Jaylen Brown scored 40 factors to propel Boston to a 126-110 victory over Indiana and a 2-0 lead within the NBA Japanese Convention finals over a Pacers workforce rocked by an damage to Tyrese Haliburton.
Brown — who was snubbed from making an All-NBA workforce this season — tied a profession playoff excessive to assist the top-seeded Celtics break their game-two jinx.
Winners of a league-best 64 regular-season video games, Boston had dropped the second recreation earlier than prevailing in every of the primary two rounds.
However they head to Indianapolis for recreation three on Saturday in charge of the best-of-seven collection.
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The Pacers have excelled at residence, however now have considerations over All-Star level guard Haliburton, who departed late within the third quarter with a left hamstring damage and didn’t return.
Brown, who sank a three-pointer to power additional time because the Celtics held off the Pacers in a game-one thriller, scored 10 factors in a 20-0 Celtics run that noticed Boston take the lead for good within the second quarter.
The efficiency got here an evening after being snubbed from his second straight All-NBA workforce — an honour that will have seen him pocket a $2.2 million (A$3.3m) bonus.
Requested after the sport if he was motivated by the snub, Brown was emphatic.
“No, I wouldn’t say that,” he stated.
“I imply, we’re two video games from the Finals, so truthfully I don’t received the time to provide a f**okay.”
Brown’s teammates got here to his defence each earlier than and after the sport.
Previous to tip-off, backup guard Payton Pritchard stated that Brown was “snubbed” and that he “deserved” to be within the All-NBA workforce.
“I don’t perceive how one can be the No. 1 workforce by a large margin and solely have one dude on that. JB has been terrific all 12 months. Two-way participant,” he stated.
Derrick White — who gained a All-Defensive Second Staff nod together with Jrue Vacation — added: “First off, JB undoubtedly deserves it. He was unreal this complete season taking up that problem.
“At any time when there was a giant title or a giant participant, he wished the problem. He type of set the tone for us the entire season and I feel he undoubtedly was deserving.”
After the sport, Vacation stated Brown “has it going”.
“Nice participant, nice chief, however desires to win and takes issues into his personal palms. Having a man like that on my aspect, I like it. I’ll trip for him,” he stated.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla stated that regardless that the field rating mirrored simply two assists for Brown, he did a great job of preserving his teammates concerned on offense.
“He made the fitting play — that’s a very powerful factor,” Mazzulla stated.
Indiana emerged from a decent first quarter that featured 10 lead adjustments with a 27-25 benefit.
However Vacation’s three-pointer within the last minute of the opening interval launched Boston’s scoring binge they usually have been up 42-27 halfway by means of the second.
The Celtics pushed the result in 16 earlier than the Pacers hit again. Pascal Siakam got here up with 4 massive buckets, together with a dunk that reduce the deficit to 56-51 at halftime.
Siakam struck once more early within the third, and his three-pointer pulled Indiana inside two.
However Boston pulled away once more, their 16-5 scoring run swelling the result in 13 going into the fourth quarter, when the Pacers wouldn’t get inside double digits.
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– ‘Not fairly there’ –
Jayson Tatum shook off a gradual begin to rating 23 factors. Derrick White additionally scored 23 and Vacation scored 15 factors with 10 assists for Boston.
Siakam led Indiana’s scoring with 28 factors. Haliburton had 10 factors and eight assists earlier than departing.
“I feel they performed somewhat higher for extra stretches than we did,” stated Siakam, a title winner with Toronto who was acquired from the Raptors in January.
“They’d a number of good runs. We have been getting there shut however simply not fairly there.”
Siakam famous the Celtics’ edge in rebounding and second-chance factors. The Pacers additionally produced 16 turnovers.
“They only performed higher,” Siakam stated. “We’ve received to have a look at ourselves within the mirror and transfer on and take into consideration the following recreation.”
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle stated Haliburton, who had left hamstring hassle in the course of the season, had already had therapy on his leg at halftime.
He additionally had assessments after taking a blow to the chest battling with Brown for a rebound.
“We’ll know extra tomorrow and possibly much more Saturday,” Carlisle stated.