The Boston Celtics, coached by former WVU point guard Joe Mazzulla, will play the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The series was settled Sunday afternoon after the Pacers defeated another WVU basketball alum, Deuce McBride, and the New York Knicks.
In just his second year as a head coach, Mazzulla will be back to the Conference Finals for the second time. Last season, the Celtics ultimately fell short, losing to the Miami Heat in game seven after coming back from a 3-0 series deficit.
This season, however, has been completely different for the Celtics. They finished the regular season with an NBA best 64 wins and have coasted through the first two rounds, beating the Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers each in five games.
The matchup against the Pacers poses a threat unseen so far this postseason for Mazzulla’s squad. With Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton’s scoring and passing, and 7-foot center Miles Turner’s ability to stretch the floor, it should make for a very intriguing Conference Finals matchup.
In the four meetings between the two squads earlier this season, the Celtics were able to win three of the four games. Boston also was able to score at-will against the Pacers, averaging 133 points per game.
The Celtics could be a bit undersized without their 7-foot-2 stretch-big Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis has been out since the series against the Heat due to a calf injury, but he could see a potential return this series. Mazzulla will be forced to rely on 37-year old Al Horford to replace him until then.
Boston is seeking its first NBA Championship since their big-three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen won one back in 2008, and their second since 1986. An NBA Finals win would also make Mazzulla the youngest coach in the history of the NBA to ever accomplish the feat.
Should the Celtics get back to the NBA Finals, it would be the team’s second time in the last three seasons.
Game one against the Pacers will take place in Boston starting on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.. Every game of the Eastern Conference Finals can be viewed on ESPN.
