Joe Mazzulla's bold decision pays off in win over Pacers



The Celtics defeated the Pacers 103-95 in a come-from-behind victory. At one point, the Pacers held a 20-point lead, but the Celtics fought back to get their 3rd straight victory. 

Coming into the game, the Pacers were one of the worst offensive teams in the league, ranking dead last in offensive rating and three-point percentage. In the first half, this was not the case, as the Pacers scored 61 points on 51% shooting from the floor and 60% from three. 

The Celtics on the other hand, were on the opposite end of the offensive spectrum, scoring just 43 points on 39% from the floor and 27% from three. The offense was slow, the ball movement and shot selection was lazy, and the defensive rotations were nonexistent. 

At the 9:22 mark of the third quarter, the Pacers took a 69-49 lead. Joe Mazzulla had seen enough and decided to do something bold; he benched the entire starting lineup. This decision paid off, as the bench provided a spark on offense, playing with considerably more speed and purpose. 

The 31-point quarter brought enough momentum for Mazzulla to bring back Jaylen Brown and Derrick White with 1:15 left in the third quarter. Defensively, they were able to bring the Pacers offense to a screeching halt, allowing just 21 points on 30% from the floor and 8% from three. 

Derrick White and Jaylen Brown seemed to receive the message very clearly and responded with a big quarter, combining for 23 of the Celtics 29 points. On the defensive end, they got back to business, holding the Pacers to 13 points on 22% from the floor and 0% from three, closing out the game 103-95 to win their third straight game. 

The good

The bench played a huge part in the Celtics comeback, scoring 23 of the Celtics third-quarter points. They played fast, smart, and made all of the hustle plays. Joe Mazzulla made one of the boldest coaching decisions of the season, and it quickly paid off for him. 

Despite a slow start, Jaylen Brown still finished with 31 points due to a strong second half. Brown shot 7/13 for 20 points in the second half, and helped to engineer a 20-point comeback. 

While the Celtics did not crush the Pacers on the glass, grabbing just 11 offensive rebounds, they capitalized on nearly all of them, scoring 24 second-chance points, with 15 of them coming in the second half. 

This was not a great night from three, shooting 11/37 from deep, and the Celtics have struggled to win without great shooting nights over the past few seasons. Against the Pacers, they found other ways, scoring 52 points in the paint and hitting 16/19 free throws, both areas being major struggles for the Celtics in 2025. 

The defense in the second half was superb, allowing just 34 points on 27/5 shooting splits. Some of this can be attributed to water finding its level in regards to the Pacers three-point shooting, but the defensive rotations were much quicker, and the contests were much stronger, forcing the Pacers to take more difficult shots. 

The bad

The entire first half was atrocious offensively and defensively, and it led to the starting lineup getting benched. The defensive effort and rotations were slow and lazy, and the offensive shot selection and pace were lazy and stale, settling for poor shots instead of taking what was working. 

Payton Pritchard struggled all game, making it the fourth time in the last five games he has shot under 40% from the field. After one of his best games of the season against the Raptors, Pritchard fell back to his typical struggles this season. 

Sam Hauser was awful once again, shooting 2/8 from the floor, scoring just 6 points. Hauser has played poorly all season, shooting 6% lower from three and 9% lower from the floor than his career averages. Without his shooting, Hauser provides next to nothing on the floor and has become a liability more often than not.

Conclusion 

With this win, the Celtics remain the third seed in the Eastern Conference, continuing to play well above expectations. Joe Mazzulla's bold decision paid off, helping ignite a 20-point comeback and extend the winning streak to 3. The Celtics will rematch the Pacers in Indiana on Friday night, looking for a fourth straight win. 


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