NBA: Jaylen Brown scores 44, Celtics cruise past Pacers
Fans react after Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (7) slammed home two points during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday Dec. 27, 2024 in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
BOSTON — Jaylen Brown scored a season-high 44 points, including six 3-pointers, and the Boston Celtics snapped a two-game skid with a 142-105 rout over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
Jayson Tatum added 22 points and 13 rebounds for Boston, which connected on 23 3s and never trailed. Brown also had four steals to join Larry Bird (five times) and Antoine Walker as the only Celtics with at least 44 points and four steals in a game.
Article continues after this advertisementPayton Pritchard finished with 18 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.
READ: NBA: Depleted Magic pull off comeback win over Celtics
The Pacers have lost two straight since posting a season-best five-game win streak.
Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points and nine assists, Bennedict Mathurin finished with 18 points and Pascal Siakam added 14 points and nine rebounds.
Article continues after this advertisementTakeaways
Pacers: It wasn’t surprising that Indiana struggled to find its footing with Obi Toppin sitting with a sprained left ankle and Andrew Nembhard also out managing tendinitis in his left knee.
Celtics: Avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season with a dominant effort on both ends of the floor. Boston had nine steals and limited Indiana to 28% from beyond the arc. The Celtics did it without starters Kristaps Porzingis (sprained left ankle) and Jrue Holiday, who missed his second straight game with a shoulder injury.
READ: NBA: Jayson Tatum posts 40-point triple-double in Celtics win
Key moment
Al Horford connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to punctuate a 13-0 run by the Celtics late in the second quarter that gave them a 67-35 lead. Boston increased its cushion to as many as 38 in the fourth quarter.
Key stat
This was Brown’s 11th career game with 40 or more points.
Up next
Boston and Indiana meet again on Sunday in their final matchup of the season.
