By CONRAD BRUNNER (Pacers.com)
The Pacers are one victory away from advancing, are coming off an inspiring victory, can close it out at home and have regained the services of starting point guard Jamaal Tinsley.
Given the twisted nature of this first-round series, where adversity has turned into advantage and desperation has proved to be the primary motivation, that probably should put Boston in the driver's seat for Game 6.
Unless, of course, the Pacers can convince themselves that they, and not the Celtics, are the more desperate team Thursday night in Conseco Fieldhouse.
"We're treating this like it is the last game of the season," said Stephen Jackson. "We've got to come out with a sense of urgency. We have to win this game. We're not going back to Boston. Everybody has the attitude that we have to finish this thing here and get ready for the next one. Nobody's even thinking about going back to Boston."
After Boston won the series opener in a rout, the Pacers looked like a team on the ropes. They promptly won Games 2 and 3 and appeared to take control. Then came a 31-point blowout loss in Game 5. That sent the Celtics back to Boston with the advantage, particularly given the Pacers' mounting injury problems. But Indiana welcomed back Jamaal Tinsley for the first time in more than two months and knocked off the Celtics 90-85 in Game 5 Tuesday night in FleetCenter.
So now it is the Pacers who hold the position of advantage, not that they'd ever admit as much.
"Obviously, if we don't win (Thursday) we've got to go back to a hostile environment," said Jermaine O'Neal. "Our backs are still against the wall. We don't want to make this a two-game elimination series. We have homecourt now and we've got to make the best of it. Coming out flat like we came out last Saturday is unacceptable."
The Pacers do have that recent 31-point drubbing as a telling reminder of the danger of falling into anything resembling a comfort zone, which should serve them well in Game 6.
"At this point, we have to remind ourselves where we were last Saturday when we came in here for shootaround," said Coach Rick Carlisle. "We'd won two games in a row and things looked a certain way and we got throttled. You can never assume anything and we certainly take nothing for granted, and we know we're going to have to play our best game because closeout games are always the toughest to win."
Boston has used three different lineups in the last three games and Coach Doc Rivers may well have another twist in the works. The Celtics played their best game of the series in Game 4 with an extremely small lineup, but have played a more traditional group in the other four. The Pacers believe they're prepared for any and all possibilities.
"At this point you have to come out and play the way you play the best," said Rivers, "and the better team is going to win this series."
TRENDS
Pacers - Indiana has a 5-1 record in best-of-seven series when leading 3-2. The Pacers are 4-2 in Game 6 of those series. ... James Jones has averaged 10.5 points while going 5-of-8 from the 3-point line in the last two games. ... The defense has allowed averages of 80.0 points, .411 shooting overall and .256 shooting from the arc in the three victories, but 106.0 points, .541 shooting overall and .548 from the arc in the two losses. ... Anthony Johnson has gone 7-of-28 from the field in the last four games. ... Fred Jones has totaled 13 points on 3-of-18 shooting in the series. ... Reggie Miller has gone 7-of-21 from the field in the last two. ... Jermaine O'Neal hs gone 11-of-34 from the field in the last two. ... The Pacers have the highest percentage of assisted field goals in the postseason (94 of 137 for 68.6 percent). ... Indiana has enjoyed a 126-93 advantage in free-throws made in the series.
Celtics - Paul Pierce has averaged 11.5 free-throw attempts, 27.3 points and .561 shooting in the last four. ... Antoine Walker has struggled to averages of 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting .393 overall and .273 from the arc. ... Raef LaFrentz has averaged 16.0 points on .786 shooting from the field in the two victories, but 4.0 points on 3-of-15 shooting (.200) in the three losses. ... The defense has allowed an average of 86.4 points, the second-fewest ever by the Celtics in a playoff series. ... Boston owns a 200-126 advantage in points in the paint.
KEY MATCHUP
Reserves - Boston's bench has been crucial to the team's success, averaging 33.0 points and shooting a combined 50 percent from the field in the two victories, but 17.3 points on 35 percent shooting in the three losses. The Pacers don't need their bench to be dominant, just to keep Boston's reserves from running wild. Assuming Tinsley is able to remain in the starting lineup, Anthony Johnson's presence with the second unit could be a major steadying factor.
INJURY REPORT
Pacers - G Anthony Johnson (strained back) and G Jamaal Tinsley (foot) are probable.
