The Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers are set to face off on Friday night in what is going to be a crucial matchup in deciding both team's position entering the playoffs.
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens was asked to give his thoughts on the current Pacers squad, and the 42-year-old provided some very interesting insight, comparing this present Indiana side to the makeup of last season's Celtics team.
“I think the similarity is, after Oladipo went out, they don’t make excuses, they just find the next guy who steps into the way they want to play, and they play with incredible aggression and toughness,” said Stevens, per Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports.
Similar to the fate suffered by Boston last year, the Pacers also lost their main man to injury this season. However, much like the 2017-18 Celtics, several players stepped up when called upon, and what resulted was one of the more memorable playoff runs in the organization's history.
However, from a coaching standpoint, coach Stevens also explained what sets these two teams apart.
“They are different from us from the standpoint of the way that they play is different,” he added. “Obviously, they play two bigs a lot. They’re physical and tough at every position, and it doesn’t ever stop for 48 minutes.”
The Celtics are currently one game behind the Pacers for the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference. These two sides will likely be facing each other in the first round of the playoffs, and Friday night's matchup will be pivotal in the battle for homecourt advantage.
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