The Indiana Pacers are set to face the Boston Celtics at home once again on Monday after losing by the score of 118-101 on Saturday, and Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle made an interesting comparison to Nolan Ryan when describing the type of effort it takes to beat Boston.
“Playing against these guys is kinda like being a hitter against Nolan Ryan,” Rick Carlisle said, via Tony East of Sports Illustrated. “If you get a good pitch, you better take a swing at it.”
The Celtics have the best record in the NBA this season, sitting at 28-7, so it is unsurprising that Carlisle views them in this light. The Pacers are 1-2 against the Celtics this season, and they are looking to knot up the season series at two games apiece on Monday. It will be interesting to see if the Pacers, led by emerging star Tyrese Haliburton will be able to get a win.
The Pacers are in that group of teams with the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers that are competing for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference right now. It is a tight race, and only three of those teams will bypass the play-in tournament and go straight to the playoffs.
It will be interesting to see how the Eastern Conference standings shake out. The Pacers are a team that is trying to emerge as a contender this season. The Celtics are far and away at the top, but these games are chances for statements for teams like the Pacers.
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