Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel didn't hold back on expectations for his players Saturday night against the Boston Celtics.
He didn't refer to this as just one of 66 games on the schedule. He didn't talk about it being the second game of a back-to-back, either.
Vogel called their matchup against the aging but still talented Celtics a barometer game.
He wanted to send a message to the Celtics and the rest of the NBA that the Pacers' strong start isn't a fluke.
Vogel's players grabbed what he told them and took off.
The Pacers ran the ball down Boston's throat and easily beat the Celtics 97-83 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
"We want to push the envelope and see how good we can become," Vogel said. "We don't want to be satisfied with winning a couple of games . . . and dropping ones we shouldn't drop. We feel like we're one of the best teams in the East. One of the best teams in the league. We want to achieve our potential."
The Pacers (9-3), with a solid mixture of youth and veterans in their rotation, are tied for the third-best record in the NBA.
They've beaten the Celtics twice, and Atlanta, teams that will likely be in the playoffs, while also winning games they're supposed to.
The only significant blemish on their record is a 35-point loss at Miami on Jan. 4.
"We're a force to be reckoned with in the East," Pacers forward Danny Granger said. "It's not one of those fluke things where we start having a good beginning of the season and we're going to fade. We're actually a legitimate contender in the East."
Boston was once the intimidating team that could beat its opponents in a number of ways with its Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
Those days are quickly moving past the Celtics.
Indiana made Boston, which is on a four-game losing streak, look like an ordinary team, as the Pacers led for the final 38 minutes of the game.
Garnett and Pierce led the Celtics with 21 points each, but Boston shot only 39 percent from the field and turned the ball over 18 times.
"Going into it, we knew it would be a tough one," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "We just got unorganized in the third quarter. That stretch of turnovers, to me, just gave away the game."
The Pacers used their depth to expose the Celtics' age and lack of a bench.
The Pacers, who took the lead for good with about 2 minutes left in the first quarter, kept the Celtics on their heels by pushing tempo for most of the game.
The Pacers had 23 second-chance points, 23 fast-break points and 42 points in the paint.
Granger led the Pacers with 21 points. Darren Collison and Paul George chipped in 17 points each.
"I challenged our guys before the game," Vogel said. "We knew Boston was going to come in here mad and with an edge. . . . We knew we were going to get their best effort. I challenged them to exhibit their killer instinct, and it showed up tonight."
The Pacers open a three-game West Coast trip at Sacramento on Wednesday.
"(Our confidence) is high right now, but I think we still have a lot to improve on," Collison said. "The biggest thing is, we have to put these games in the past and get ready to work, (because) the West Coast trip will really test us to see where we're at."
Call Star reporter Mike Wells at (317) 444-6053.
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