Jaylen Brown’s stellar 40-point performance spearheaded the Boston Celtics to a decisive 126-110 victory against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, securing a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
Brown delivered an impressive showing, converting 14 of his 27 field goal attempts and sinking 8 of 11 free throws. He also contributed five rebounds to the Celtics’ effort. Boston maintained a 13-point lead by the end of the third quarter, never allowing Indiana to get closer than 11 points in the final period.
The series will now shift to Indianapolis for Game 3 on Saturday, with Boston looking to build on their 133-128 overtime win in Game 1.
“I think we adjusted a little bit better in Game 2,” Brown remarked. “I still think we can play a little better, so we’re looking forward to doing that in Game 3.”
The Pacers face uncertainty regarding the availability of their point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, who exited the game in the third quarter with left hamstring soreness. Haliburton logged 10 points and eight assists in 28 minutes before his departure. Notably, he missed 10 games in January due to a similar hamstring issue.
“Losing Ty for the game obviously is a big blow,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle commented. “We’ll know more [Friday] and even more Saturday. … I know you want details. I don’t have much.”
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 28 points, converting 13 of his 17 field goal attempts. Andrew Nembhard added 16 points for Indiana. For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White each scored 23 points, while Al Horford recorded six points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Brown dominated the first half, scoring 24 points. Despite trailing 27-25 after the first quarter, Boston surged ahead to a 57-51 lead at halftime, thanks to a commanding 20-0 run. The Celtics capped off the first quarter with three points and then opened the second quarter with 17 unanswered points, establishing a 42-27 advantage. Indiana did not score in the second quarter until Aaron Nesmith hit two free throws with 6:45 remaining.
Although Siakam’s three-pointer brought the Pacers within two points, 68-66, in the third quarter, Boston reasserted control, leading 93-80 as they headed into the final quarter.
Indiana boasts a perfect 6-0 home record in this year’s playoffs, while Boston is undefeated on the road with a 4-0 record. The Pacers previously overcame a 2-0 deficit against the New York Knicks in the conference semifinals, eventually winning the series in seven games.
“The only thing we should be thinking about is they were down 2-0 a series ago, and they brought it to Game 7,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “They do a great job protecting their home court. They’re undefeated at home, so it’s going to take a lot more than confidence to get the job done. We have to focus on the details and the execution. … I know they’re going to respond, so it’s up to us to do the same.”
Injury concerns persist for the Celtics, with Luke Kornet leaving Thursday’s game in the first quarter due to a sprained left wrist. Additionally, Boston center Kristaps Porzingis missed his eighth consecutive game with a calf strain.
