Tatum and the Celtics take on conference foe Indiana
Boston Celtics (28-7, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (20-15, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Indianapolis; Monday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Boston takes on Indiana in Eastern Conference action Monday.
The Pacers are 17-11 against conference opponents. Indiana is fifth in the league averaging 14.6 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 38.1% from deep. Tyrese Haliburton leads the team averaging 3.5 makes while shooting 40.6% from 3-point range.
The Celtics are 22-4 against Eastern Conference opponents. Boston averages 120.9 points and has outscored opponents by 10.8 points per game.
The 126.8 points per game the Pacers average are 16.7 more points than the Celtics give up (110.1). The Celtics average 16.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 5.2 more made shots on average than the 10.9 per game the Pacers give up.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on Jan. 7 the Celtics won 118-101 led by 38 points from Jayson Tatum, while Bennedict Mathurin scored 20 points for the Pacers.
TOP PERFORMERS: Haliburton is averaging 24.1 points and 12.6 assists for the Pacers. Myles Turner is averaging 19.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and two blocks over the last 10 games for Indiana.
Tatum is scoring 27.5 points per game and averaging 8.7 rebounds for the Celtics. Derrick White is averaging 3.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Boston.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 7-3, averaging 125.5 points, 40.9 rebounds, 32.0 assists, 8.0 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 52.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.0 points per game.
Celtics: 8-2, averaging 129.0 points, 51.1 rebounds, 29.3 assists, 6.5 steals and 6.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.
INJURIES: Pacers: Bruce Brown: day to day (knee), Andrew Nembhard: day to day (back).
Celtics: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.