BOSTON — The Celtics are preparing for their Game 2 matchup with the Pacers aware their series-opening win was notable more for its ugliness more than the outcome.
Boston limited Indiana to eight points in the third quarter of its 84-74 Game 1 win. It was the Celtics’ lowest point total of the season and the first time they won a game in 2018-19 in which they didn’t reach 100 points.
Change is on the minds of both teams.
For the Celtics that could mean tweaks to the starting lineup as they continue to adjust to the absence of Marcus Smart, who is recovering from a torn left oblique.
“It’s frustrating, but you have to take it day-by-day and one day at a time,” Smart said Tuesday.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens acknowledged Smart’s absence forced them to play differently and will continue to require adjustments.
Without Smart to help with ball handling duties, it mostly falls on Kyrie Irving.
“That limits you a little bit,” Stevens said. “We’ll play Terry (Rozier) and Gordon (Hayward) more with Kyrie than we have. But I think ultimately there’s going to be moments where Kyrie will be it. We’ll have one point guard on the floor.”
Will that mean changes to the starting lineup?
“We re-evaluate everything every day,” Stevens said.
Pacers forward Thaddeus Young said the film just highlighted shortcomings they knew about.
“Free throws. And just upping our intensity on the defensive end. They upped their defensive pressure. I think we backed up a little bit,” Young said.
A look at Wednesday’s game:
Boston leads 1-0. Game 2, 7 p.m. EDT, TNT
NEED TO KNOW: The 74 points scored by the Pacers in Game 1 marked the lowest total by a Celtics playoff opponent since Orlando scored 71 points on May 22, 2010. Indiana also shot a brutal 57% (12 for 21) from the free throw line. Those are two things the Pacers aren’t expecting to do two games in a row.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Boston’s rotations. Jaylen Brown started in place of Smart in Game 1, but Stevens has lots of options to give the Pacers different looks.
INJURY WATCH: Smart said he is remaining optimistic he can make an early return to action like he did last postseason following thumb surgery. But he said Tuesday was the first day he was able to walk without pain and that his focus for now is treatment.
PRESSURE IS ON: The Pacers’ starting lineup. Bojan Bogdanovic was the lone Indiana starter to reach double figures in Game 1. Part of that was Boston’s pressure, but a lot of it was the Pacers missing open shots. If that trend continues, they’ll be headed home down 2-0.