Short Victor Oladipo, the Indiana Pacers faced a tough challenge in extending their winning streak against the league best Boston Celtics. Things went in Indiana’s favor early, getting a big first quarter from Lance Stephenson as the Pacers jumped ahead by 13 in the first half.
In the third quarter, however, the Pacers came back to earth, fueled by a much more focused Boston team, leading them to be outscored 37-16 in the quarter. Much of the success in the first half was being done despite allowing Boston’s worst shooters to have scorching games.