The Boston Celtics might not be off to the start they envisioned at 1-2, but there's no sense of panic yet. The NBA season still has a long way to go, and the team understands coming slow out of the gate can be overcome.
"It is a process," said swingman Jaylen Brown. "If you ask me where we're at in the process, I think it's Game 3, and we're looking forward to Game 4."
That contest might offer a greater sense of motivation as it comes in the form of a rematch on the road against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night. The two teams met Sunday in the first game of the miniseries in Indianapolis, with the Pacers eking out a 108-107 victory that improved their record to 3-0.
Domantas Sabonis converted the game-winning layup with just 8.4 seconds remaining, giving the Celtics the ball back down one after he missed a free throw that would have made it a three-point play. Jayson Tatum's 3-point attempt with 1.8 seconds to go clanked off the back of the rim, sealing the result.
"We definitely beat ourselves tonight, and there was still an opportunity to win the game," Brown said. "We gave it up at the end. We've got to come back and be better -- be more physical and more solid on defense."
The Pacers could say the same, as they led by as much as 11 late in the third quarter. Boston surged ahead 107-106 on a bucket from Marcus Smart with 11.8 seconds left to set the stage for Sabonis' heroics.
"Coach (Nate Bjorkgren) is a genius. He has a different play for everything," Sabonis said. "He trusts every single one of us, and that makes it easier for the players. We all trust him and just try to execute as best we can."
Bjorkgren, in his first year leading the Pacers, has wasted little time earning the respect of his team with his basketball acumen and faster style of play than his predecessor, Nate McMillan.
"Credit to the players on (the 3-0 start)," Bjorkgren said. "They're battling, they're fighting and they're not taking possessions off."
Sabonis had 19 points and 10 rebounds in Sunday's win, and Malcolm Brogdon led the Pacers with 25 points. Four other Pacers scored in double digits as part of a balanced attack.
Tatum led the Celtics with 25 points and 11 rebounds, and Brown scored 18 on 8-of-13 shooting. Backup big man Robert Williams III (12 points) proved critical in helping the team overcome getting outscored 39-28 in the third quarter and had four steals in the game, but he lamented getting beat by Sabonis on the game-winning play.
"We messed up the defensive coverage, so really, throw that other stuff out the window," Williams said. "I was brought in the game to bring the energy, so that's what I was trying to do. But like I said, we messed up the coverage -- me personally, I messed up the coverage."
--Field Level Media
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