INDIANAPOLIS – The Boston Celtics used two big runs to beat the Indiana Pacers 126-110 in Game 2 on Thursday night and take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Jaylen Brown, one of the heroes of Game 1, led Boston with 40 points, while Pascal Siakam paced Indiana with 28 points. Tyrese Haliburton had 10 points before leaving the game with left leg soreness in the third quarter. Myles Turner had eight points with four turnovers.
The Pacers continued their great shooting from the last two games in the first quarter. T.J. McConnell’s lay-up gave Indiana a five-point lead with just over a minute to play in the quarter. Jrue Holiday made a three-pointer to cut the Celtics’ deficit to two at 27-25 at the end of the first and spark a Boston run.
The Celtics then scored the first 17 points of the second quarter for a 20-0 run and a 15-point lead. Boston would lead as many as 16 in the quarter after Derrick White made three free throws after getting fouled on a three-point attempt by Andrew Nembhard.
Brown scored 17 points in the second quarter and 24 total points in the first half.
Indiana showed some resilience as Siakam scored the last 10 Pacers’ points of the first half to cut the Celtics’ lead to just six at halftime.
Siakam stayed hot in the third quarter, hitting a three pointer to cut Boston’s lead to two at 68-66, but the Celtics went on another spurt forcing Rick Carlisle to take a timeout after an Oshae Brissett dunk made it 82-71. Boston led 93-80 after three.
The Celtics went up 18 on a Brown basket before the Pacers began to empty their bench.
The series now shifts to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 3 on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m.
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