Terms of engagement

Some thoughts as we head into game two.

📰 News & Notes

🏀 Kristaps Porzingis (Out) and Xavier Tillman (Questionable) are the only names on the Celtics injury report heading into Game 2.

🏀 Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are both All-Defensive Second Team selections.

🏀 The Dallas Mavericks drew first blood against the Minnesota Timberwolves and now lead the WCF 1-0.

🏀 Haliburton has some high praise for Holiday after his defensive performance in Game 1.

"He's the best defender in the NBA and has been for a long time. ... I'll learn from it, and I'll be better in Game 2," Haliburton said after the game.

🏀 Stephen A. is back on his wishy-washy ish again. Now he thinks the Celtics can’t contend for a championship without Porzingis. — It will be a lot harder, but it’s nowhere near impossible.

🏀 Rick Carlisle took the blame for the Pacer's four-quarter collapse.

“This loss is totally on me,” Carlisle said. “With 10 seconds left in regulation, we should’ve just taken the timeout, advance the ball and found a way to get in and made a free throw or two at the end of the game. It didn’t happen. We made some other mistakes. But our guys just need to concentrate fighting the way they fought in this game from start-to-finish.”

🔎 Defining terms of engagement

Well, the Boston Celtics got their Eastern Conference finals series off to a winning start. It wasn’t pretty. It didn’t go how many of us had hoped. However, the end result is what matters, and now the Celtics only need to win three more games to progress. Take the victories where they come, however they come.

The Indiana Pacers are a fun team. One of the best offensive teams in the NBA. They have a clear style of play, and they clearly enjoy how they approach games. That’s the chess battle. How can the Celtics embrace and also contain the Pacers approach while still being in control?

For me, that’s all about controlling the terms of engagement. You’re not going to stop a team like the Pacers from playing their way, so you need to try and dictate how things play out instead.