Celtics and Pacers Took Hits Last Spring. Now They're Taking Two Very Different Roads Back.
When the Celtics and Pacers tip off Wednesday night, it won’t just be a rematch of recent Eastern Conference champions-it’ll be a study in how two franchises can respond to the same kind of adversity in completely different ways.
Both teams lost their franchise cornerstones to devastating Achilles injuries last spring. Jayson Tatum went down on May 12 during Game 4 of a second-round battle with the Knicks.
Six weeks later, Tyrese Haliburton suffered the same fate in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. That kind of injury is a gut punch to any team’s future.
But nine months later, the Celtics and Pacers have landed on opposite ends of the NBA spectrum.
Boston is 26-16 and sitting second in the East. Indiana?
They're 10-34 and staring down a top lottery pick. But here’s the thing-both teams might be on track to win, just not in the same way or on the same timeline.
Boston: Still Swinging Without Their Star
When the Celtics traded away Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday this offseason, it looked like a white flag. The assumption was clear: with Tatum out, Boston was going to take a step back and reset.
But halfway through the season, they’ve done the opposite. They're not just surviving-they're thriving.
Jaylen Brown has stepped up in a massive way. He’s not just carrying the scoring load-he’s doing it with efficiency and volume.
Brown is averaging career highs across the board: 29.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. He’s leading the league in made field goals per night (10.9), and his 3-point shot has come back to life after a tough season from deep.
But this isn’t a one-man show. Payton Pritchard has gone from Sixth Man of the Year to a reliable full-time starter, and he’s making the most of it with career-best numbers. Derrick White has elevated his game, too, giving Boston a steady two-way presence in the backcourt.
The Celtics’ offense is humming. They generate the third-most open threes in the league-defined by defenders being within 4-6 feet-and they’re hitting 34.8% of them, good for ninth in the NBA.
They’re second in total 3-point attempts and boast the second-best offense in the league overall. That’s not just solid-it’s elite.
Then there’s Anfernee Simons, the midseason pickup from Portland. His scoring numbers have dipped, sure, but he’s been more selective with his shots, and it’s paying off.
He’s shooting fewer threes but converting them at near career-best efficiency, and he’s leaned more on his mid-range game. What’s more surprising?
He’s become a legitimate asset on defense. Simons has the fourth-best plus-minus on the team (+4.0), and head coach Joe Mazzulla has praised his effort on that end multiple times.
Now the Celtics are facing a tough decision as the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches: do you cash in on Simons’ value, or keep him as part of a team that could make a deep playoff run-especially if Tatum returns in time?
The Celtics have been one of the most pleasant surprises of the season. And with the possibility of Tatum coming back, this team might be more dangerous than anyone anticipated.
Indiana: Bottoming Out, But Building Up
The Pacers, on the other hand, have taken a very different route. With most of their Finals roster still intact, there was a world where Indiana could’ve hovered around the play-in mix, even without Haliburton and Myles Turner. But that’s not how things unfolded.
Instead, they’ve plummeted to the bottom of the standings, owning the second-worst record in the league. A 13-game losing streak in early January and a 152-point defensive meltdown against Utah have been lowlights in what’s become a lost season.
But even in the mess, there’s a silver lining-one that could pay off in a big way.
During the NBA Finals last June-yes, while preparing for the Thunder-the Pacers' front office made a savvy move. They reacquired their own 2026 first-round pick by flipping their 2025 first to the Pelicans.
At the time, it looked like a minor trade. But after Haliburton’s injury and the team’s collapse, that pick is suddenly a potential top-five selection.
No one in Indiana expected things to get this bad. But now that they have, the timing of that trade could be a franchise-changer. If the Pacers land the No. 1 overall pick, they’ll have a chance to pair Haliburton with a potential generational talent-maybe AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, or Cameron Boozer.
Sure, this isn’t how Indiana drew it up. Given the choice, they'd probably swap places with Boston in a heartbeat.
But this season of struggle could be the foundation for a brighter future. If they hit on their draft pick and Haliburton returns to form, the Pacers could be right back in the mix sooner than expected.
Two Teams. Two Injuries. Two Very Different Roads.
Injuries to star players can derail a season-or reshape a franchise. The Celtics and Pacers are proof that there's no single blueprint for navigating that kind of setback.
Boston has stayed competitive, leaned on its depth, and may be gearing up for another playoff push. Indiana has taken its lumps but positioned itself for a big rebound next year.
Neither path is easy. But both could lead to success-just on different timelines.