|
 Crowder will be out on Tuesday but Boston might have center Kelly
Olynyk, who has been out since the All-Star break with a shoulder
injury, back in the lineup. “(Olynyk) went through the whole
practice and we did quite a bit of up and down, quite a bit of
scrimmage, quite a bit of live action," Celtics coach Brad Stevens
told reporters after practice on Sunday. “So he'll be dependent on
how he feels, and I'm sure he'll get with our trainers (Sunday
night) and (Monday) and come up with that plan. But it's good that
there's some optimism there. Certainly it'd be good to have him
back." Olynyk should help Boston spread the floor against the
Pacers, who sit in seventh place in the East, four games behind the
third-place Celtics. Indiana had a chance to move up further and
extend a winning streak to four games but fell flat in a 104-75 on
Sunday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN New England (Boston), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE PACERS (35-31): Indiana was playing the second night of a
back-to-back on the road and ended up shooting 37.9 percent from the
floor at Atlanta, including 5-of-24 from 3-point range. The worst of
the bunch was All-Star forward Paul George, who managed seven points
on 3-of-15 shooting to continue a slump that has seen him shoot 31.4
percent over the last three games. "We just got outplayed in every
area," Pacers coach Frank Vogel told reporters. "We just have to
move on to the next one and put it behind us."
[to top of second column]
|
ABOUT THE CELTICS (39-27): Crowder is averaging 14.4 points but his
absence will be most missed on the defensive end where Boston will
have to find someone else to guard the likes of George. “It’s a heck
of a challenge when you look at our week ahead,” Celtics coach Brad
Stevens told reporters. “That’s why long, athletic, versatile guys
are in such demand in this league. We may be a little bit smaller at
times at the 3 and we may be bigger than we’ve been at times at the
4. We’ll see how it all plays itself out, but we’ve got a lot of
good players and it’s a great opportunity for them.” Boston recalled
guard James Young from the D-League over the weekend and will add
him to the mix on the wings.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Celtics PG Isaiah Thomas is averaging 28.2 points in five games
this month.
2. Pacers G Rodney Stuckey was limited to 10 minutes on Sunday due
to a sore right foot.
3. Indiana took two of the first three meetings this season,
including a 100-98 home win on Nov. 4.
PREDICTION: Celtics 112, Pacers 107
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
