After a tough loss to the Indiana Pacers, questions loom over the Celtics' ability to maintain their championship form. Host John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal dissects the Celtics' defensive struggles and inconsistent effort, spotlighting key players like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. The episode explores the potential complacency creeping into the team and the need for a renewed focus on defense. Karalis also provides a detailed analysis of individual performances, including Al Horford's shooting challenges and Payton Pritchard's mixed contributions.

Will the Celtics find the motivation to turn their defense around? Tune in for an insightful breakdown of their path forward.

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The Celtics never led at any point in the 2nd Half and ended up losing, 123-114, to the Indiana Pacers Sunday night at TD Garden. The Celtics won by 37 over the Pacers on Friday night and allowed Indiana to shoot 52.9 % from the field for the game. The Pacers scored 66 Points in the Paint. The Pacers took 2 of the 3 meetings between the 2 teams in the season series. The Celtics have lost 4 of 6 overall.

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Scoring Totals: Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 points in the win and also had 7 Assists and 6 Rebounds. Indiana had 6 players in double-figures including all 5 starters. Jaylen Brown scored 31 for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum scored 22 in the loss and was 2-for-10 on the 3-point line. Al Horford went 1-for-10 on 3's and 2-for-12 overall. Payton Pritchard scored just 2 points in the 2nd Half after putting up 19 in the 1st Half.

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No KP...No Jrue: Kristaps Porzingis missed his 2nd straight game with a left ankle sprain. Porzingis played for Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle in Dallas. Jrue Holiday missed his 3rd in a row with a right shoulder impingement. Sam Hauser started his 2nd straight game and 4th game of the season.

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1st Half Nuggets- Celtics were up 2 after the 1st Quarter but allowed 38 points in the 2nd Quarter and were down 7 at Halftime. Jayson Tatum failed to score in the 1st Quarter and was 1-for-8 from the field and scored 5 points in the 1st Half. Jaylen Brown had 18 and Payton Pritchard hit 5 3's and scored 19 in the 1st Half. Celtics hit 10 3's in the 1st 24 minutes. Pacers shot 58.1% from the field in the 1st Half.

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What's On Tap?: The Celtics are (2-4) during this current stretch of playing 7 games in 13 days. The Celtics conclude their current 4-game homestand against the Toronto Raptors on New Year's Eve afternoon. Boston beat the Raptors in overtime at TD Garden on November 16.

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Jaylen Brown shines as the Boston Celtics secure a nice bounce-back win over the Indiana Pacers. Brown's 44-point domination of the Pacers was something he and the team needed. And with solid contributions from Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Payton Pritchard, this is the type of performance C's fans have been looking for. Host John Karalis breaks down the team's improved performance while also addressing the Pacers' challenges.

Tune in to discover how the Celtics plan to maintain their momentum and what to expect in their upcoming rematch against the Pacers.

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