1. For a while it looked like this game was playing out according to an all to familiar script lately. Boston got up big, leading by as many as 19 points. Indiana fought back and took the lead late in the fourth quarter. This time however, the Celtics executed well on offense in the game’s final minute and a half. And Boston got two stops in the final 30 seconds to preserve a much-needed victory.
2. All year long Brad Stevens has tried to split his best offensive players into duos. With Jaylen Brown out, Marcus Smart has become one-quarter of those groupings.