How Celtics are using crazy Pacers-Cavs ending as a teaching moment
How Celtics are using crazy Pacers-Cavs ending as a teaching moment originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Head coach Joe Mazzulla leaves no stone unturned when it comes to preparing the Boston Celtics for games. So, it shouldn't surprise you that his players were studying the closing seconds of Tuesday's wild Game 2 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers.
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The Cavs led the Pacers by seven points with 57 seconds remaining before Indy mounted a furious comeback to win 120-119 and take a 2-0 lead in the second-round series.
The Pacers' stunning late-game surge included an Aaron Nesmith put-back dunk off a missed free throw, an Aaron Nembhard steal off a Cleveland inbound pass and a Tyrese Haliburton go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
Celtics guard Payton Pritchard noted there are lessons Boston can take from that chaotic final minute, especially after the C's blew a 20-point lead against the Knicks in Game 1.
'Definitely can learn from the Cavs being up seven — the game's never over until it's over,' Pritchard told reporters Wednesday morning at shootaround. 'So, you've got to take care of the rock and even on a free throw box out — all the little things matter. We've got to learn from that and take it into this game.'
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Pritchard said it's common practice for the Celtics to look for teaching moments in other NBA games, particularly in the playoffs. And Nesmith's put-back dunk appeared to be a particular point of emphasis for Boston, which has to contend with a strong rebounder on the wing in New York's Josh Hart.
'We always look at stuff across league — little plays, stuff that could come up in situations for us,' Pritchard said. 'It's just preparation at the end of the day, so if we're in a situation like they were in, we are already prepared.
'What are we trying to do? How are we gonna box these guys out on a free-throw box-out? If I'm not in the lane, I'm boxing outside the 3-point line. I've got to hit a guy like Josh Hart. He might crash hard, so I've got to be prepared to box him out in that situation.
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'It's little things like that. You've got to just be a student of the game and learn and keep growing.'
Hart racked up five offensive rebounds (11 total) in Game 1, including a pair of late-game boards that played a key role in New York's comeback. So, it's understandable that Hart was on the Celtics' minds as they watched Nesmith soar over Donovan Mitchell for his clutch dunk.
But the bigger-picture lesson for Boston from Pacers-Cavs is that no lead is safe, and that even the smallest lapses in intensity can prove costly. The Celtics were in full control of Monday's Game 1 with a 20-point lead midway through the third quarter, but that lead fully evaporated over 10 minutes of game play thanks to a combination of missed 3-pointers and defensive miscues.
The good news is that Mazzulla's club has proven adept at learning from its mistakes: Boston has won four consecutive playoff games following a loss, with an average margin of victory of 15 points.
Tip-off for Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday at TD Garden, with NBC Sports Boston's coverage beginning at 6 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Live.
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