INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers take on the Boston Celtics in Game Three of the first round in the NBA Playoffs tonight.
The Pacers are in a 2-nothing hole in the series dropping the first two games in Boston. Former team president Larry Bird said this week the Pacers need to be “mentally tougher” if they want a chance to move on to the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
In the last two games, the Celtics have limited Pacers’ sixth man Domantas Sabonis to just eight points. Players agree they need to get him move involved.
“They do a great job of collapsing on me in the post,” Sabonis said during practice Thursday. “They double team me sometimes. The team needs me to score but at the same time I’ve been trying to make the right reads when they collapse on me and find open guys.”
Head Coach Nate McMillan said they’ve had so many good opportunities that they haven’t taken advantage of in the last two games.
“It’s a matter of putting in the the hole. You’re getting open looks. They’re (Celtics) doing what we need to do,” said McMillan. “Irvin, Tatum and Hayward, those guys are knocking down shots, putting in the hole, getting stops. That’s the same thing we need to do.”
Tip off tonight at 8:30 pm. EDT.
(PHOTO: Chris Davis/WIBC)
