Celtics Wrap: Boston Snaps Game 2 Woes By Dispatching Pacers
BOSTON — The Celtics didn’t need overtime in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals to dispatch the Indiana Pacers as they came away with a 126-110 win at TD Garden on Thursday night.
The Celtics took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Game 2 in the past has been an Achilles heel for the Celtics. They have actually lost their last three Game 2s, dating back to last season.
Boston made sure it didn’t repeat past mistakes against the Pacers.
The Celtics used a familiar recipe that worked well in Game 1 as they turned the Pacers over at a high rate — Indiana committed 16 turnovers — and Boston sprinkled in attacking the offensive glass to overwhelm its opponent. The Celtics finished with 13 offensive rebounds to accumulate 18 second-chance points.
Boston took control early in the contest, using a 20-0 run that bridged the first and second quarters to open a double-digit lead. But the pesky Pacers, as they showed in Game 1, wouldn’t go away quietly.
The Celtics wouldn’t give in, though, and finally put some distance between them and the Pacers, who were without Tyrese Haliburton in the final frame due to injury, in the fourth quarter to cruise to a win.
This was more what everyone expected when the Celtics and Pacers took the floor. And now, Boston is just two wins shy of a second trip to the NBA Finals in three seasons.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Jaylen Brown carried over the momentum from Game 1 in a big way. He scored 24 of his game-high 40 points — which tied his career playoff-high — in the first half and shot 14-for-27 from the floor.
— Jrue Holiday continued to be a steadying force for the Celtics. He posted a double-double of 15 points and 10 assists while also grabbing three rebounds.
— Pascal Siakam kept the Pacers in the game due to a strong offensive performance. Siakam netted a team-high 28 points on 13-for-17 shooting to lead Indiana.
UP NEXT
The conference finals shift to Indiana as the Pacers host the Celtics in Game 3 on Saturday. Tipoff from Gainbridge Fieldhouse is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.