Celtics’ Character On Display In Bounce-Back Win VS. Pacers

Friday night at TD Garden represented a prime example of the character that has fueled the Boston Celtics’ remarkable consistency as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have led the franchise.

After a 118-114 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in a Christmas clash on their home parquet, the Boston Celtics had dropped two straight games for the first time this season. They haven’t lost three in a row since March of 2023. They avoided doing so with a dominant display in a 142-105 victory.

Jaylen Brown set the tone with 15 points on 6/6 shooting in the first frame.

“It’s just a rhythm. You’re just in tune with everything,” said Brown of what it’s like to be in that type of a zone. “You’re connected to the fans. You’re connected to the game. Everything is flowing all in the same direction.”

The 2024 Eastern Conference and NBA Finals MVP finished with 44 points, five rebounds, and four steals. It’s the most he has scored since 2021-22 and the second most of his career.

“He has the ability to impact a team [and] an arena, with his energy and physicality, and when he gets into a certain zone, he just gets locked in,” said Joe Mazzulla post-game.

As a unit, the Celtics combined simplicity with speed and watched the Pacers crumble. They paired an up-tempo approach with a well-spaced floor. Whether out of a pick-and-roll or capitalizing on a crease to attack downhill, they consistently got the ball in and around the paint. It repeatedly led to quality, in-rhythm shots.

The result was Boston tying for its second-most three-point makes in a game this season (23) while dishing out its sixth-most assists (31) on 47 makes. At the other end of the floor, a defense that had come into question this month swarmed Tyrese Haliburton and Co. Indiana shot below 42 percent from the field, including 11/39 (28.2 percent) from beyond the arc.

“Defense is where our team needs to set the tone,” said Brown after becoming the third player in Celtics history with 44 points and four steals. “And I feel like I’m the leader of that, so I’ve got to hold myself accountable each and every night.”

Their two-way masterclass comes two days after Jayson Tatum publicly called out his team.

“We’ve got to take some ownership,” said Tatum after registering 32 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists in Boston’s Christmas loss to the 76ers. “We’ve got to be better. We’ve got to acknowledge the things that we’ve done not so great. We’ve got to look in the mirror and man up.”

The Celtics, now 7-5 this month, have experienced a December dip, especially on defense. A reality partially attributed to the unavoidable trials and tribulations of an 82-game regular season at basketball’s highest level.

However, it’s no surprise that a group whose consistency is one of its hallmarks responded to its first two-game losing streak this season with a stellar two-way performance.

“They do a good job of not getting distracted by the things that don’t impact winning,” said Mazzulla after Friday’s win.

“Playing on Christmas Day is a privilege, and we let our fans down on our home court,” stated Brown. “We didn’t put our best foot forward, so I think we wanted to come out and respond.”

“I think the adversity is — you need that more — to see what you’re made of. So, in those moments, you don’t get concerned,” voiced the three-time All-Star. “It’s an opportunity to get better. It’s an opportunity to see what we’re made of. So, I’ll never get concerned in those moments. You’ve just got to respond. That’s my favorite thing to do is respond from adversity.”

Tougher tests await. Starting with a road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets. However, they didn’t reach the NBA’s mountaintop by backing down from a challenge.

Just as losing to the Sixers on Christmas helped bring the best out of Boston when presented with their next opportunity, expect the gauntlet that starts on Jan. 2 in Minnesota and includes matchups vs. the Dallas Mavericks twice, both Los Angeles teams, the Lakers and Clippers, the Golden State Warriors, the 76ers, the Cavaliers, and the Knicks, to add fuel to the reigning champions’ fire.