By Darryl Harding Sr –
After dropping game two in every previous series, the Celtics managed to come out and capitalize on an Indiana Pacers team that did not seem quite right. Being down by two at the finish of the first quarter, Celtics began the second quarter with a 20-3 run where the Pacers didn’t score for over 6 minutes.
Feeling snubbed after being excluded from the all NBA team, Jaylen Brown proceeded to drop 40 points, matching his playoff career high. Although the Pacers were able to bring the score to single digits, the Celtics never relinquished the lead and controlled the game to its completion.
Both Derrick White and Jason Tatum racked up 23 points and Jrue Holiday had a double-double with 15 points in 10 assists. Shaking off their usual Game 2 blues Boston outscored the Pacers by 20 points in the paint. Although Pascal Siakam had 28 points, Tyrese Halliburton underachieved with only 10 points and eight assists, minuscule numbers considering Halliburton was the assist leader for the League this season.
One notable occurrence is that Halliburton left the game in the third quarter with a leg injury coupled with a chest injury. This could spell disaster for Indiana considering during the season when the Pacers played the Celtics without Halliburton they got beat by 50 points.
Now headed to Indiana for game 3 Boston looks to capitalize on a depleted Indiana team played by fatigue and injury. The Pacers obviously won’t go out without a fight but if Halliburton is unable to play it’ll be very difficult for them to overcome the Celtics weapons offensively and defensively.
Skillfully hitting a game time 3 in game 1 to avoid a loss and scoring 40 points in game 2 Brown definitely is proving worthy of having the richest player contract in the NBA, due to the 5-year supermax extension. When questioned about the team’s tenacity Jaylen Brown said, “we have the weather every storm, handle our adversity… and come out playing Celtics basketball.”
Tallying a final score of 123 – 110, Boston maintains home court advantage and hopes to steal at least one in Indiana to come back home up 3-1. With the Pacers suffering, the Celtics may even be able to steal two and end the series. The series resumes on Saturday at 8:30 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.