Jaylen Brown shines as Boston Celtics take 2-0 lead over Indiana Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton hurt
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Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown exits the court after defeating the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW YORK – Jaylen Brown did not admit it but he had a point to prove on May 23, as he led the Boston Celtics to a Game 2 home win over the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Eastern Conference Finals.
One night after being snubbed from making a second successive All-NBA team, he scored 40 points to propel Boston to a 126-110 victory and a 2-0 lead over a Pacers team rocked by an injury to Tyrese Haliburton.
Brown tied a career play-off high to help the top-seeded Celtics break their Game 2 jinx. They had dropped the second game before prevailing in each of the first two rounds – against the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.
But they head to Indianapolis for Game 3 on May 25 in control of the best-of-seven series.
Asked if the All-NBA snub had given him more motivation, Brown said: “No, I wouldn’t say that.”
Pressed further, he added: “We’re two games from the Finals. I don’t have time to give a (expletive).”
The Pacers have excelled at home, but now have concerns over All-Star point guard Haliburton, who departed late in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury and did not return.
Brown, who sank a three-pointer to force overtime as the Celtics held off the Pacers in a Game 1 thriller, scored 10 points in a 20-0 Celtics run that saw Boston take the lead for good in the second quarter.
“He has it going,” said Jrue Holiday of his teammate.
“Great player, great leader, but wants to win and takes things into his own hands. Having a guy like that on my side, I love it. I’ll ride for him.”
Boston were up 42-27 midway through the second period following their scoring binge.
The Celtics pushed the lead to 16 before the Pacers hit back. Pascal Siakam came up with four big buckets, including a dunk that cut the deficit to 57-51 at half-time.
Siakam struck again midway through the third quarter, and his three-pointer pulled Indiana within two.
But Boston pulled away once more, their 16-9 scoring run swelling the lead to 13 going into the fourth quarter, and the Pacers failed to fight back.
Jayson Tatum shook off a slow start to score 23 points. Derrick White also scored 23 and Holiday had 15 points with 10 assists for Boston.
Siakam led Indiana’s scoring with 28 points. Haliburton had 10 points and eight assists before departing.
“I think they played a little better for more stretches than we did,” said Siakam. “We’ve got to look at ourselves in the mirror and think about the next game.” AFP
