Boston Celtics – Indiana Pacers: Preview

Boston Celtics fans, you know how, sometimes, you look at the NBA schedule and spot a game that appears to be such a mismatch

Dec 22, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers center

(55) takes a shot against Boston Celtics forward

(30) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Boston 106-79. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

you just wish the league would scratch it in order to avoid subjecting basketball fans everywhere with such a wretched game?

Yeah: tonight’s game is one of those games.  You might want to catch a movie in the theaters tonight, or get caught up on you favorite TV show, or maybe organize your underwear drawer like you’ve been saying you ought to for the past decade or so.

I cannot imagine this game is going to be pretty.

Let’s think about the match-up we have in store for us at the TD Garden tonight.  On one end of the court we will have the Indiana Pacers, a team that has been assembled by one of the greatest players to ever wear a Celtics jersey, Larry Bird, with one purpose in mind: dethrone the Miami Heat.  When the trade deadline approached, the Pacers already had the best record in the NBA and a legitimate shot of  representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals . . . and then proceeded to get even better, as they managed to acquire Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen from the Philadelphia 76ers.  Even as over-rated as Turner may be, he still can create his own shot and put points on the scoreboard, which could be just what the Pacers need to finally get over the obstacle that is the Miami Heat.

So, at worst, the Pacers are the second-best team in the East, and arguably the best.

Meanwhile . . . well, the Celtics are a mess.  The roster was spare parts when the season began, is now missing some of those parts thanks to some trades, and now includes many broken parts, as Boston is still without the service of Avery Bradley, Vitor Faverani, Kelly Olynyk, and now Gerald Wallace.

Come on, Commissioner Silver: you’re seriously going to make us watch this game?

Feb 24, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Boston Celtics point guard

(9) shoots the ball during the first half against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

The good news is that the Pacers played to their competition’s level the other night and just barely beat the lowly Milwaukee Bucks.  We can only hope Paul George and company will continue taking pity on the league’s worst teams.  Furthermore, we all get a chance to watch Rajon Rondo’s continued improvement as he works to regain the form he showed prior to tearing his ACL last season.  If I’m Brad Stevens, I’m playing three guards at a time tonight to attempt to sucker the Pacers into playing a chaotic game of who can hit 120 points first, since the Celtics will get absolutely dominated down low if they try to play a half-court game.

The game is set to tip-off at 8 p.m. tonight, so if you must tune in, follow me on Twitter @HoudiniCeltics and @theamazingMrS and share your thoughts on the action with me!