first half. Andrew Nembhard (14 points) has been the X factor in his return to the starting lineup.
Payton Pritchard (19 points, 5-6 3-PT) and Jaylen Brown (18 points, 8-10 FG) have carried the Celtics offensively with Jayson Tatum (5 points, 1-8 FG) struggling. Boston will look to pick it up defensively in the second half.
Jaylen Brown has kept the C's in it with a game-high 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting (2-4 3-PT). His hot start has been especially important with Jayson Tatum (3 points, 0-5 FG) struggling.
We've got a fun one so far at TD Garden in this rematch between the C's and Pacers.
Jaylen Brown is again leading the way for Boston with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He also has three assists, two rebounds, and a steal.
Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard have chipped in two 3-pointers apiece. The Celtics are shooting 7-of-16 from long range. That's been the difference as the Pacers are just 1-for-6 from deep.
The C's have found their groove. Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to give Boston the lead and prompt another Pacers timeout.
The C's are chipping away at the Pacers' early lead, and Jaylen Brown is a big reason why.
Brown, who dropped 44 points in Friday's win over Indiana, has picked up where he left off with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting thus far. Sam Hauser and Derrick White have chipped in with 3-pointers in the opening quarter.
The Pacers have made six of their seven shots to start this game. Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton have led the way with four points apiece. Indiana is also winning the rebounding battle, 5-1.
Sam Hauser drilled an early 3-pointer for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown chipped in Boston's other two points. The C's have started 2-of-7 from the floor.
