Celtics-Pacers: 5 takeaways as Jaylen Brown scores 40 in Recreation 2 – NBA.com

Jaylen Brown is fueled by a snub, Indiana is derailed by an harm and residential has by no means appeared so candy for the Pacers.
Steve Aschburner
Jaylen Brown erupts for 40 factors, main the Celtics previous the Pacers 126-110 to open a 2-0 lead within the Jap Convention Finals.
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• Game detail: BOS 126, IND 110
BOSTON — The one factor worse than being down 2-0 after two video games of an NBA playoff collection, as Pascal Siakam sees it, just isn’t being concerned in any respect.
The Indiana ahead doesn’t just like the spot his Pacers discover themselves. He acknowledged how drained he and his teammates had been after their Game 2 loss to the Celtics at TD Backyard Thursday. It’s been a tricky, exhilarating, emotional week.
However a yr in the past, when Siakam was nonetheless with also-ran Toronto, life was worse.
“For me personally, final yr I used to be sitting right here watching this and being [mad],” he stated. “I wished to be part of this. It’s a blessing. Irrespective of how drained you’re, that is the stage you wish to be on.”
The Eastern Conference Finals shift to Indianapolis for Video games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the 126-110 victory that boosted Boston to its 2-0 lead:
1. Brown makes his level — 40 of them, to be actual
Jaylen Brown wouldn’t totally admit to being motivated by the All-NBA snub he realized about Wednesday. However teammates and his coach Joe Mazzulla spoke of it and didn’t even blink. It wasn’t as if Brown’s agenda acquired in the way in which of any staff purpose. The Celtics’ eighth-year wing appeared to channel his angst in the best means attainable.  
Brown scored 40 factors, 24 within the first half as a result of that’s the primary probability he acquired to show to media voters he deserved a spot on one of many All-NBA squads.  
Brown is a three-time All-Star and a man who was named All-NBA a yr in the past. That one mattered most — it pushed his potential earnings to the “tremendous max” degree and the $300 million contract extension he signed. The present omission mattered, although, as a result of it was now. And it stung.  
“We’re two [victories] away from the Finals,” Brown stated afterward, “so actually I don’t have the time to present a [f—].”  
Brown let his efficiency converse for him and left it to different Celtics to have his again.  
“100% acquired snubbed,” guard Derrick White stated. “Large-time snub. I don’t get it.”  
Brown’s scoring and rebounding dipped a bit this season (23 ppg and 5.5 rpg in 2023-24, 26.6 ppg and 6.9 rpg in 2022-23), however Boston did run away within the East standings. All-NBA recognition typically syncs up with high contenders’ win-loss information.  
However Jayson Tatum was the Celtics’ lone All-NBA selection. Two groups that acquired bounced within the first spherical — the Lakers (LeBron James, Anthony Davis) and the Suns (Devin Booker, Kevin Durant) — had been the one groups with two. 
Even no-nonsense coach Joe Mazzulla addressed Brown’s misplaced particular person acclaim.  
“I feel he cares about it in a means that motivates him,” Mazzulla stated, “and I feel he doesn’t actually care about it in any respect as a result of he understands that … profitable is an important factor.”
2. Haliburton vs. hamstring, Half II
When Haliburton suffered his left hamstring harm in early January, the Pacers confronted the Celtics. He slipped and did the splits on Jan. 8 in Indianapolis, and similar to that one of many season’s early stars was misplaced for 10 video games, then hobbled by a minutes restriction.  
This time it happened on Boston’s court docket. Similar hamstring, although. Similar pained, pissed off look on Haliburton’s face within the third quarter when he stepped/slipped awkwardly and knew instantly it was dangerous. Info was restricted after the sport, however the Pacers had been steeling themselves for a downer medical replace Friday.  
The Pacers’ playmaking duties could fall to Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell because the collection shifts to Indianapolis. What already was troublesome now might be a lot tougher.  
“He does so many issues for our staff,” McConnell stated. “I feel everybody has to maneuver the ball extra, get within the paint extra. The ball motion needs to be at one other degree. He will get 10 assists in his sleep, so it’s laborious for an additional individual on our staff to copy that. It’s a gaggle effort when he goes down.” 
A tricky take a look at turns into even harder for the Pacers if Tyrese Haliburton is pressured to overlook Recreation 3 in opposition to the Celtics.
3. Acing Mazzulla’s defensive assessments  
Boston didn’t bounce out to any 12-0 lead this time. It saved Indiana bottled up the grittier means, attending responsibly to transition protection and, frankly, by thwarting a bunch of Pacers’ transition alternatives by proudly owning the glass.  
The Celtics reeled off 20 unanswered factors to take a 42-27 lead with seven minutes left within the first half. By that time, they’d a 22-9 rebounding benefit, with 9 on the offensive boards. That acquired them 30 pictures to Indiana’s 22.  
“They take a look at our self-discipline, they take a look at our communication,” Mazzulla stated. “I feel we dealt with it higher in Recreation 2.”  
One other tweak after Recreation 1: Mazzulla went with a smaller lineup a few occasions whereas giving heart Al Horford a breather. That tactic, with former Pacer Oshae Brissett getting minutes, enabled Boston to change each matchup.  
Mentioned veteran Jrue Vacation: “They do an incredible job of getting managed chaos. They transfer the ball, they transfer our bodies, they play quick. We are able to additionally try this. We are able to go small, we go huge. We are able to play quick, we will decelerate and execute.”
4. Free-ball foul reassigned as turning level
Carried by Siakam on the finish of the primary half (10 straight factors) and early within the second (10 of 14), the Pacers acquired as close as 68-66 with 7:55 to go within the third quarter. Boston’s lead was again to 4 moments later when Tatum was whistled for a loose-ball foul in opposition to Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith.  
Besides Mazzulla challenged it. When the refs reviewed the tape, they shifted the foul to Nesmith for initiating contact earlier than Tatum’s contact.  
Boston outscored the Pacers 12-5 over the subsequent jiffy. Nesmith appeared so pissed off he quickly deliberately bumped into Tatum for an additional foul. And Indiana was out of runs. Heck, coach Rick Carlisle yanked his starters for all or many of the fourth quarter, dropping out unusually early.
5. Pacers must get residence
After 4 intense video games in every week, unfold throughout three cities and performed at a fever pitch, it’s no surprise Indiana is wanting ahead to Video games 3 and 4 again at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.  
There was the elimination Recreation 6 final Friday in opposition to New York in Indy. Then the feelings of Recreation 7 at Madison Sq. Backyard, Sunday. Barely 48 hours later, the Pacers had been in Boston, narrowly lacking an opportunity to seize maintain of this collection. Then Recreation 2’s disappointment with the result and with Haliburton’s harm.  
A pair of residence video games by no means regarded so good. Indiana is unbeaten within the playoffs at residence, going 6-0 in opposition to the Bucks and Knicks. It has an 11-game profitable streak on the Fieldhouse, relationship again to March 18.

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Steve Aschburner has written concerning the NBA since 1980. You possibly can e-mail him here, discover his archive here and follow him on X.
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