Celtics - None.
The Pacers are one victory away from advancing, are coming off an inspiring victory, can close it out at home and have regained the services of starting point guard Jamaal Tinsley.
Given the twisted nature of this first-round series, where adversity has turned into advantage and desperation has proved to be the primary motivation, that probably should put Boston in the driver's seat for Game 6.
Unless, of course, the Pacers can convince themselves that they, and not the Celtics, are the more desperate team Thursday night in Conseco Fieldhouse.
"We're treating this like it is the last game of the season," said Stephen Jackson. "We've got to come out with a sense of urgency. We have to win this game. We're not going back to Boston. Everybody has the attitude that we have to finish this thing here and get ready for the next one. Nobody's even thinking about going back to Boston."
After Boston won the series opener in a rout, the Pacers looked like a team on the ropes. They promptly won Games 2 and 3 and appeared to take control. Then came a 31-point blowout loss in Game 5. That sent the Celtics back to Boston with the advantage, particularly given the Pacers' mounting injury problems. But Indiana welcomed back Jamaal Tinsley for the first time in more than two months and knocked off the Celtics 90-85 in Game 5 Tuesday night in FleetCenter.
So now it is the Pacers who hold the position of advantage, not that they'd ever admit as much.
"Obviously, if we don't win (Thursday) we've got to go back to a hostile environment," said Jermaine O'Neal. "Our backs are still against the wall. We don't want to make this a two-game elimination series. We have homecourt now and we've got to make the best of it. Coming out flat like we came out last Saturday is unacceptable."
The Pacers do have that recent 31-point drubbing as a telling reminder of the danger of falling into anything resembling a comfort zone, which should serve them well in Game 6.
"At this point, we have to remind ourselves where we were last Saturday when we came in here for shootaround," said Coach Rick Carlisle. "We'd won two games in a row and things looked a certain way and we got throttled. You can never assume anything and we certainly take nothing for granted, and we know we're going to have to play our best game because closeout games are always the toughest to win."
Boston has used three different lineups in the last three games and Coach Doc Rivers may well have another twist in the works. The Celtics played their best game of the series in Game 4 with an extremely small lineup, but have played a more traditional group in the other four. The Pacers believe they're prepared for any and all possibilities.
"At this point you have to come out and play the way you play the best," said Rivers, "and the better team is going to win this series."
TRENDS
Pacers - Indiana has a 5-1 record in best-of-seven series when leading 3-2. The Pacers are 4-2 in Game 6 of those series. ... James Jones has averaged 10.5 points while going 5-of-8 from the 3-point line in the last two games. ... The defense has allowed averages of 80.0 points, .411 shooting overall and .256 shooting from the arc in the three victories, but 106.0 points, .541 shooting overall and .548 from the arc in the two losses. ... Anthony Johnson has gone 7-of-28 from the field in the last four games. ... Fred Jones has totaled 13 points on 3-of-18 shooting in the series. ... Reggie Miller has gone 7-of-21 from the field in the last two. ... Jermaine O'Neal hs gone 11-of-34 from the field in the last two. ... The Pacers have the highest percentage of assisted field goals in the postseason (94 of 137 for 68.6 percent). ... Indiana has enjoyed a 126-93 advantage in free-throws made in the series.
Celtics - Paul Pierce has averaged 11.5 free-throw attempts, 27.3 points and .561 shooting in the last four. ... Antoine Walker has struggled to averages of 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting .393 overall and .273 from the arc. ... Raef LaFrentz has averaged 16.0 points on .786 shooting from the field in the two victories, but 4.0 points on 3-of-15 shooting (.200) in the three losses. ... The defense has allowed an average of 86.4 points, the second-fewest ever by the Celtics in a playoff series. ... Boston owns a 200-126 advantage in points in the paint.
KEY MATCHUP
Reserves - Boston's bench has been crucial to the team's success, averaging 33.0 points and shooting a combined 50 percent from the field in the two victories, but 17.3 points on 35 percent shooting in the three losses. The Pacers don't need their bench to be dominant, just to keep Boston's reserves from running wild. Assuming Tinsley is able to remain in the starting lineup, Anthony Johnson's presence with the second unit could be a major steadying factor.
INJURY REPORT
Pacers - G Anthony Johnson (strained back) and G Jamaal Tinsley (foot) are probable.
Celtics - None.