Indiana Pacers: 3 takeaways from Game 1 vs. Celtics

3. Missed 3s in the third quarter were crucial

The Pacers went 0-for-8 from beyond the arc in the third quarter, and couldn’t get into the paint to get any looks within 10 feet. Part of their third quarter drought was fueled by their inability to get a clean look from close range, and it wasn’t until Doug McDermott‘s lone triple at the 1:27 mark that the team even scored a 3-point field goal.

The Celtics’ defense locked down the perimeter, and there weren’t many other close range attempts from Indiana (other than the fouls that led to free throws). This third quarter is the antithesis of the efficiency that got them to to this point, and their lack of scoring gave Boston the spark needed to make the game unravel.

The Celtics didn’t light it up from beyond the arc, but their chipping away at the Pacers’ defense culminated to a Terry Rozier 3 at the end of the quarter that set the tone for the fourth.

The Pacers just found themselves on the wrong end of a bad-vs.-worse shooting night. If just one of their third quarter 3s had fallen, it might’ve stretched the floor and led to other opportunities and a different momentum.