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Brown matches career playoff-high of 40 points, Celtics cruise past Pacers for 2-0 series lead

Published May 24, 2024, 11:37 AM โ— Pao Ambat
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The Boston Celtics won Game 2 of a series for the first time this playoffs.

Jaylen Brown is averaging 33 points in the first two Eastern Conference Finals games for the Boston Celtics.

No dramatic finishes or extra five minutes needed. 


This time, Jaylen Brown and the East no.1 Boston Celtics left no doubt on the floor. 


Brown followed up his Game 1 heroics with a 40-point explosion, as the Celtics took care of business at home with a 126-110 Game 2 win. Boston now holds a commanding 2-0 lead over Indiana in their Eastern Conference Finals series. 

 

The three-time All-Star was all business from the start, firing 24 points alone in the first half and had 33 by the end of the third frame.

Brown finished with five rebounds, shot 14-of-27 from the field, and had four triples in a game where the Celtics scored the first 17 points of the second quarter.

That was part of a 20-0 blitz, bridging the end of the opening frame and the early moments of the second canto, as Boston turned a 27-22 deficit into 42-27 lead.

After a Pascal Siakam triple cut the Celtics lead to two points at 68-66 in the third frame, the Cs went on to outscore the Pacers, 25-14, in the remaining eight minutes to build a 93-80 advantage heading to the fourth.

Jayson Tatum and Derrick White chipped in 23 points each while Jrue Holiday added a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds.

After barely winning Game 1, Boston responded with a rampaging Game 2 outing, leading by as many as 20 points. They knocked down 15 triples and dominated inside the shaded lane, 54-34.

On the other hand, Siakam topscored the Pacer with 28 points, including 10 in the third period, as Andrew Nembhard added 16 and Obi Toppin had 11.

However, the big question for Indiana is the status of superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who left the game in the third and did not return due to a left leg soreness.

He finished with 10 points, four rebounds, and eight assists in 28 minutes.

Game 3 of the series now shifts to Indiana, where the Pacers are undefeated this postseason at 6-0.

You can watch it Sunday, May 26, 8:30 a.m. LIVE on One Sports, NBA TV Philippines, and the Pilipinas Live app.