LOS ANGELES - Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla lamented his side's defensive deficiencies after Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 points, as the Pacers turned the tables on the National Basketball Association (NBA) champions with a 123-114 victory at TD Garden on Dec 29.
Two days after Jaylen Brown's 44 points propelled the Celtics to a 142-105 blowout victory over the Pacers, Indiana got their revenge.
Said Mazzulla: "When you're not playing well defensively, that's on everybody, that's on the staff, that's on the coaching, that's on the players...
"We've got to pay attention to the tendencies. And we have to know where we can help from and force more kickouts... It starts at the point of attack."
Analyst Eddie House, who won a title with Boston in 2008, added on NBC Sports: "I think we've taken a step back... Defensively, I feel like we aren't engaged the way that we need to be engaged to win a championship...
"Do I still believe that we are a championship team? Yes. But do I think that we're giving championship effort on the defensive end? I don't believe that."
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