Jaylen Brown delivered a stellar performance, scoring 40 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 126-110 victory over the Indiana Pacers, giving the Celtics a 2-0 lead in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. The top-seeded Celtics overcame their Game 2 struggles from earlier rounds to secure this win at home.
Brown’s scoring prowess was crucial, especially after the Pacers lost their All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a left hamstring injury late in the third quarter. This injury added to Indiana’s challenges, although they have shown strong performances at home throughout the season.
In this game, Brown’s efforts were complemented by significant contributions from his teammates. Jrue Holiday praised Brown, emphasizing his leadership and determination. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla also highlighted Brown’s ability to make the right plays and keep his teammates involved, despite Brown only registering two assists in the box score.
The game began tightly with ten lead changes in the first quarter, ending with Indiana slightly ahead at 27-25. However, Boston’s offensive burst, starting with a three-pointer from Holiday, propelled them into a commanding 42-27 lead by midway through the second quarter. The Pacers managed to cut the deficit to five by halftime, thanks to Pascal Siakam’s impressive play, including a dunk that energized his team.
Despite Indiana’s efforts to close the gap early in the third quarter, Boston responded with a strong 16-5 run, extending their lead to 13 points by the start of the fourth quarter. The Pacers were unable to recover, never getting within double digits again.
Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Holiday also made significant contributions, scoring 23, 23, and 15 points respectively, with Holiday adding 10 assists. For Indiana, Siakam led with 28 points, while Haliburton had 10 points and eight assists before his injury.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged the Celtics’ superior play, noting their edge in rebounding and second-chance points, as well as Indiana’s 16 turnovers. Siakam echoed this sentiment, stressing the need for self-reflection and improvement as the series moves to Indianapolis for Game 3 on Saturday.
The Pacers now face the challenge of overcoming the absence of Haliburton, pending further medical evaluations, and leveraging their home-court advantage to get back into the series.
Source: ghmediahub
