Boston, Dec 23 – For the first 24 minutes at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics looked like a team ready to head home for the holidays early. But in the NBA, halftime adjustments can change everything. Overcoming a sluggish start and an 18-point halftime hole, the Celtics roared back to defeat the Indiana Pacers 103-95, leaning on a suffocating second-half defensive display that left the visitors searching for answers.
The Wake-Up Call
The first half was a nightmare for the home crowd. The Pacers, despite their 6-23 record, played with the freedom of an underdog, hanging 61 points on Boston by the break. The Celtics’ defense was porous, and the offense disjointed. But the locker room conversation at halftime clearly struck a nerve.
Boston emerged for the third quarter with renewed intensity, chipping away at the lead with a 31-21 run. However, it was the fourth quarter where the door was slammed shut. The Celtics held Indiana to a miserly 13 points in the final frame, turning a potential upset into a statement of defensive grit.
Jaylen Brown shouldered the offensive burden, finishing with a game-high 31 points and 9 rebounds. When the offense stagnated, it was Brown’s aggression (11-for-22 shooting) that kept the scoreboard moving. Derrick White provided the necessary backup, chipping in 19 points and steadying the ship with 4 assists and 5 rebounds.
The Bigger Picture
This win improves Boston to 18-11, keeping them firmly in the upper echelon of the standings. More importantly, it demonstrated their ability to win when things aren’t “pretty.” The ability to flip a switch defensively—holding an NBA team to just 34 points in an entire half—is the hallmark of a contender.
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For the Pacers, this was a brutal lesson in closing out games. Domineering for two quarters means little if the execution vanishes in crunch time. The collapse drops them to 6-23, reinforcing the growing pains of a young squad struggling to find consistency for a full 48 minutes.
The Silent Statement
+21 – Hugo González’s Plus/Minus
While Brown scored the points, the game was won in the trenches by Hugo González. In a game where star Jaylen Brown was actually a -2, González was a spectacular +21 in his 37 minutes on the floor. He didn’t demand the ball (only 6 points), but his team-high 11 rebounds and defensive presence were the glue that held the comeback together. When he was on the court, Boston dominated.
The Bottom Line
The Celtics avoided a disastrous upset by trusting their defensive identity when it mattered most. While they can’t afford to sleepwalk through first halves against elite competition, tonight proved that their “B-game” is resilient enough to grind out wins. They survived the scare, banked the win, and sent the Garden crowd home happy after a thriller.
