1. It was one of those evenings until it wasn’t.

Boston had no business in this game, but the team would never see it that way.

The Celtics lacked open threes and easy layups, as well as a variety of looks that make up their typical shot diet. The Pacers had some impressive moments on defense, but at some point you shrugged your shoulders, walked away from the TV and declared, “It’s just one of those nights.”

Suddenly, however, the signs of a comeback appear and you find yourself under the spell again.

2. Mazzulla does not give up the white flag.

This game was quickly approaching unreachable territory and Mazzulla opened up his bench a bit. With 8:54 minutes left in the 4th quarter, Tatum/White/Kornet were swapped for Walsh/Tillman/Queta.

At that point, Boston trailed 91-112 and seemed ready for the next game. However, that’s not how Mazzulla works. He saw a teaching moment and a chance to lead his team through a difficult scenario.

If the Celtics coach truly believed this game was over, Jaylen would have been pulled alongside Tatum and White. Instead, Brown and Pritchard helped lay the foundation for a resurgence.

3. Neemias Queta had the juice.

Queta has only been used in limited minutes this season and was firmly the fourth big player in the rotation up to this point. This game might have changed that.

For all the missed shots they threw back, the Celtics never felt like they could quite match Indiana’s youthful energy. Queta stepped on the ground with one foot and a spark was ignited.

That lob came seconds after Queta checked in, and it was his only point of the night. His plus/minus of +18 wasn’t a mistake though, his struggles on the glass gave the Celtics life.

Defensive positioning and discipline were the missing piece of the puzzle for Queta, but he was exactly where he needed to be during a massive defensive stop.

This is a big time rotation and an impressive display of coordination to stay down and time the layup attempt perfectly for the block.

It can’t be overstated how valuable his presence was, some of the best minutes we’ve seen for Boston earlier this season. It was all complimentary basketball too, needing no more than a handful of touches to make an impact.

4. Stay with your boys.

We can use all the revisionist history we want, but despite the loss, Mazzulla made the right decision to stick with the players who started the comeback.

White and Tatum combined to enter the game trailing by 14 with 5:17 left in the fourth. Their superior shooting was a big reason the C’s were able to claw their way back into this game. However, it was Queta’s contributions and general annoyance from Pritchard that allowed them to gain momentum in the first place.

After miraculously making it to overtime, it was no longer enough to finish the job. Missed free throws were a killer for Boston, but they also only shot 2/9 from the field in OT. It’s fair to ask why Holiday and Horford weren’t included again in this game. Even though he came up short, I can imagine Joe would stand behind this decision every time.

We know what these two veterans are capable of in high-pressure scenarios, but a regular season game in late October is the right time to build confidence in other options. It says a lot to your players when they have the opportunity to finish the run they started.

5. Flip the switch.

In the past, there was this notion that certain great teams were able to flip a switch and take their game from 0 to 100 in an instant, even on a bad night. Given the way the Celtics play sometimes, I wonder where Mazzulla is hiding that switch.

Relying too heavily on such a mentality is dangerous, but the Celtics are usually ready to play. There are very few nights where they can’t figure it out on either side, but on this one they came pretty close. There were periods of the game that seemed like a pulse, but there was almost always a response from the Pacers. The fourth quarter run was a different story.

It was a testament to the Celtics’ greatness that they managed to go the extra mile in a position where most teams are packing up and preparing to fly. You have to be prepared to play flawless basketball for 48 minutes against this team or they will find a way to break through.

6. Pacers cannot be spelled without pace.

Indiana has a unique style offensively, and despite the slow start to the year, it will be a challenge to keep up with a team that wants to get out and run at all times. During the ECF, Mazzulla expressed the idea that the Celtics’ defense needed to start on offense. Targeted shots and offensive rebounds are great ways to slow down a team that regularly gets across half the court in about 2 seconds.

The Celtics had an inefficient first half, shooting 37.3% from the field. This allowed IND to push the tempo and take advantage of transition opportunities – an area where Boston struggled earlier in the year.

Significantly improved shooting in the fourth quarter, coupled with better pressure on the ball, stalled the Pacers’ pace and forced them to operate in the halfcourt more often.

7. Porzingis is missing

Until he returns, there will be moments and games where Porzingis’ absence will be felt more keenly. He was missing on both sides against the Pacers. There were a lot of issues early on, but the lack of rim protection felt like something Indiana really had fun with.

This is an obvious hole that Porzingis’ size and shot-blocking skills help fill, and it can’t be replicated anywhere else.

On the other side of the ball, Kristaps in the post is enough to slow down the Pacers’ transition game a bit. His overall consistency as a scorer would have been a much-needed boost in a game where the Celtics struggled to capitalize on their advantages.

I’m sure this feeling will be pervasive in the few losses Boston has suffered before his return, but this feeling seemed to be a game in which he would be particularly helpful.

8. Time to go hunting.

For a while, I had forgotten what it felt like to watch your team lose. The dream of going 82-0 has officially ended at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.

It’s the playing field, but every game early this season looked like teams were looking at Boston as an opportunity to gain momentum and/or make a statement. This is a mentality that Mazzulla is very clear about keeping from his group.

The schedule includes some weaker targets and it’s time to be the attacker again. Next up is LaMelo Ball and the Hornets, and they’re a fast, young team like this Pacers squad looking to make a name for themselves. Boston would be wise to get rid of them early.

9. Nice to have Sam back.

It wasn’t Hauser’s best performance, but it was good to see him back on the floor. Back injuries can be difficult to endure, so the fact that he was willing to put his body on the line and get right back up was encouraging.

Even without a strong offensive performance, Boston won the minutes when he was on the court and Sam finished the game at +12. He’s an extremely important part of what makes this team so dangerous, and it shouldn’t be long before he’s back firing up the 3-ball.

10. “I’m leaving here with something.”

The moment may have been marred a bit by the unfortunate ending, but this was an absolutely incredible shot from Tatum that tied the game and forced overtime.