The Indiana Pacers will go head-to-head against the Boston Celtics in the quarter-final of the inaugural in-season tournament. Both teams topped their respective groups in the previous stage and are looking to get one step closer to lifting the NBA Cup. But Indiana has a tall task ahead as they are up against the first-seeded team in the Eastern Conference.

Boston’s performance this season has been so dominant that Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle bestowed the ultimate honor on them.

Rick Carlisle gives the Boston Celtics their flowers

Indiana knows they will have to go through a great team to get to the semi-final of the in-season tournament. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle even said this about the Celtics before the start of the game, “the best team in basketball, really.” Boston has won 15 of their 19 games so far and dominated the East. They are on a three-game winning streak heading into tonight’s game and will look to continue their momentum by knocking the Pacers out of the tournament. Boston has taken a giant leap this season after adding Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to their roster.

While Holiday is still settling into his new role with the Celtics, Porzingis has been the key factor for Boston’s success since the start of the season. He is averaging 18.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks this season. But the 7’2 Center has been out for the last three games due to a left calf strain. Set to miss tonight’s game, Porzingis’ absence will give Indiana a ray of hope, as it will cause a huge void in Boston’s offensive and defensive abilities. He is expected to recover completely and return to action later this week.

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The Indiana Pacers are no joke

Even though Rick Carlisle crowned Boston the “best team in basketball” the Celtics will not get past the Indiana Pacers that easily. Indiana has had a dominant season of their own, and they are currently ranked 6th in the Eastern Conference with a 10-8 record. Their superstar, Tyrese Haliburton, is playing at an all-star level, averaging 27 points and 11.8 assists. Haliburton led Indiana to win all four games in the group stage, and they have been a major threat in the East.

Unfortunately, Haliburton missed the last game due to an illness, and his status is questionable for tonight’s game. Pacers fans are hoping that he has fully recovered and will suit up tonight against the Celtics. Indiana has a solid team with a deep bench, and they have the potential to topple the Number 1 seed in the East.

Do you think Indiana can pull off a huge upset by knocking Jayson Tatum and Co. out of the in-season tournament?

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