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Keys to beating the Indiana Pacers: Make Bojan Bogdanovic work on both ends

ByMichael James|
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 29: Bojan Bogdanovic #44 of the Indiana Pacers handles the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 29, 2019 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 29: Bojan Bogdanovic #44 of the Indiana Pacers handles the ball during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 29, 2019 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Boston Celtics go up against the Indiana Pacers in a battle for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, and the key for Boston will be to make Bojan Bogdanovic work.

Get used to seeing the Pacers, Celtics fans. The two teams face off tonight at 8 p.m. EST and will go head-to-head in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs in about a week. Whoever holds home court advantage in that series will most likely be determined by Friday’s showdown.

If the Celtics can’t beat the Pacers in the first round, then this season really was the bust we feared it could be, so home court may not matter as much. Either way, this Pacers team plays hard and won’t be an easy out. We’ll get deeper into the matchup breakdown as we get closer to the playoffs, but the key for Boston tonight is to make Bojan Bogdanovic work on both ends of the court.

After Victor Oladipo went down with a season-ending knee injury, the Pacers lost their primary shot creator. In a playoff setting, having a player who can create offense out of nothing is crucial when the game slows down. Bogdanovic has stepped up for the Pacers during Oladipo’s absence, and it showed last time out against the Celtics when he went for 27 points on 8-13 from the field and 4-7 from three.

Bogdanovic pre-Oladipo injury: 16 PPG/49.1% FG/43.1% 3P

Bogdanovic post-Oladipo injury: 21.3 PPG/50.9% FG/42% 3P

The Pacers rank 24th in the NBA in pace of play, which plays into the Celtics hands in a playoff series. If they can stifle Indiana’s offensive sets, their lack of shot creators will make it easier for the Celtics to put multiple stops together. Bogdanovic is the player that has proven to be able to hit shots and create for himself, so the Celtics need to make him work on both ends.

By that, I’m talking about putting defenders like Marcus Smart or Jaylen Brown on him, while going after him on the offensive end. Bogdanovic isn’t the strongest defender, so if the Celtics can hunt him in the post or force switches, they can tire him out or get him into foul trouble. If Boston can do that effectively, they can take him out of the game, meaning another Pacers player will have to step up to make difficult shots.

While this is a strategy for a playoff series, it will be interesting to see if the Celtics deploy it Friday night in Indiana. They want home court, regardless of how important it is, so making Bogdanovic play on both ends could go a long way in securing home court as well as a first round series win.

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